14 DAY TRIAL // 
Worms games are almost older than some of the players who love them, as Team17 released the first title in the series 17 years ago. Since then, lots of new games have followed, some trying to improve upon the recipe and succeeding, while others tried new things, like 3D environments, and didn’t exactly impress fans.
Now, the UK-based studio has delivered the latest installment, in the form of Worms Revolution, a title that tries to innovate while keeping the traditional 2D environments and the classic Worms brand of mayhem.
With new features like various physics effects and way more objects to interact with, Revolution is looking like the game the franchise needed to stay relevant.
Is Worms Revolution a successful installment or does it need a holy hand grenade to the face? Let’s find out.
Story
Believe it or not, Worms Revolution has some sort of story, as you’re a young brave worm who, under the rather hilarious guidance of fictional wildlife documentary maker Don Keystone, will blow away his competition in traditional Worms fashion by using all sorts of impressive weapons.While you won’t experience a regular type of story, the commentary from Keystone, voiced by Matt Berry of The IT Crowd fame, plus the rather lengthy single-player campaign consisting of regular matches and puzzles will certainly delight you when your friends are unavailable.
Gameplay
Worms Revolution introduces a variety of new things but, at its core, it’s still a classic Worms experience. You still control teams of tiny worms that blow each other up in turn-based combat with different types of crazy weapons, while using different gadgets to get around the 2D map.
Now, however, you’re treated with a variety of other things that you need to take into consideration, chief among which being physics objects, ranging from plastic bottles of water, to atomic bombs and anything in between. These can be dislodged from the environment and used against your enemies.
Sadly, interaction with them is a bit hit and miss, as some bottles can be incredibly resistant, even to full-blown bazooka blasts, while others do no damage when falling on top of other worms.
One area where the new physics effects are quite evident, however, is in the water department, as the liquid feels realistic and no longer acts just as an instant death if your worm gets thrown in it. Now, you can shoot at pockets of water and hope that, when combined with sloped terrain, it will wash away your foes.
The other big change brought forth by Worms Revolution is the introduction of classes. The regular worms are now soldiers, and they’re joined by the smaller Scout, the bigger Heavy, and the big-headed Scientist.
The Scout is more agile and faster than the rest, and can even crawl into spaces others can’t fit. His attacks, however, aren’t as powerful as the ones from the Soldier, and he is more vulnerable to damage. The Heavy, on the other hand, is quite the opposite, as he’s slow and less nimble, but he makes up for it with a lot of health.
Last but not least, there’s the Scientist who, on every turn with him, gives +5 health back to the rest of the worms. What’s more, if he’s used to deploy magnets and other sciency devices, you’ll get a boost in efficiency.
Besides the classes and physics, however, it’s still the regular Worms experience, for better or for worse. There are still lots of weapons and devices to use and you’ll go through four different level themes during the single-player campaign and you’ll once again have to deal with the impossibly precise AI-controlled opponents.
Customization once again plays a big role in the game, as you can opt to equip your squad with different fashion accessories, ranging from sunglasses to mustaches and more, as well as with other items and choose from many taunts.
Multiplayer
Worms Revolution, just like previous installments, is a game best played with fellow human beings and the new title has lots of options for this, from online multiplayer to local “hotseat” one, where players take turns controlling the little worms.This is where the game shines as you can select pre-determined levels, create your own, or choose random ones. You can also select various options, from teleporting worms at the beginning of the match to how long a turn takes and much, much more.
You have three different modes: Classic, which feels just like previous games in the series, Fort, which puts the worms on two separate forts, and Deathmatch, where all of the new elements featured by Revolution are included.
All of them are quite fun and, seeing as how there’s little difference between them, it’s just a matter of deciding if you want to play with more physics effects and objects or not.
Visuals and Sound
Worms Revolution is powered by an all-new engine, resulting in impressive physics effects, as well as an overall sharper visual style than previous ones. The2D environments still feel pretty much the same while the cartoonish style hasn’t been lost in the upgrade process. Textures, however, do seem a bit pixelated, especially when playing at higher resolutions.
In terms of sound, Worms Revolution still delights, as no matter what speechbank you choose, the worms manage to sound funny, while the commentary from Matt Berry as Don Keystone is flat out hilarious.
The Good
- Classic Worms formula
- Impressive water effects
- Multiplayer supports various situations
The Bad
- Some physics objects don't perform as expected
- Textures can look pixelated
- The A.I. can be extremely precise
Conclusion
There are still downsides like the impossibly precise AI or the rather hit and miss interaction with objects, but it’s still a great experience that will no doubt make or break lots of friendships.
