Worms World Party Review

October 8, 2003 | | format - Other (ar.) | viewed - 321x
rating -

(268 votes) | category - -

Worms World Party Review

>Death, Destruction and Carnage...... Bring it on!!! [IMAGE=1284]

Now before I start I have a personal admission to make - I don't like this type of (turn based) game! I last played such a game about four years ago on my PC, as I found this type of game to be painfully slow, unengaging and tedious, I honestly felt that if I wanted to play a turn based game I would prefer to play chess or draughts/checkers. So I was very hesitant when asked to submit a review of this game, as I much prefer games that provide a challenge with opportunities for mass death and destruction in a variety of artistic and atrocious ways all made possible by a good choice of weapons. But being a dedicated reviewer I thought I would put my bias aside and try to take a professional approach.... So here we are! and I have to say what a surprise.

The game

Worms World Party is a turn based, team orientated game. The player commands the movement and actions of a team of worms who have access to an enormous arsenal of weapons and tools. The team is inserted in to a 'landscape' with in which battle takes place, the goal being to annihilate the opponent and be the last worm wriggling.

On starting the game the player is presented with the choice of single or multi player games, changing the options or reading up on the game.

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Single player mode

On selecting single player a further choice of head to head or death match against the computer is available.

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Head to Head: Single round game.

Death Match: Select your team, compete against the computer to improve your rating towards global dominance via a "hot-seat" style.

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Multiplayer option

Multiplayer has five preset game types located in the top left of the screen

Artillery
Classic
Darkside
Retro
Blast Zone

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Each landscape is fully customisable further by adjusting the starting health, length of time for each round, length of time to make a move, the selection method of the worms and the number of victories required to win, with the option located under the preset game types.

The number of teams to play against and number of combatants in each team (up to three per team) are adjustable, turns are taken on a first player, second player, first player basis (Hot Seat).

Game Play

You can choose to jump straight in to the heat of battle or take your time and customise the game settings (detailed further on) for your optimum game.

On entering the battle arena a 2D, side on game view (landscape) is displayed. A worm is indicated (depending on the previous options selected) with which the player and computer/opponent take turns to 'duke it out' using a huge range of weapons and tools with the aim of causing maximum carnage to the opposition.

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Be warned this is no mindless point and fire game, it is a fine art to take into consideration the location of the enemies, your vulnerabilities, choice of appropriate weapon and wind speed (wind speed is at times a crucial weapon that can help achieve insertions in to awkward locations).

The means by which you decide to destroy your opponent is almost limitless and presents huge opportunities for innovation e.g. Swinging on the ninja rope while lobbing grenades, blowing up oil drums and creating blazing oil slicks, the match is completed once the opposition have been annihilated,

The game is very well presented with great use of colour to define the characters and themes and smooth animation. The graphics are entertaining in themselves with dark humour e.g. The selected worm donning a kamikaze bandanna when selected for a suicide mission or Viking’s helmet complete with horns when picking up a battle axe.

The sound effects are satisfying with exhilarating explosions and hilarious in game comments demanding mention (similar to Smurfs with bad attitudes) as missing a shot results in derision and heckling, achieve a direct hit and you'll be cursed by the opposition, pull off an unlikely shot and you'll be congratulated by the remaining worms

The match progression is smooth enough to allow beginners to progress and long enough to provide a challenge to ardent fans, the 'lastability' of the game is evident by the enormous range of options and tweaks available.

Game options include:

Starting health
Amount of victories required
Worm selection method (manual or automatic)
worm movement e.g. jumping/walking/static
level of ammo stock
damage from falling (on/off)
round length
move duration time
Retreat duration time
delays between hot seat time
Rounds remaining display (on/off)
the amount of Tools/Health/Weapons crates available
amount of oil drums available
use of dummy mines and the mines fuse length

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Landscape options

Preset themes
Theme selection (13 available)
Landscape generator (an infinite amount of either Island or Cavern landscapes)

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Weapons options

30+ possible weapons and tools e.g. suicide bomber, super sheep, banana bombs, mole squadrons and battle-axe. Various adjustments can be made to each weapon e.g. the weapons power, in game availability via crate delivery and the delay between use, for example 'Air Strike'.

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Control system options

Fire, Jump and back flip can be assigned to the devices keys, the battle area is manoeuvred by dragging the stylus in the opposite direction to that desired, the worms are manoeuvred by the left/right direction pad and the targeting is positioned by the up/down direction pad
Graphical detail can be adjusted e.g. clouds/water details on/off.
In game sound can be muted.
Stylus sensitivity can be adjusted.
The landscape orientation can be changed to right or left handed.

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Wormopaedia

Contains comprehensive details of all the games weapons, tools, worm controls, camera controls and timer controls.

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Installation

Installation is by the normal ActiveSync method from your Pocket PC to your desktop or laptop PC, and only takes approximately 6 megabytes of storage. Installation to a storage card (SD or CF) card is possible, although ensure you have plenty of free memory (at least 7 megabytes) on your device to run the game.