Worms Revolution review

The Worms have been creating a lot of chaos for almost 20 years now, with the developers at Team 17 guiding their every move.  But that's not to say that every one has been a good one, as the team recently misfired with a below-average move into 3D with Worms: Ultimate Mayhem.  But I'm happy to report that things are back on track again, and better than ever, with the introduction of Worms Revolution.  If you don't find this game even the least bit appealing, well, you probably deserve to have an exploding sheep thrown at you.

The rules of Worms still applies, as you battle with enemy teammates in a 2D playfield, blasting them to bits with a variety of weapons and accessories while defending your squad.  The last team standing wins, so make every move count.

With this new game, however, Team 17 has added some tactics to keep things interesting.  This includes a new water-based physics system, and I don't just mean the pool at the bottom of the level where your worms can drown.  Nope, there are clusters of it stored in the ceiling and walls, and if you hit them just right with your weapon, you can use it to wash them away.  Granted, if your colleagues are in the way, they go right along with it, so plan accordingly.  It's a fun system, though the water-based weapons, like the pistol, don't work to such great effect.  Stick to the classics.

Also new to Revolution is the introduction of classes.  No longer are you just controlling four soldiers without identity.  You have the Soldier, a regular working class worm; the Scout, a zippy but weak worm that can move about the battlefield rapidly; the Tank, who is slow but can take a massive amount of damage; and the Scientist, who can modify gadgets throughout each level (including sentry guns) and help raise the defense on his fellow squadmates.  Each one serves a purpose, and learning to use them in each stage is just part of the fun.

Worms Revolution comes jam packed with a number of single player missions to complete, including a tutorial that introduces newbies to how the game works.  But then you can take your game against others, both locally and through Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network.  Competitive games are always the best as it gets for Worms, as you can really turn the tide for your team with something as simple as an exploding sheep or a well-placed bazooka shot.  And the game keep tracks of your stats, so you can always go back and see where to improve.

On top of that, you can customize your Worms team however you please with a number of outfits and dialects, so if you want a Scottish squad roaming across the countryside, have at it.  This is always a fun option to have in the game, and it doesn't change with Revolution.

Graphically, it's nice to see Worms return to the 2D forefront, even if the graphics are still in 3D.  The backgrounds are still humorous and imaginative, and the Worm animations are fun – even if they are biting the dust.  As for sound, you've got actor Matt Barry providing enlightening commentary throughout the game, along with the worm voices themselves, which are hilarious, no matter who you choose.  The music and sound effects are pretty much Worms standard, but that isn't a bad thing.

Worms Revolution is a welcome return to form for the series, and though not all of the new additions work, most of them click just enough to provide an entertaining change in perspective, for veterans and rookies alike.  Now get out there and win one for the Worm-er!

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]