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"[Game] Worms Revolution (XBLA)"

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Sun 16/06/13 at 10:26
Regular
"Ghosts Can't Die!"
Posts: 774
The Worms series is one that rarely tries to step out of its comfort zone. When it does, the results can often leave fans divided (I’m looking at you Worms 3D and Worms Forts). Lately however Team 17 have focused purely on the 2D side of things delivering consistently entertaining (albeit unadventurous) editions on a number of consoles. Their most recent attempt however judging by its title promised to offer big changes, but is it truly a revolution for the series?

At its core Worms Revolution still feels very much like any other Worms title. You’re still moving along a 2D plane, leading a team of four worms into battle and using an assortment of banana bombs, sheep, old ladies, holy hand grenades and plenty more equally ridiculous and crazy sounding weapons. That’s fine. The formula still works great and once more provides hours upon hours of excellent multiplayer mayhem. You still can’t quite beat the feeling of nailing a perfectly tossed grenade that sends your mate to his watery death. However this time around Team 17 have also implemented a number of changes (some big, some small) that really can add to the experience and change how you find yourself taking on opponents.

The first and probably most notable change here is in the look of the game. Rather than using basic 2D backgrounds, the game is actually rendered in full 3D – everything from the objects that litter each environment to the goings on in the background. The worms themselves too sport a heightened sense of character with detailed animations that are sure to raise a smile. While this doesn’t necessarily add anything to how the game plays, it’s a refreshing change for a series that had long since felt a little dated in terms of visuals.

Throughout the series, battlefields have been surrounded by water, causing instant death for all worms that fall in, but for the first time water is also a part of the battlefield itself. The wet stuff can collect in holes slowly drowning anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves trapped within, pour down hills or splatter everywhere from a nearby explosion. Water bombs, water guns or a well placed bazooka to a thin wall housing a small pool above can lead to often interesting results. One such instance saw my friend throwing a water bomb at the ceiling only to have its contents rain downward and flush me down a slope and off the stage entirely.

Also new to the series, physics objects, scattered around the stage come in a variety of forms, from lighters and water bottles to wrenches and bombs. Unlike the actual battlefield which is fully deformable, these over sized objects take a little more to destroy and have their own unique physical properties. A bomb for example will detonate (shocking right?), a hip flask explode in a wave of water and a lighter rain down with fire. Using these objects to your advantage can cause true devastation to your opponents, from a falling wrench crushing them to getting burnt to a crisp by an exploded lighter.

These two new features are nice additions, but at times you’ll find they don’t come into play as much as expected. Sure someone might use a waterbomb from time to time or a lighter might come into play after a misfired bazooka shot, but chances are that person may opt for an explosive weapon that does immediate damage or ignore physics objects altogether. These options are here for the user and that’s good if you want to be a little more creative with your attacks, but it feels at times that you could be just as likely to win should you choose to ignore them too.

Then there are the newly added classes. As well as the standard soldier type worm, three newcomers are also available, each offering their own strengths and weaknesses. Scientists for example play more of a support role, making them unable to take much damage while healing all teammates with each turn. Scouts meanwhile are the fastest and smallest worms, allowing them to leap and manoeuvre, easily covering more ground making them excellent for picking up weapon drops. However they have the weakest attack and defensive capabilities in the game. Finally there are the Heavies, which are slow and barely capable of jumping, but can take more damage than the others and pack extra power into each attack.

Granted the differences between the types aren’t hugely game changing, but they do make you think about how you play. If you tend to be a player who tries to keep their distance from chaos, then Scientists may be the way to go, offering an extra chunk of health to all worms every turn. Likewise if you like to go out guns-a-blazing then a few Scouts and Heavies may be the way to go.

Single player consists of thirty two missions spread over four different environments that more often than not call on you to eliminate anything that moves. Playing against the AI is okay but often frustrating no thanks to the lengthy waits as your opponent plans their next attack. Playing against a human and waiting isn’t an issue as chances are you’ll be chatting/laughing with them as they plan their attack… but here the waits can sometimes be downright boring as you sit in silence. Challenges fair a little better however, offering twenty puzzles that require you to make creative use of the limited weaponry you’re supplied with. Of the two I found myself enjoying the puzzles a lot more forcing me to think outside the box and use my arsenal in ways I would never have considered before.

All of this meanwhile is narrated by fictional character Don Keystone (hilariously brought to life by the accomplished Matt Berry and with a script penned by award-winning writer Dean Wilkinson), a wildlife documentary maker. After playing through the single player campaign, I think I’ve come to the conclusion that every game needs audio commentary from Matt Berry. Thanks to some pretty funny jokes and the fantastic delivery of the actor himself, even simple tutorials and mission briefings are entertaining. It’s just a shame he isn’t used to comment on your unpredictable multiplayer battles.

As expected multiplayer is where Worms has and will always shine. While you can play online, four friends sat on the sofa and passing the controller around is and always will be the best way to play. Standard matches, games that eliminate all new features and simply focus on the old-school gameplay of Worms or a match type that pits two forts face to face in a long brutal battle all offer hours of fun with others. Customization also makes a welcome return, whether it be with your team specifically; including names, types, hats, gravestones and so on or in the actual match itself. Want a battle with just baseball bats? Sure. Want a Holy Hand Grenade unlocked after two turns? Go for it. Whatever you want, you can pick and choose to your pleasing. The weapon set also boasts a huge fifty plus roster of ropes, guns, bombs, rockets, sheep, donkeys, water and more so you’ll never be short of inspiration in how to eliminate the enemy.

Worms Revolution may not be the Revolution its title promises, but it’s definitely the most accomplished in the series yet. Some neat new additions, a visual overhaul and the same classic four player mayhem we’ve come to know and love help give the long running series the update it so sorely needed.
There have been no replies to this thread yet.
Sun 16/06/13 at 10:26
Regular
"Ghosts Can't Die!"
Posts: 774
The Worms series is one that rarely tries to step out of its comfort zone. When it does, the results can often leave fans divided (I’m looking at you Worms 3D and Worms Forts). Lately however Team 17 have focused purely on the 2D side of things delivering consistently entertaining (albeit unadventurous) editions on a number of consoles. Their most recent attempt however judging by its title promised to offer big changes, but is it truly a revolution for the series?

At its core Worms Revolution still feels very much like any other Worms title. You’re still moving along a 2D plane, leading a team of four worms into battle and using an assortment of banana bombs, sheep, old ladies, holy hand grenades and plenty more equally ridiculous and crazy sounding weapons. That’s fine. The formula still works great and once more provides hours upon hours of excellent multiplayer mayhem. You still can’t quite beat the feeling of nailing a perfectly tossed grenade that sends your mate to his watery death. However this time around Team 17 have also implemented a number of changes (some big, some small) that really can add to the experience and change how you find yourself taking on opponents.

The first and probably most notable change here is in the look of the game. Rather than using basic 2D backgrounds, the game is actually rendered in full 3D – everything from the objects that litter each environment to the goings on in the background. The worms themselves too sport a heightened sense of character with detailed animations that are sure to raise a smile. While this doesn’t necessarily add anything to how the game plays, it’s a refreshing change for a series that had long since felt a little dated in terms of visuals.

Throughout the series, battlefields have been surrounded by water, causing instant death for all worms that fall in, but for the first time water is also a part of the battlefield itself. The wet stuff can collect in holes slowly drowning anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves trapped within, pour down hills or splatter everywhere from a nearby explosion. Water bombs, water guns or a well placed bazooka to a thin wall housing a small pool above can lead to often interesting results. One such instance saw my friend throwing a water bomb at the ceiling only to have its contents rain downward and flush me down a slope and off the stage entirely.

Also new to the series, physics objects, scattered around the stage come in a variety of forms, from lighters and water bottles to wrenches and bombs. Unlike the actual battlefield which is fully deformable, these over sized objects take a little more to destroy and have their own unique physical properties. A bomb for example will detonate (shocking right?), a hip flask explode in a wave of water and a lighter rain down with fire. Using these objects to your advantage can cause true devastation to your opponents, from a falling wrench crushing them to getting burnt to a crisp by an exploded lighter.

These two new features are nice additions, but at times you’ll find they don’t come into play as much as expected. Sure someone might use a waterbomb from time to time or a lighter might come into play after a misfired bazooka shot, but chances are that person may opt for an explosive weapon that does immediate damage or ignore physics objects altogether. These options are here for the user and that’s good if you want to be a little more creative with your attacks, but it feels at times that you could be just as likely to win should you choose to ignore them too.

Then there are the newly added classes. As well as the standard soldier type worm, three newcomers are also available, each offering their own strengths and weaknesses. Scientists for example play more of a support role, making them unable to take much damage while healing all teammates with each turn. Scouts meanwhile are the fastest and smallest worms, allowing them to leap and manoeuvre, easily covering more ground making them excellent for picking up weapon drops. However they have the weakest attack and defensive capabilities in the game. Finally there are the Heavies, which are slow and barely capable of jumping, but can take more damage than the others and pack extra power into each attack.

Granted the differences between the types aren’t hugely game changing, but they do make you think about how you play. If you tend to be a player who tries to keep their distance from chaos, then Scientists may be the way to go, offering an extra chunk of health to all worms every turn. Likewise if you like to go out guns-a-blazing then a few Scouts and Heavies may be the way to go.

Single player consists of thirty two missions spread over four different environments that more often than not call on you to eliminate anything that moves. Playing against the AI is okay but often frustrating no thanks to the lengthy waits as your opponent plans their next attack. Playing against a human and waiting isn’t an issue as chances are you’ll be chatting/laughing with them as they plan their attack… but here the waits can sometimes be downright boring as you sit in silence. Challenges fair a little better however, offering twenty puzzles that require you to make creative use of the limited weaponry you’re supplied with. Of the two I found myself enjoying the puzzles a lot more forcing me to think outside the box and use my arsenal in ways I would never have considered before.

All of this meanwhile is narrated by fictional character Don Keystone (hilariously brought to life by the accomplished Matt Berry and with a script penned by award-winning writer Dean Wilkinson), a wildlife documentary maker. After playing through the single player campaign, I think I’ve come to the conclusion that every game needs audio commentary from Matt Berry. Thanks to some pretty funny jokes and the fantastic delivery of the actor himself, even simple tutorials and mission briefings are entertaining. It’s just a shame he isn’t used to comment on your unpredictable multiplayer battles.

As expected multiplayer is where Worms has and will always shine. While you can play online, four friends sat on the sofa and passing the controller around is and always will be the best way to play. Standard matches, games that eliminate all new features and simply focus on the old-school gameplay of Worms or a match type that pits two forts face to face in a long brutal battle all offer hours of fun with others. Customization also makes a welcome return, whether it be with your team specifically; including names, types, hats, gravestones and so on or in the actual match itself. Want a battle with just baseball bats? Sure. Want a Holy Hand Grenade unlocked after two turns? Go for it. Whatever you want, you can pick and choose to your pleasing. The weapon set also boasts a huge fifty plus roster of ropes, guns, bombs, rockets, sheep, donkeys, water and more so you’ll never be short of inspiration in how to eliminate the enemy.

Worms Revolution may not be the Revolution its title promises, but it’s definitely the most accomplished in the series yet. Some neat new additions, a visual overhaul and the same classic four player mayhem we’ve come to know and love help give the long running series the update it so sorely needed.

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