  |
 WORMS ARMAGEDDONReviewed By: Chris RyanVOLUNTEER GUEST REVIEWER
Genre: Turn-based strategy  Most people would have to agree that “Worms Armageddon” is a turn-based strategy game like no other. It might be loosely compared to the old DOS “artillery” games where players lobbed shells at each other from opposite sides of the screen, or possibly a cartoon third person shooter. But in the end, “Worms Armageddon” is an entertaining, addictive, and truly unique multiplayer game.
In "Worms Armageddon", the third in the “Worms” series, players control teams of cartoon worms randomly scattered throughout various landscapes, which range from junkyards to islands and caves. Each turn is timed, and players spend their turns moving their worms one at a time around the landscape and selecting from a diverse arsenal of weapons to attack the opposing teams' worms.
Weapons in the game range from conventional crossbows, guns, and grenades all the way to exploding sheep, banana bombs, and mad cows on the sillier end of the spectrum. “Armageddon” as used in the game refers to one particular super-weapon, which shakes the entire game landscape. Another quasi-religious reference in the game is the “holy hand grenade” (idea borrowed from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail). Weapons, backdrops, and other items in the game can be customized, including selection of a national banner, flag, and voice for your worm team from a variety of different languages and amusing character profiles. Objectionable content? Obviously the whole point of the game is to kill your opponent's worms through violent means. The manner in which this is played out, however, is completely bloodless and frequently amusing. The game becomes one big looney toon, with explosions that send worms flying about and ill-fated attacks that end up causing more damage to the attacker than the target. Worms that die simply sink off screen into the water, or explode and turn into tombstones on the screen when their energy is exhausted. More objectionable than the violence is the foul language that sometimes appears in the form of on-screen commentary from the computer, or in randomly generated voice taunts that the worms shriek at each other during the course of the game. Although limited to a few choice words, this element of the game makes it somewhat inappropriate for younger players who otherwise could enjoy the game in its entirety. "Worms Armageddon" is a strategy game that is a lot of fun, for those who can accept the cartoonish violence that is so much a part of the game, and who are mature enough to deal with the profanity that occasionally comes up. It is also one of the few games that you can teach a friend to play in minutes, that will lead to a multiplayer battle that will hold your interest indefinitely.Year of Release—1999 Worms Armageddon does not have that steep of a learning curve. I have been playing it regularly for a year now and what I like about it is that you can always get better. You will never get tired of this game if you download the different kinds of maps offered on Worms Armageddon websites. Different maps: Proper, fort, shopper, roperace, battlerace, sheeprace, bng-bazooka and grenades, can be made yourself in MS Paint, Photoshop, or Paintshop Pro or downloaded. 7 styles of gameplay will ensure you never get bored. I will be playing this when i'm retired! My Ratings: [4/5]
—Leonard Moses, age 18 I love the game Worms Armageddon. Some might consider it violent, but then again, some people claimed that the Coyote & Roadrunner cartoons were the most violent thing on TV. Also, there is blood in Worms Armageddon, but it is not much, and it is an option that you can turn off. My Ratings: [4/5] This, at first, seemed like a perfect game. I (tried) playing it for a few days, but I never really got the hang of the interface. Yes, the worms scream rude things to each other… I hear that every time I get on the highways here! However, the game engine learning curve is very steep, and I had a hard time really getting into the game because of it. It's kind of cute, but I kept getting wiped out, and I didn't feel like spending hours trying to learn how to use the worms better. The screen
action is hard to follow as well. The graphics are okay. Great idea, poor execution. My Ratings: [4/2] Just in case you didn't know, you can change the sounds (taunts) made by the different teams of worms. You can even record your own—they are all .wav files—and you can remove them if necessary. (I don't currently have the game installed, so I can't remember the directories
involved, but do some poking around, and you should figure it out.) Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this Christian Spotlight review are those of the reviewer (both ratings and recommendations), and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Films for Christ or the Christian Answers Network.
Christian Spotlight Guide2Games is part of Christian Answers. Copyright © Films for Christ. • “Christian Spotlight’s Guide to Games” and “Guide2Games” are service marks of Films for Christ.  |
Controls and gameplay are very simple, consisting of a few keys on the keyboard that allow nearly any new player to learn the basic game in a matter of minutes. This is not to say that the game is easy, however, as variable winds, obstacles, randomly appearing power ups, and fast action make each game different and a challenge for even seasoned players. One mistake can instantly turn victory into defeat, as the results of one attack can quickly escalate into a chain reaction that can change the balance of the game in one turn. The ability for worms to take cover underground, teleport across the map, and fire guided weapons lends itself to endless possibilities and strategic options for each turn.