The multiplayer fun to be had is still outstanding, but veterans can't help to feel angered by debatable design changes.
Then what do you know, Windows Vista and recently Windows 7 contributed to put a stop to that, making it near impossible to play the game on any other OS than XP. If you can still run your copy of WWP, go online and MAYBE there'll be like one to two opponents. Unfortunately Team17 never released an official patch and now that we got Reloaded I doubt they ever will.
Worms Reloaded's premise sounded fantastic at the beginning. Don't fix what ain't broke. Take a renowned classic, upgrade to HD visuals, add support for current Windows platforms, and there you go, yet another classic.
Well, in reality, though, for almost every step in the right direction W:R takes another step back with quite unforgivable design choices.
So with its addictive gameplay mechanics still intact, which seem to be surprisingly proof to developer brainfarts, W:R might very well be one of the most hilarious multiplayer titles out there on the market today. Eliminating your enemies with a variety of crazy (Holy Grenade, Super Sheep) and some not-too-crazy-weapons until you're the last worm(s) standing is pretty much as satisfying as ever.
Still, veterans can't help to wish back the WWP / Worms Armageddon prime era. You might cope with the fact that the entire menu screens look like you set the screen resolution to ancient 640x480, however, it gets slightly annoying to scroll down the menus or wait for lengthy text descriptions to slide in, cause even the fonts are terribly oversized. And whoever made the decision to omit the Worms teams soundbank preview button (as featured in previous titles) should be hold for ransom. But the fail check list gets more epic when you recognize that the maximum worm count per team has been reduced from 8 to 4! So, if you only play one-on-one, 8 vs. 8 is NO longer possible! Plus, you cannot select and edit a map before starting a match anymore. This means the host will sometimes take forever and a day to select a map he prefers before multiplayer starts.
On the upside, though, some of the new weapons are nice and actually enhance the gameplay experience (Sentry Gun, Electromagnet, Marked for Death, Termites etc.). 'Cause we all know, the more tools to kill the better ;-)
The upgraded graphics are a welcome addition, as they retain the classic WWP retro cartoon charm, but refine it in just the right places. Customizing your worms with several hats (mind you, looking stupid as hell...) is a nice touch, too, even though it's merely for showmanship.
Overall, despite its multitude of shortcomings, W:R still has that "just-one-more-match"-appeal and still manages to unleash its full potential when played online with the maximum of four teams. A few rounds of W:R in the evening and you'll likely forget about life's daily chores for a while. Ultimately, if you're not a newcomer to the series it's just not as easy to forget about the great WWP-fueled memories, which make you realize – while you shed a tear of nostalgia – that in comparison it is still superior.
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 6/10
Singleplayer: 6/10
Multiplayer: 8/10
Overall: 7.5/10