Team 17 are worming their way back into our homes with their latest instalment, but will it be a super sheep or a concrete donkey?
Akin to Worms Armageddon the W.M.D edition retains the 2D style and structure of play. This nostalgia shows Team 17’s desire to produce a well-honed summary of the worms series rather than explore new avenues. Personally, I would have been more excited for something like Worms 3D that made better use of the new level of graphics available, but perhaps Worms doesn’t have the budget and player base it once did. And with the likes of Witcher III and Halo V to contend with, the competition have shifted up a gear.
The implementation of vehicles creates a dynamic new style of play. Well balanced and with a reasonable amount of skill required, they are not too overpowered but cause the players to be mindful and adjust their strategy to accommodate the new assets. Other new weapons that have been added like the bunker busters may seem overly easy to use. However, these only balance against the long games of attrition with people burrowing underground. The new crafting feature also brings diversity to the game, giving you the option to sacrifice equipment for situational advantage with a niche weapon.
The graphics as mentioned before have not changed much, however with buildings added to the map, 2D becomes 2.5D as the buildings offer some level of cover from attack. These also bring an element of surprise as you can never be entirely sure what is going on inside or where your opponent is. Musically, all of the throwbacks to the original are there to be savoured. The worms also have the option of the original soundboards, when used in tandem with your custom clothing and fanfares you can build a team layered with subtle comedy. Ridiculousness and laughability remain at the forefront of the game, along with an air of true competition that comes from pitting yourself against another human. Using an athletic granny to defeat a challenger brings that level of satisfaction Call of Duty just can’t provide.
It seems unlikely that the game will produce much downloadable content or real change over its lifespan, yet this may be a good thing as it will allow gamers to get stuck in and really perfect the game competitively. Many games now become so radically different after every update that it’s hard to keep up – a little uniformity can’t be all bad once in a while.
It is widely accepted that we’re in a generation of gaming that really lacks opportunities to share experiences with someone in the same room. This has been a constant upset, particularly with classics such as Halo that were built on such experiences cutting local play adrift. In this way, it could be that like Fifa, Worms may prove a staple favourite going forward for those who enjoy a spot of social gaming.
Author: Joe, Bath store
