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And then there are the new single player missions. When Worms 2 came out people complained at the lack of a decent single player section - the (now much improved) computer controlled Worm AI was a bit thick to say the least and there were no single player missions. Then, when Team 17 kindly included the single player missions, most people gave them a quick go and went back to playing multiplayer again. To be honest the single player missions, 45 in all, are undoubtedly the most entertaining yet seen in a Worms game, but they're just nowhere near as entertaining as regular games against friends or even AI opponents, mostly because it's a pain failing a mission and having to restart again and again. I'm sure hardcore Worms players will love honing their skills on the missions though, and I at least found them a nice change from regular skirmish battles - each one is almost like a puzzle where you have to work out the solution to often initially daunting challenges which you have to solve with only one or two items.
You can also pick a fort for your worms, a themed level such as a castle or some such, and then you fire at your enemy on his fort from your fort. Sadly, it's just not really much fun. Nice idea guys, but no cigar. It's not all bad though. In fact, the final main new thing is nothing short of great - the WORMPOT. You get three boxes and clicking on each one cycles through a large selection of game tweaks and this can often result in some impromptu game types that are nothing short of pure class. Try giving worms infinite health, making explosives do more damage and then choosing the setting that means your turn isn't ended when you fire a weapon. In a few short turns the landscape will be decimated and only a few worms will remain, impervious to damage from all but the water below them. You can also make the landscape sticky, turn on blood, crank up the frequency with which crates plonked on the landscape...I could go on. But suffice to say if there's one reason to upgrade to the newest version of worms, this is it. With a little bit of creativity you can make the already often hilarious Worms even more amusing.
I could go on and double the length of this review going over the other aspects of the game, but there's really no point. Compared to Worms Armageddon the sounds are identical, the weapons (as far as I could tell) are the same, the animations on the worms themselves remain unchanged. There may well be one or two minor additions but if there are they slipped by me. Anyway, do you really care if they added the space alien voice pack or whatnot? There are also many more worm gravestones now, but that's hardly going to get you rushing out to buy the game now is it? On the other hand, it does have one redeeming feature - it's priced at a fair 20 quid (or 30 of your American dollars), which makes the relative lack of noteworthy new features matter that little bit less.
Bottom Line - While some of the new features are welcome additions, if you already have Worms Armageddon, even at 20 quid Worms World Party is only worth picking up if you really think any of the new afore mentioned features are going to rock your boat. On the other hand, if you've still somehow yet to try Worms, nag a relative for some money or dig around the back of the sofa, nip round the shops for a copy and prepare to spend hours laughing with your mates as you blow pink chunks out of each other's annelid armies.
By Pete Closs
Editor
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