[gameinfo title=”Game Info” game_name=”” developers=”Team17″ publishers=”Warner Bros.” platforms=”” genres=”” release_date=”October 10, 2012″]
Worms Revolution is a game of methodical mayhem. Brought to you by Team17, the minds behind the 2D Worms games and their 3D counterparts, it isn’t surprising that the same destruction of those games presents itself here. The question is whether or not the same formula with an enhanced presentation suitable for the current generation of consoles is good enough to warrant another game.
Worms has two distinct modes. The “Single Player” mode takes you on a single player campaign, complete with objectives and a silly voice-over. The campaign is a great way to learn some of the basics (although the game also forces you to play through a tutorial when you boot it up) and to hone your skills for multiplayer. This mode also has different puzzles you can choose to complete that involve obstacles such as giving your worm low-life, a difficult terrain to negotiate, and a specific way to kill an enemy that requires some thinking. Like the campaign, these are somewhat simple at the beginning but become genuinely challenging as they progress.
The second mode is titled “Versus” and brings you to the classic deathmatch between two to four teams. Here, there are three game modes: Deathmatch, Classic, and Forts. Deathmatch and classic are very similar but have different A.I. and weapon configurations. Forts constructs two elaborate forts for both teams from which the worms must fight the other team. This is a great addition to the franchise for it takes away the precariously placed worms next to those of the other team who then go first and destroy your worm. With two different forts shooting bazookas across a chasm and at one another, both teams are on a similar playing field. The “Versus” section is both single player with A.I. teams against you (which, like you, will make great shots and will miss) and online through Xbox Live.
The biggest thing about any new Worms game are the new weapons and the ones here are a lot of fun. This game adds dynamic water which can push worms around the level. This is therefore the crux in a lot of the weapons. Also, there are some epic weapons akin to the Holy Hand Grenade (which blows a massive hole in the level) that I won’t spoil here other than to say check out the weapon customization options before going into your first versus match.
The graphics of this game are 3D modeled but on a 2D plane. This means that the worms are clearly 3D but move around the world as if it were only 2D. This also allows for more animations in the background of the levels. An example is, in a beach level, seagulls will fly around on the ocean in the background and every once in a while a periscope will pop out of the water. This add a little flavor to the backgrounds that older Worms games didn’t have. However, the style is somewhat blocky. When the worms move, you can see the pixels around them gyrate. It makes the game look especially bad for a game in an HD era. During the game itself, it isn’t a problem, but during cutscenes, when the voice-over zooms in on a smiling worm just before he’s about to be blown up, the graphical problems are woefully apparent.
The voice-over is just not funny in Revolution. The premise is that the man speaking is a nature filmmaker filming worms who for some reason loves to watch them kill each other with little shotguns. The jokes he makes all fall flat but the expressions of the worms are usually worth a smile. There buffoonery is beyond silly and their little yells and age-old condemnations of each other as “stupid” when they hurt themselves is still funny. All of the guns sound well done but are nothing special.
Score: 7/10
Other than lackluster graphics and sound, Worms Revolution still plays like Worms and adds enough flavor for people to check it out. More absurd weaponry and a whole new water system coupled with a great new Versus mode make this game an adequate iteration on its predecessors. Worms Revolution isn’t a perfect game but it still is fun.
