Worms Revolution
Review
Battling through the slime
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
Deja vu
We’ve been here before, or so it seems. This whole situation feels like déjà vu, although everything feels so much clearer than it had in the past. Myself and my three companions situated on this muddy hellhole, hoping for an end. We’re all veterans of battle and we are at it again. On my left is Bruiser. He is built like a tank, although I’m not sure if it’s because he works out or he has been eating that bright green slimy stuff again. He does a similar job to a tank too. He can certainly dish out his fair share of punishment and can take a fair bit himself. On my right is Scout. He’s a great kid. He’s quick and agile and can jump pretty high and get to the spots that no-one else can. His only downfall is that it would seem a wind would blow him over. I doubt he would last long at all in a melee, but he has surprised me before – scared the shit out of me actually, when he crept up behind me that one time. Behind me is The Professor. He is always inventing something that will help us out in our next battle. What he lacks in physical strength, he gains in brainpower. His ability to heal the troops is legendary. And then there is me, your standard grunt, the guy that just gets on with the job no matter what is asked of me.
My commanding officer has always said that we are an easy group of soldiers to direct. Whatever he tells us to do, we do with ease, whether that is moving to a desired battle location or choosing the right weapon to use at the appropriate moment during battle. Of course, battles haven’t changed much over the years so ordering us around is pretty simple for an experienced commanding officer like him.
Submerge and conquer
As we move through this underground chamber, we just know that there are slimy enemies just waiting to ambush us at any moment. Accordingly, we have packed a huge arsenal in which to defend ourselves. Our favourite grenades, rocket launchers, sniper rifles and shotguns are stashed for an emergency. But we also have some aces up our non-existent sleeves – air support, homing missiles, exploding sheep decoys and the knowledge that water can be detrimental to the health of our enemy. Despite the Geneva Convention, we have been known to use some methods that slowly torture enemies to death. Water pistols are my new favourite, slowly eking the health from foes, but deadly gas canisters have been used in the past. I know that it can be inhumane, but we are not human anyway, so who cares. Dead worms can tell no tales. The Professor’s inventions – such as his sentry gun – also come in handy from time to time. Why do the dirty work when it can be done for you? Am I right?
Moving around this battlefield, we have come to know our surroundings quite well. This has come in handy more than once. The hazards of the landscapes have been our friends on occasions. We have to keep an eye on land mines, but we’ve come to work out how to trigger them to our advantage, or more importantly, to the hindrance of those horrid creatures on the other side. Pools of water lying around can also become torrents of rushing liquid death if used in the right way. A well placed explosion and water can pour over our adversaries, drowning them or even sliding them off a cliff. . We often find other weapons littered around the battlefield as well. Booyah!
We’ll fight them on the beaches
It has been an exhaustive campaign. If I count correctly, my squad has been together for 32 missions. We’ve certainly lost a few mates over the course of the operation, but they have all been avenged in one way or another and we believe that the enemy will soon surrender. After fighting them on the beaches, through farms and in underground tunnels, this should all come to an end soon. The landscapes have been colourful despite the dreariness of war. And my comrades have, during the good times, had the chance to customise their uniforms to suit their fashion sense. Looking good, chaps.
The guys are fun to be around too, always coming up with a witty remark or two to pass the time. They hate standing around waiting for something to happen and will often give our commanding officer the hurry up. Their humorous quips are often drowned out by the sounds of war. Explosions are great especially when it is the enemy that is taking the full force. The sound of the overhead beating of propellers of our air support is particularly enjoyable, although I do enjoy the sound of my rocket launcher as it whooshes out of its casing in the direction of the opposing worms.
The sound of an incoming rocket or grenade, on the other hand is harrowing, as the enemy seem to have some almost impossible sharpshooters. Sometimes, my commanding officer thinks that the enemy has some sort of Artificial Intelligence that can target enemies. It can be a little disconcerting, but if we get them first, their extreme accuracy will not be a problem.
Signing off
Worms Revolution is not a new game, but a tweak on the older titles in the series. Having said that, it is a heap of fun to play. The bright 2D visuals have been improved a touch so that they seem to have added depth. The voice over work from Matt Berry is superb, with his lively British accent complementing the hilarious script of Dean Wilkinson. The gameplay is just as enjoyable, with smooth controls and heaps of new and old weapons and utilities to try. The addition of the Worm classes certainly does add some further strategy to multiplayer games in particular, requiring you to find a mix that suits your game style. The 32 missions, the 20 puzzle challenges and the online multiplayer means that you can be playing for hours. If you’re a fan of the Worms series, you may feel that this is too similar to existing titles to warrant purchase. But for those who haven’t played a Worms game in a while – or at all – this is a great chance to get back into the series.
7.4
fun score
Pros
Hilarious, well voiced script and smooth gameplay make this fun to play.
Cons
If you’ve played a Worms game, the differences are somewhat minor.
