on the other hand, "some biologists think the game could have educational value just by making users think about science, like an entertaining hook into evolutionary biology."

"Ultimately, games are made to engage the people who play them. Provoking wonderment or debate is a good thing. Wright abstracts grandiose topics, and he does it well. Not enough game designers have the stones or the vision to try the same, which is why we get battered with endless versions of Madden NFL (also put out by Electronic Arts).
In the end, that's also why Spore leaves such an impression. It's more than just fun. It's worth arguing about."

It is 3 or 4 crumby games put together. The game is a poor compilation of old game code put together as you evolve through the story line.