Faunasphere PAX 2009 Preview

Katrina "ShadokatRegn" Pawlowski September 5th, 2009 at 6:27 PM    


Game Name: Faunasphere
Co-Op: Yes
Co-Op Type/Multiplayer Type:
 MMO style online interaction
Publisher/Developer:
Big Fish Games
Release Date: Available

Strange cute creatures need caring for, too, you know. Faunasphere knows this, and encourages you to take on the task of breeding, cross-breeding, and caring for different species of creatures online. This purely flash game can be played in any web browser for free, with a few benefits for subscribed members.

First and foremost Faunasphere reminded me of a more interactive version of Neopets; You find items throughout various Faunaspheres to add to your Fauna’s home to make them happy. You’ll interact with other players to buy items from one another, as well as a lot of solo exploring. You can go to public areas to show off your various creature creations (which, I’ll explain in a moment) or just chit-chat about whatever you feel like talking about. It’s a very inclusive community, but probably appeals more to the younger age groups.

In Faunasphere one of the most interesting aspects is the breeding system. As you make your Fauna level up, they lay an egg - in order to hatch this egg, you have a different Fauna incubate the egg. The resulting baby animal will take traits from both the egg layer, and the incubator. Depending on what genes are dominant or recessive, you have a different outcome possible every time - including random mutations.

I saw a variety of species on the screen, including species of different colors. you attain the different colors either randomly at birth, or by feeding your Fauna something called “gene food.” The possibilities were impressive, and certainly entertaining.

Aside from the Breeding, you’re given goals to complete to play the game. There were even some enemies that can be approached using co-op, but those battles are entirely optional for the players that just want to inbreed their Fauna.



 Tags: pc pax 2009 preview faunosphere


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20 Total Reader Comments

Mrxknown_JG at 03:21 PM on 9.5.2009
I'm not clear on the co-op aspects.

But it kinda reminds me of those digital pets from 1996-1998
 
kersplat12785 at 03:27 PM on 9.5.2009
Sounds a little bizarre
 
BigBadBob113 at 03:57 PM on 9.5.2009


Yeah, thats what it sounds like. I dunno if I would be too into that.

Though then again, I occasionally have a weakness for Animal Crossing...
 
Nuhru at 07:19 PM on 9.5.2009
I'm gonna try this cos it sounds interesting and.. well.. it's free. Maybe it will actually be a good game.
 
roland at 07:13 AM on 9.6.2009
I kind of dig these game elements as part of a larger game, but I'm not sure they are strong enough to interest me by themselves.
 
smurphster at 04:35 PM on 9.6.2009
they should tie this into facebook somehow. i could see that becoming extremely viral if done right.
 
Zonf86 at 12:41 AM on 9.7.2009
Weird...
 
Psyclops at 12:31 PM on 9.7.2009
Hey, maybe I'll tell my little sister about this ">
 
Etanos at 04:53 AM on 9.8.2009
A possibly better, cartoony version of Spore? And yeah, where does the co-op come in? Hopefully not the breeding...
 
.Dylan at 06:47 AM on 9.8.2009
I would have never thought Nanopets would change the world the way they have, lol
 
mattism at 07:43 AM on 9.8.2009
I agree with Zonf86... Weird.
 
Tasark at 08:36 AM on 9.8.2009
I probably won't get this game.. but the name is awesome and fun to say.
 
Nuhru at 09:41 AM on 9.8.2009
I tried it but I guess the game has many servers so I couldn't play it with my friend who lives in America. But.. I dunno if I would try it again even if it worked.
 
blakepro at 09:45 AM on 9.8.2009
wha? I think I'm outside the target demographic.
 
Torg001 at 09:45 AM on 9.8.2009
Sounds like a neat little time killer.
 
Syphous at 02:31 PM on 9.8.2009
Bah, pet games. Yawn. Just get a pet.
 
QuackTape at 03:21 AM on 9.9.2009
Syphous, you make me happy.
 
Dschinghis at 12:38 PM on 9.9.2009
Some alums from a previous game project I was on are behind this game. Good luck, guys, looks great so far.
 
Heretic Machine at 03:01 PM on 9.9.2009
Sounds like a next-gen Neo Pets. I always wondered why there was so little interaction between you and your pet on Neo Pets, and this seems to address that.
 
cave at 12:03 PM on 9.10.2009
No thanks I'll stick to Viva Pinata for now.
 


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