Bringing A Tank To An Invertebrate Fight In Worms WMD

With seemingly countless games out in the last decade, the question is always going to hang overs new Worms game as to what it can do that’s new and interesting. Worms WMD does a few things that help to push the formula in a new, albeit subtle, direction.

But the first thing that stands out for me is the lovely twist on a familiar art style. This is the classic 2D invertebrate warfare of old, with randomly generated maps and worm placements to make sure that no two matches are going to be quite the same. However, Team17 have taken a step away from the 3D geometry that accompanied this side-on viewpoint in recent games like Worms: Revolutions and Clan Wars. Instead, this is all 2D artwork that’s blended together as the maps are generated. It looks gorgeous and painterly, and it’s a welcome return to a more classical style.

While the turn-based physics combat is going to be instantly familiar to anyone that wants to pick up and play, albeit with a new control option that allows Cross on a DualShock 4 to be jump and Square to fire, there are a few key differences to be found here as well. Notably, there are now buildings that you can enter and let you break a line of sight to those outside.

Stepping into a building, whether through a standard entrance or one that you’ve made through the course of the battle, the face of the building is peeled back to reveal the floors and platforms within. It’s an interesting if subtle shift that can perhaps change the flow of a battle in your favour, and allows for you to lay secretive traps and ambushes for an opponent. Playing local multiplayer, the other person might have an inkling as to where you are as they watch your turn unfold, but online, your opponents won’t be given the same view unless they go inside themselves.

The flashiest new addition though, comes in the form of vehicles and gun emplacements. There’s now the possibility that tanks, helicopters, cannons and more can be dropped in alongside your crack team of worms. Hopping in, they can give you a bit of shelter, as well as let you unleash a quite powerful barrage of fire.

The tank’s pretty easy to understand, and so too are the handful of different emplacements, but the helicopter’s a lot of fun to play around with. It’s almost like a weaponised jet pack, with the constant battle to defy gravity and control the powerful upward thrust aligned with an underslung machine gun that can spit out a wild spray of bullets in the vague direction of your choice.

It would be easy for these to be overpowered and unbalanced, but they’re kept from being so by letting any worm hop in and take control, even if there’s someone else sat in the driver’s seat. They can also be destroyed if they take too much damage, and being trapped inside or nearby when a tank or chopper goes off is going to deal your worms a lot of damage.

But really, it all boils down to this being more of that classic Worms gameplay. I’m still completely rubbish at it, constantly misjudging how much power is needed and generally messing things up along he way, often to my own detriment. Yet it can still a lot of fun even as your despairing at your latest balls up. Plenty people have tired and moved on from the Worms games, but it remains an easy game to pick up and play a few rounds. Worms WMD is bringing a few new ideas to the mix, but it’s still Worms through and through.