Forget Spore 2, this stunning indie game inspired by Maxis’ 2008 smash hit sim just got a free demo on Steam

Recent hopes for a new Spore sequel arose when new developers were appointed by Maxis, but were quickly axed by an announcement clarifying that neither a second game nor any “major updates” for the first were in the works – thankfully, however, an upcoming indie title may just scratch that Spore-shaped itch.

Strange Seed is a unique little gem of a game, featuring vibrant visuals and god sim gameplay that longtime fans of Spore are sure to appreciate. Players start their lives as simple blob-like beings, working to evolve and uncover new DNA. There’s no underwater stage like there is in Spore – instead, creatures in Strange Seed fall from “a very abnormal tree” to the ground where they must fight (and more importantly, eat) to survive.

Players can combine different body parts to create more powerful pieces to use on the “blobs” as they evolve, and that’s where things get pretty wild – just like in Spore, fans can conjure up all sorts of adorable or nightmare-ish beasts. From antlers to claws and wings to jaws, there’s no shortage of creepy-crawly bits to attach in Strange Seed. As developer Chronicle Games explains, “No creature part is useless!”

Whether it’s for climbing, jumping, or flying, every appendage counts when evolving. This rings especially true as Strange Seed boasts unforgiving boss battles and a dog-eat-dog world – much like the real one if you ask me. Devs even hint at “Metroidvania challenges” in which players require certain parts or combinations of parts to progress. I thought Spore was chaotic myself, but Strange Seed sounds downright wild in the best way.

There’s a free demo available to play right now on Steam for anyone interested in the colorful spiritual Spore successor. As for the game’s full release date, Chronicle Games has yet to unveil Strange Seed’s official launch time. Judging by the demo’s description, though, there’s plenty to keep fans occupied until then already. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some blobs I need to go and evolve.

Check out these other upcoming indie games for even more to look forward to.