the game is great and i love it, BUT, if you want to play with online features without much of a hassle it's much easier (and cheaper) to buy the game on GOG and register it to an EA account. otherwise you have to contact EA support since steam doesn't include the game keys needed to register it. i recommend the game itself but this is something to be aware of before buying!

I have been playing this game for about 3 years now and its one of a kind.
Its old and the graphics are not the best but the game play is amazing. The game has a really cool concept and the progression feels nice. Its amazing how creativ you can be in this game and it wont stop you for being so.
I alwas come back to it a few times a year.
Its sad to see what EA once created and what its doing now.
great game.

A lot to consider about this game. It's nowhere near the vision that was promised when it was in development, but I think the appeal of the pitch survived. Even when the servers were functional, they weren't exactly reliable, so it's not actually that different to play it nowadays...
The raw power of the customization carries it, mostly--if you're willing to tolerate some unfocused gameplay for the sake of playing as a Thing you created yourself, and the idea of being able to shape a planet's land and ecosystem appeals to you, then yes, you'll have a great time with this. I definitely feel like it's worth the time I put into it, myself.