Extremely open-ended gameplay with unbelievable freedom. It's just as deep as everyone says, but it's never overwhelming; anything you don't understand or don't want to deal with, the game can & will take care of for you.
As other reviewers noted, there are different stages that your creature will go through starting from the cell all the way through to a space-faring civilization. The first 4 stages (Cell, Creature, Tribe, Civilization) are fun, but to me, they're more like an "introductory" phase of the game. For those who have played the oldest Elder Scrolls game, I compare it with the "Answer these questions to determine what kind of Galactic Empire you will create" sort of thing. Basically, the real game doesn't start until you hit the space stage in my opinion. Don't get me wrong! The earlier stages are FUN, truly, because of my next point: The customization! There is very little left desired with the customization available to you in creating your creature, and later you can even build structures to your liking, designing entire cities (with their own anthem, I may add!) and what's more: you can do this on EVERY planet you control. The customization is wonderful. Now I stated in the title that this game will attract a broad audience, but it will only really hit that perfect sweet spot with a few people. The longest portion of the game is the space stage, and that seems to be a hit or miss with most people. I loved it. *Spoilers in next section, but not big ones!* Basically, you're the "Captain" of your own spaceship with a mission from your space empire to... Well, do whatever you want. Do you want to follow the story and reach the galactic core to find out what is going on with the mysterious Grox? Or do you want to wage war on your neighbors, destroying all traces of your enemies and becoming the sole galactic superpower? Or perhaps you'd rather live peacefully trading and making alliances with those around you, living peacefully while you expand and get wealthy? This last part of the game is where it wins my five-star rating. It may or may not be the perfect blend for you, but it was for me. Regardless, it's definitely a title you should play through a couple of times!
