To be upfront, I’ve never been much of a fan of Worms. I had some fun with Armageddon back in the day, but even that wasn’t enough to fully convert me to the cult of Team 17’s long-running series. I totally get why people love the series, and there’s so much about it that makes it seem like just the type of game that I should love, but it’s just never clicked. So, if nothing else, I’m happy to say that the latest installment in the series, WMD, didn’t fully change my opinion, but I’ve at least acquired a new-found appreciation. So, let’s dive into WMD, and what’s changed in the world of Worms.
For the few uninitiated out there, here’s a quick rundown of just what Worms is as a game. In basic terms, it’s a turn-based strategy game rooted in physics and lining up shots in an attempt to pull off the perfect trajectory that will result in maximum damage. There’s a group of worms on the left of the screen, and one on the right. What ensues is a comical fight to the death. It can be a single player experience if that’s how you roll, but Worms in the classic sense is best played as a local couch co-op experience, if only so that you and your friend can taunt each other the entire time.
Team 17 obviously heard the complaints about Worms growing stale over the years, so this time around they’ve tried to make a push to incorporate new game play elements, and a few classic mechanics thrown in for balance. New to Worms is a crafting mechanic, vehicles, and mounted weapons. Some of these features, in particular the crafting, may seem like an odd fit for the series, but once you’re introduced to them and start filtering them into each battle, they seem completely natural. Being able to craft custom equipment built to your exact specifications helps to alleviate the minor annoyances present in older games.
The best part of WMD is the 2D visual presentation. It’s a slight shift that breathes fresh air into the series, and makes it look like the mad animated war movie it’s always strived to be. The additional game play elements don’t clash with returning favorites, and the game can still be fun and frantic with 2 or more friends. Honestly, all I can say is this is just the right balance for new and old players alike- it’s more Worms, but slightly more polished. If that sounds like fun to you, this game will almost certainly please you. If it doesn’t, then you’re not going to get much out of your time with it, because this is still essentially the same experience.
Long-running series are often difficult to review. Their fan-base often wants consistency, but at the same time innovation. Stray to far in either direction, and the latest release can end up feeling repetitive, or not at all like a proper entry. Though it may not be strictly my thing, I found WMD to strike that balance. In the end, Team 17 managed to release the best, most-approachable iteration of Worms in years.
