Worms W.M.D – Review

Truth be told, Worms Armageddon has pretty much been the pinnacle of the Worms saga in terms of gameplay and replay value. While the first games packed a lot more humor in the cinematics, the overall appeal of the series was heightened thanks to Armageddon. Nonetheless, the sequels often packed their respective punches, but overall they never brought that much new to the table, and we’re excluding the 3D iteration of Worms for a good reason. Now, W.M.D seems to be uncovering new grounds by giving the game a new lick of paint, updating mechanics and adding vehicular manslaughter to the mix. Let’s hope we’re not opening a can of worms here.

Story

Even though Worms W.M.D has its own campaign mode where the missions do follow a certain theme, there is sadly no actual story to be found. Then again, if you’re looking to play a Worms title solely for its story content, then it’s best to trot along and find another series that floats your boat. That being said, these games might often be void of any storyline, yet they don’t really need one, as there isn’t really that much to build around worms who are constantly at each others’ throats.

Graphics

As expected the cartoony visuals have remained pretty much the same, but everything seems to have been prepped for the next generation. The backgrounds, and the worms, are all a bit more detailed, the shading has been done in a beautiful way and there’s a lot more diversity when it comes to the rubble on the maps. Of course, other than that, the simplistic, yet good-looking visuals have remained pretty much the same. The movements also have been smoothened out a bit more, and weapons (or at least most of them) also received subtle graphical updates. Certainly the best looking Worms game on the market.

While the cinematics never truly reach the humoristic level of the ancient Worms games, the current cutscenes offer a fun extra from time to time. While  there aren’t that many, they’re fun intermezzos nonetheless, mostly thanks to the fun animation style.

Sound

Overall Worms W.M.D’s soundtrack uses a lot of ambient tracks, rather than more explosive tunes. Of course, you have a truckload of voices to choose from for your team, and small songs that are linked to your crew of worms. Other than that, things stay rather laid back, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as the explosive action and the overflow of one-liners will already provide enough to listen to. Nonetheless, a few more tunes that get you pumped up would have been nice from time to time.

Gameplay

Worms W.M.D is just like its predecessor a mix of action and strategy, where you’ll have to plan your moves properly to wreak mayhem upon your opponents. Nonetheless, if  you’re taking up arms against skilled players, you won’t win matches easily if you simply depend on luck. Unlike the previous titles however, this installment adds vehicles to the fray, a mechanic we were eager to explore.

Honestly, not that much has changed. The game is still all about using the weapons you have at your disposal and unleash whatever that is on your opponents. You’ll be able to choose from classic items like bazookas, grenades and airstrikes, but also fiery fists and explosive sheep are still to be found in the armaments roster of Worms. ‘Aim, toss or fire while taking the wind currents in account and hopefully hit your mark’ is probably still the best way to describe this game, and that’s how we like it. The vehicles however are a nice tough. Basically these provide your character with a hefty amount of extra life, while having a strong weapon to boot. Controls, especially for the helicopter, might take some time getting used to, but overall things feel as natural as when you control one of your worms.

You’ll be able to experience all of the above in the format of your liking. You can simply opt to play through the campaign and the challenges if you’re a one-player-kind-of-guy (or gal), or fight with friends locally or strangers online. The ranking system is there for those who truly want to prove their skills, but overall the game gives you the chance to do your own thing, just like when customizing your team. There are ample possibilities when selecting the voices of your characters and background tunes, but perhaps a tad less esthetical options when it comes to the appearance of your pink and tiny warriors. That being said, the more you play, the more items you seem to unlock, to keep customizing your troops. Pre-order players will also receive a hefty amount of extras from the start.

Conclusion

Worms W.M.D is a very typical Worms game, and doesn’t feel all that different from its predecessors, but it does bring updated mechanics and cool vehicles to the table. The latter alone creates its own atmosphere, giving this game a certain edge. Perhaps W.M.D might become the new Armageddon if enough players hop aboard.

ThaMofo

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