Screenshots :.
Worms
360
Matt
06-07-2007
"The way rockets move in this version's a bit weird and takes getting used to."
"One of the map types that then randomly generates for a variety of scenarios"
"The look of flying euphoria has certainly been improved since previous versions!"
Jay - That crazy classic’s back for you to download from Xbox Live, as we we’re happy to discover. The game that featured those little gardeners’ friends as a veritable gaggle of gun toting, wise cracking invertebrates have returned with a few changes that you’ll either love or hate. For around the equivalent of £3’s worth of points can we complain? Well we might just a little…
Matt – Only a tiny bit, though. Strangely for someone who always makes sure he follow up on a gaming series that he enjoys, I seem to have skipped the last decade or so of Worms. Not entirely, obviously, as I have had a few short cracks at some of the more recent titles, but not since the original have I actually sat down and played through a Worms title in any way resembling properly. Still, as soon as the chance to batter Jay in all sorts of hilarious ways sprung up, I decided that it needed to be taken straight away.
So, what do you get for your cash? The initial answer would have to be ‘not much’, as without any of the additional level and sound packs (150 points each, barring a couple of freebies) you’re core Worms package includes but three different settings to do battle in, although obviously this is sweetened by the random terrain generator throwing up all sorts of random map shapes. Also included are a selection of tutorials for Worms newcomers to get used to the comings and goings of the game, a selection of single-player challenges (twenty, in fact) for you to take on AI opponents and the obvious inclusion of multiplayer modes.
What was that? Not ever played a Worms game? First off, boo. Jeer. Hiss. Secondly, this is how it all works. Each team (maximum of four in one battle) has four worms at their command, and each of these begins with 100 health points. Randomly scattered across each game map, each team then takes it in turn to control one of their team in trying to cause as much damage to the other guys’ worms as possible, with a whole selection of weaponry such as bazookas, grenades, dynamite, exploding sheep and a shotgun under their control. To keep things pressured, the game gives each worm a certain amount of time to complete his or her turn in, meaning time-management starts to come into consideration.
Jay – Unless of course you turn these settings off…if you actually have a version that allows changes beyond a certain set of defaults, as this one doesn’t. Why this is no one, including the old wise hermit that lives on top of the very large hazardous hill, knows. I wouldn’t put it passed Microsoft to include the ability to edit your settings as an additional content pack. Sigh.
Matt - Whilst the single player modes are a nice enough attraction for a while (until you reach the horribly frustrating and blatant cheating of later challenge levels, that is), it’s obviously to multiplayer modes that most will turn. These offer controller sharing, system linking and Xbox Live play and a smattering of variables to alter, such as which weapons you get, how many of them you are initially equipped with and how much time each worm has for their turn. There is also the option to create your own ragtag bunch of worms and name them as you wish, so if you’re a particular fan of Abba, the A-Team, Liverpool’s multinational midfield or any such other notable quartets then it’s plenty easy to put them into a team, with options also allowing you to edit their voices and their gravestones for when the poor blighters get blown up.
Jay – Ok. Ok. That’s the basics, but the changes made to this little downloadable compared to its older original 2D brothers have left me with somewhat of a nervous tick. Look at the corner of my eye! See?
I recall that one of the most creative things that you’d get as standard with Worms (aside from the medical condition) was the ability to randomly generate your playing field. While that function has somewhat been kept in, you seem to have been given set templates for the kind of map it’ll generate. Oh, yeah, and as standard a lot of the scenarios (Hell, Ice, Jungle etc) have been taken out and put into content downloads.
Not only that, but where’s the bungee rope? And what’s this jetpack all about that lets you get to pretty much anywhere on the map? Somewhat of a balance issue going on here. Don’t get me wrong; I know I’m the first to jump onto the Whinge Wagon™ but if you’re going to revive a classic, you need to make sure all it’s limbs are intact!
Matt – Well, yes I suppose. It should be pointed out that a whole load of weapons and utilities are missing from this edition of Worms, whilst others such as the Uzi and the cluster grenade are in effect pointless, as both are weak and have much better alternatives in every situation. You have to wonder if Team 17 have a weapons pack up their sleeve for future release on the Xbox Live marketplace, really.
Still, there’s plenty of entertainment to be had out of these slim pickings. For those with an aversion to playing unknown folks in the remarkably lag-free Live games (or for those who like being able to physically hit their opponents after the git grenades two of your worms off the edge of a cliff and into some water), the option to either share a controller or simply use one each comes in very handy. Likewise, for those lacking enough people to have full-on warfare with four teams can sprinkle a couple of AI teams into proceedings to pad things out.
Still, I personally found that limiting jet packs and ropes was the way to go. Part of the skill of a good game of Worms (for me, anyway), is to have to carefully consider not only what attack to use, but which worms to move as well. Being able to move all your worms great distances all the time kind of blunts one aspect of the challenge for me, and with unlimited jetpacks it practically makes each map a game of chase until one of you gets bored or makes a mistake. Chucking carefully aimed grenades at each other across the whole map from trenches is much more fun, surely?
Jay – It would be if not for both sides participating in said event, rather than a half-crazed competitive component that’s saved up his last dynamite to put it where the sun don’t shine. Hey Matt? Yeah?
You know though, generally I’m still finding the whole game quite addictive. Maybe it isn’t quite what the old titles used to be, but hey, we didn’t pay the full fledged £30 for it, and with it being readably downloadable it’s one of those great titles to grab when you’ve got a few mates and bevies on the go. The bevies that is. On the go. Right.
Matt – Yes, well while the rest of you try to work out what Jay is going on about (answers on a postcard please), I’ll wrap things up I guess. Part of me really wants to love Worms on the 360, as it’s a cheap-as-chips arcade title that offers something that little bit different from anything else. In fact, despite having Forza 2, Colin McRae: DiRT and Shadowrun on hand, it is to Worms that Jay and myself usually turn at the moment for some multiplayer action (although Defcon might see to that). Heck, it’s ideal for a quick blast between other games, or at the end of a stressful day.
That is all well and good, but you can’t help but feel that the whole thing could have – well, should have – made a lot more of things than it has. The lack of settings and weapons is really quite disappointing even taking into account the ease of now finding an infinitely more intelligent human opponent to battle against, and at times the weapon set that has been included feels a little disappointing, with a number of poor weapons and a selection of tools that are almost too useful for their own good. Still, there’s a good deal of fun to be had and if you can stomach the lack of variety you’ll find a very enjoyable experience indeed.
Jay - ...what?
Matt – Only a tiny bit, though. Strangely for someone who always makes sure he follow up on a gaming series that he enjoys, I seem to have skipped the last decade or so of Worms. Not entirely, obviously, as I have had a few short cracks at some of the more recent titles, but not since the original have I actually sat down and played through a Worms title in any way resembling properly. Still, as soon as the chance to batter Jay in all sorts of hilarious ways sprung up, I decided that it needed to be taken straight away.
So, what do you get for your cash? The initial answer would have to be ‘not much’, as without any of the additional level and sound packs (150 points each, barring a couple of freebies) you’re core Worms package includes but three different settings to do battle in, although obviously this is sweetened by the random terrain generator throwing up all sorts of random map shapes. Also included are a selection of tutorials for Worms newcomers to get used to the comings and goings of the game, a selection of single-player challenges (twenty, in fact) for you to take on AI opponents and the obvious inclusion of multiplayer modes.
What was that? Not ever played a Worms game? First off, boo. Jeer. Hiss. Secondly, this is how it all works. Each team (maximum of four in one battle) has four worms at their command, and each of these begins with 100 health points. Randomly scattered across each game map, each team then takes it in turn to control one of their team in trying to cause as much damage to the other guys’ worms as possible, with a whole selection of weaponry such as bazookas, grenades, dynamite, exploding sheep and a shotgun under their control. To keep things pressured, the game gives each worm a certain amount of time to complete his or her turn in, meaning time-management starts to come into consideration.
Jay – Unless of course you turn these settings off…if you actually have a version that allows changes beyond a certain set of defaults, as this one doesn’t. Why this is no one, including the old wise hermit that lives on top of the very large hazardous hill, knows. I wouldn’t put it passed Microsoft to include the ability to edit your settings as an additional content pack. Sigh.
Matt - Whilst the single player modes are a nice enough attraction for a while (until you reach the horribly frustrating and blatant cheating of later challenge levels, that is), it’s obviously to multiplayer modes that most will turn. These offer controller sharing, system linking and Xbox Live play and a smattering of variables to alter, such as which weapons you get, how many of them you are initially equipped with and how much time each worm has for their turn. There is also the option to create your own ragtag bunch of worms and name them as you wish, so if you’re a particular fan of Abba, the A-Team, Liverpool’s multinational midfield or any such other notable quartets then it’s plenty easy to put them into a team, with options also allowing you to edit their voices and their gravestones for when the poor blighters get blown up.
Jay – Ok. Ok. That’s the basics, but the changes made to this little downloadable compared to its older original 2D brothers have left me with somewhat of a nervous tick. Look at the corner of my eye! See?
I recall that one of the most creative things that you’d get as standard with Worms (aside from the medical condition) was the ability to randomly generate your playing field. While that function has somewhat been kept in, you seem to have been given set templates for the kind of map it’ll generate. Oh, yeah, and as standard a lot of the scenarios (Hell, Ice, Jungle etc) have been taken out and put into content downloads.
Not only that, but where’s the bungee rope? And what’s this jetpack all about that lets you get to pretty much anywhere on the map? Somewhat of a balance issue going on here. Don’t get me wrong; I know I’m the first to jump onto the Whinge Wagon™ but if you’re going to revive a classic, you need to make sure all it’s limbs are intact!
Matt – Well, yes I suppose. It should be pointed out that a whole load of weapons and utilities are missing from this edition of Worms, whilst others such as the Uzi and the cluster grenade are in effect pointless, as both are weak and have much better alternatives in every situation. You have to wonder if Team 17 have a weapons pack up their sleeve for future release on the Xbox Live marketplace, really.
Still, there’s plenty of entertainment to be had out of these slim pickings. For those with an aversion to playing unknown folks in the remarkably lag-free Live games (or for those who like being able to physically hit their opponents after the git grenades two of your worms off the edge of a cliff and into some water), the option to either share a controller or simply use one each comes in very handy. Likewise, for those lacking enough people to have full-on warfare with four teams can sprinkle a couple of AI teams into proceedings to pad things out.
Still, I personally found that limiting jet packs and ropes was the way to go. Part of the skill of a good game of Worms (for me, anyway), is to have to carefully consider not only what attack to use, but which worms to move as well. Being able to move all your worms great distances all the time kind of blunts one aspect of the challenge for me, and with unlimited jetpacks it practically makes each map a game of chase until one of you gets bored or makes a mistake. Chucking carefully aimed grenades at each other across the whole map from trenches is much more fun, surely?
Jay – It would be if not for both sides participating in said event, rather than a half-crazed competitive component that’s saved up his last dynamite to put it where the sun don’t shine. Hey Matt? Yeah?
You know though, generally I’m still finding the whole game quite addictive. Maybe it isn’t quite what the old titles used to be, but hey, we didn’t pay the full fledged £30 for it, and with it being readably downloadable it’s one of those great titles to grab when you’ve got a few mates and bevies on the go. The bevies that is. On the go. Right.
Matt – Yes, well while the rest of you try to work out what Jay is going on about (answers on a postcard please), I’ll wrap things up I guess. Part of me really wants to love Worms on the 360, as it’s a cheap-as-chips arcade title that offers something that little bit different from anything else. In fact, despite having Forza 2, Colin McRae: DiRT and Shadowrun on hand, it is to Worms that Jay and myself usually turn at the moment for some multiplayer action (although Defcon might see to that). Heck, it’s ideal for a quick blast between other games, or at the end of a stressful day.
That is all well and good, but you can’t help but feel that the whole thing could have – well, should have – made a lot more of things than it has. The lack of settings and weapons is really quite disappointing even taking into account the ease of now finding an infinitely more intelligent human opponent to battle against, and at times the weapon set that has been included feels a little disappointing, with a number of poor weapons and a selection of tools that are almost too useful for their own good. Still, there’s a good deal of fun to be had and if you can stomach the lack of variety you’ll find a very enjoyable experience indeed.
Jay - ...what?
7/10