Darkspore has been receiving some pretty harsh criticism...but it's really not bad at all.
GRAPHICS:
They are just as you would expect from a game that can be played on many different types of PC. I personally enjoy them quite a bit and find them fitting to the game's atmosphere. They aren't going to blow you away but they aren't supposed to. The graphics, in my opinion, give it charm. The worlds are a bit repetitive but it's not something that takes too much away from the experience.
Sound:
Pretty mundane. The SFX are fine; I have yet to find any sound annoying or unpleasing. But most of the time people don't play hack and slash for the compelling music.
Gameplay:
To make it simple to understand; the gameplay is somewhat of a cross between Dawn of War II and Diablo. I'm not saying it's on par with these games but it's just the feel the game gives off. You command a squad of 3 creatures per mission, however you can only control one creature at a time. It is very easy to switch between your characters and finding the right squad combination can bring some fun. The attacks and effects look great and are fun to pull off; I don't think this will get old fast.
Replay Value:
It's certainly there if you love your dungeon crawlers. There is a very good multiplayer component and matchmaking is very easy. The PvP is a bit unbalance but I didn't spend much time in that front. There are 3 difficulty settings and tons of creatures to unlock so it should keep you busy for some time.
Customization:
I know that Spore fans are disappointed in this area a bit (or a lot). I tended to like the customization overall; you can make the characters feel like your own. However, if you are looking for a game in which you create a character from the ground up, this one isn't for you. Still, there is enough in here to let you look how you please.
All in all, Darkspore can be worth the price tag as long as you know what you're getting into. No, it's not a defining game in the genre. Is it fun? Yes. Very much so in fact. For fans of Torchlight and similar dungeon crawlers looking for a different type of loot-fest dungeon crawl...look no further.
Thanks for your time and best of luck in gaming.