Darkspore Interview

Rock, Paper, Shotgun chatted up Darkspore executive producer Michael Perry earlier this week, tapping into such topics as the game's four-player co-op support, loot collection mechanics, similarities to Diablo III, and more.
RPS: How will the Spore-like additions to our characters translate into differences in-game? Are the variations mostly cosmetic, or do they affect how we'll play?

Perry: The character editor in Darkspore uses the creature editing tech from Spore, but that's where the commonalities end. In Darkspore, this is where you can use the gear loot found in the game. Because stats are essential in Darkspore, the editor has been completely revamped to bring stat changes to the forefront. Every piece of gear affects the core stats of your heroes, such as Strength, Dexterity, Health, etc. Choosing the right gear with the right stats for your play style is critical for defeating enemies on the planet levels, as well as defeating other players in PvP arenas.