Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I'll go play Worms. Reborn or rehashed? My verdict.
Many Worms fans have abandoned the franchise, and others, like me, have stuck around with fingers crossed for a good 2D version to come around again. Enter stage left: Worms HD on Xbox Live Arcade.
For those of you that don't want to read my full review, and just want to know a quick opinion, here it is: If you're a Worms virgin, buy this game. If you're a Worms fan who's keen to play it again and play it online, buy this game. Anything else? Try the demo.
So, onto the main review. For those that aren't entirely sure, Worms is a 2D strategy war game in which you take it in turns controlling one of your worms, selecting and using a weapon to try and deal damage to your opponents. The key to Worms, are the weapons and how you use them. Do you throw an explosive sheep? Do you swing on the Ninja rope and drop a banana on a group of opponents? The possibilities are pretty endless in terms of how you can approach the battles, which is a main reason people like the game so intensely. Many a night in the lives of sad gamers have been lost to Worms multiplayer, and I suspect those days are back to enthrall us once again.
If it sounds simple, that's because it kinda is. Worms is an easy game to pick up and get into, but takes a bit more time to master (Always a good thing). There are tutorials to get you on the right course from the start, and before long you'll be holding your own against all your friends.
The key for this Worms title (Seeing as the other sections in the game are light on content and have a bit too much of a 'been-there-done-that' feeling) is the Multiplayer, specifically the online. This game is a social experience. Gather three friends, name your Worms silly things and give them humorous team names and duke it out. Like any good humour, this experience is one best shared with friends. Laugh with them when you miss your ninja rope swing and fly into the water, and chuckle together when worms go flying from explosions and make funny quips.
The main complaint about the game is that it is light on content. There are only three "themes" (Each level is randomly generated from one of these themes) and less weapons than your average new Worms game. While some may argue these things hurt the game, they simply force you to use different strategies, only a good thing in this sort of game. The loss of the recent "Super weapons" is no real loss at all, and the game retains it's sense of fun. Downloadable content is definitely an option sure to revitalize the community into playing again should their interest start to wane.
The achievements are a little on the easy side, but I believe that fits with the nature of the game. It is an easy going enjoyable game to play with your friends, and if Crackdown is starting to become boring, and Gears just doesn't hold the same appeal to you anymore, then you may want to invest the 800 points in this beauty and kick back till your next retail wanted game arrives.
Worms retains it's sense of fun, and in comparison to other prices on XBLA games, 800 points is definitely worth it. I highly recommend it for everyone who is interested.