Worms W.M.D Xbox One Review
Worms W.M.D is the latest instalment into the classic worms series, adding vehicles, crafting and buildings but also retaining the classic weapons and modes as well. Ever since way back in 1999 with the launch of the best Worms game ever Worms Armageddon we have been craving Team 17 to produce a game that compares to that classic from the past! With Worms W.M.D Team 17 has gone back to it’s roots and I have to say that it has definitely paid off!
Available from the Microsoft store for £19.99
Graphics:
The menus are clear and bright in a simple layout making navigation a breeze. Whilst it has never been a graphical masterpiece, W.M.D is the best yet with colourful and creative 2D styling with well detailed characters and great animation. Gameplay throughout is smooth with no noticeable lag or FPS drops.
The level design is something to be admired in Worms W.M.D, there is a fair bit of variation and everything looks great from the fire burning after that cluster grenade set off, to the waves in the water!
Camera zooming in and out and moving around freely is great and makes the long distance shots a little easier to see and aim at. Being able to check the locations of all the enemy’s Worms gives you the ability to strategically plan your next attacks.
Sound:
Something that has always shined for me in the Worms series is the hilarious voice acting from characters, with silly remarks throughout the game, it will have you chuckling to yourself! The only downside with the voice acting is the repetitiveness and for some this may really irritate, especially the ‘Bad Rappers’ who I personally found extremely irritating! Music is very unobtrusive and quiet in the background, barely noticeable if I’m honest. Sound effects have a good amount of nostalgia from past Worms games and really bring back memories of Armageddon as you fire off your trusty old bazooka, while new sounds from machine guns on the helicopters bring the game forwards.
Gameplay:
The main home menu is well laid out with a very simple design, here is where you will find the single player menu. Here you will be able to select the mode you want from the tabs these include:
Training mode which is great for new players to the series or even old vets who just need a memory jog on how to play.
The next menu is campaign and my personal favorite! In campaign you will find yourself completing missions with mission objectives and also sub-goals, the sub-goals can be a major challenge including things like finishing the whole game with a certain amount of health left or using your a certain weapon to kill enemies! The main objective in campaign will mainly have you taking your own little worm army and defeating the whole opposition army, but with the sub-goals they really add a decent amount of variety to stop the games from feeling repetitive.
Challenge mode is more of a puzzle solving mode and will mainly have you go out into battle with a lone worm, you will sometimes have limited guns or even none at all so they will be well fitting to the game mode “Challenge”. Each challenge mode will need to be unlocked, to do this you will need to collect the wanted posters scattered throughout the campaign missions as collectibles, these can be tricky to obtain as some are well hidden and looking in the middle of a battle can be difficult! As you complete challenges you will unlock unique customisations for your personal wiggly army!
extra mode and bonus mode are both addition campaigns, both adding even more to the already impressively long campaign mode.
W.M.D regained some of it’s past favorites like the much loved ninja rope or the sheep bomb as well as adding some cool new features like tanks, helicopters, mechs, cover in buildings and the ability to craft during the match!
The game features over 80 weapons and utilities for you to experiment with and will add plenty of variation to take down the opposition.
Crafting is something new and a great addition, being able to craft pretty much anything during the match with classics like the Old Ladies or the Super Sheep you can give yourself a massive advantage on the battlefield! You won’t be able to just craft anything straight away though you will be required to pick up crates which will be dropped randomly or hidden on the map. The crafting doesn’t limit you to certain things either you will be able to combine many different things to make your own wacky weapons! The crafting can also be done during the enemies turn which can be something to do while your waiting and prepare you for your next attack once your turn comes!
The ability to use vehicles really speeds up gameplay as you fly across terrain in the tank, take to the skies in the helicopter or annihilate your foes in the powerful mech.
Buildings can new be entered and give you the ability to stow away your army in them, this can really help towards a win as it gives the team inside a fair bit of protection. Buildings that can be entered are fairly scarce, however the other advantage to being inside the buildings is if you have a team member inside you will be able to see the whole inside of the building but your opponent won’t be able to see anything inside, giving you a good chance to hide troops inside safely.
AI:
One thing that needs a mention is the AI, I found them a little bit too accurate and will leave you frustrated at times due to the pinpoint shots that will sometimes put your team in the drink or blow them to bits.
Character Creation:
W.M.D carries on from Worms of old giving you the ability to make your own team from scratch, options include making the team name and then naming each worm individually as well. Then customise the your worm how you want them including choosing the outfit, Speech bank, victory dance, gravestone and fanfare. It’s brilliant to be able to make the team completely your own and how you want everything.
Controls:
The control scheme is very much old feeling and that is by no means a bad thing as with most of the game, it seems Turn 17 have took what was good all them years back and just added upgrades and small tweaks to try and create the perfect experience.
Value:
Easy to recommend on a value side of things, plenty of modes, online multiplayer, new features, upgrades and vehicles. Best Worms game since the days of Armageddon.
Pros
- New Features
- Retains best features from old classic Armageddon
- Vehicles speed up mayhem
- Nostalgic sounds
- Local & Online Multiplayer
Cons
- Repetitive voice acting
- AI can frustrate with pinpoint accuracy
Verdict:
Team 17 went back to basics with W.M.D and it really worked out, adding modern crisp graphics, new vehicles, crafting and a buttery smooth experience is what most fans would have hoped for and Team 17 definitely delivered. In some respects it feels better than Armageddon but in other ways the old classic still comes out on top but W.M.D is 100% a step in the right direction!
With plenty of modes and great multiplayer W.M.D will keep you coming back for a very long time!