If you aren't familiar with how the game basically works you're either very, very new to all this or still haven't moved on from your beloved Spectrum. You get a randomly generated, self-designed or pre-designed (your choice, chump) 2D island landscape, sprinkle a number of worms from different teams onto it and then proceed to blow great chunks out of each other and the landscape with a vast array of weapons from mini guns and grenades to explosive sheep and concrete donkeys (really). Simple as this sounds, after a few pints with mates or a hard days LAN party there is nothing quite like sitting around a computer with a bunch of mates to play Worms.

Part of the beauty of Worms is that you don't even have to be much of a player to enjoy it. Try joining a game of Counter Strike these days as a newbie and you'll get your head blown off your shoulders before your fumbling fingers have even navigated the buy menu. In Worms, however, incompetence can be an advantage. Sure, you'll often blast your own worms miles into the air only for them to then descend to a watery grave, but then you could also lob a cluster bomb randomly and then have it disturb the odd mine and fuel barrel, sending countless worms to meet their maker. Equally, not even the most experienced of Worms players are immune to making hugely embarrassing (and thus quite hilarious for everyone else gathered) cock ups. The trademark off-the-wall artwork naturally makes a return as well, with landscapes made of lollipops, a classic wooden pirate ship with an outboard motor and payphone attached, giant farm animals and other such silliness.

But of course, you probably know all this. Worms games have been like this since their debut last decade. What matters is what's new in this recent incarnation, and sadly, there isn't really that much that's worthy of note. What initially seems like the one of the biggest strong points of the game (as it was for Armageddon), the internet play feature, turns out to be a bit of a disappointment. Laughing away at another Worms player in Germany isn't nearly as much fun as pointing at a mate sitting next to you and doing the same thing. There also aren't often too many players online at any given time in my experience either, and although it's simple enough to get a game going the games are still occasionally a little unstable with the odd connection failure, just as with Worms Armageddon.