Worms Battlegrounds Reviews
Worms Battlegrounds brings the chaotic Worms multiplayer experience to the new consoles for the first time in a solid package. I still think Team17 needs to add everything missing from the classic 2D games, but shows promise with the integration of the online clans.
The core gameplay may even leave you feeling a little nostalgic. Team 17 took a simple idea, blowing up enemy worms named after your mates with an arsenal of ridiculous weaponry, and turned it into one of the most iconic and fun memories in gaming. But that was 1995 and here we are in 2014 realising that not much has changed in nearly two decades. That goes for the series' flaws as well, turning what should be the retro fun of Worms Battlegrounds into another peculiar case of history repeating.
I'll always play a 'Worms' game, as will many other fans, but 'Worms Battlegrounds' has found new and exciting ways to test that resolve. Graphically underwhelming, lazily constructed single-player, menus and online components and a general lack of enthusiastic will on behalf of the team create a haphazard experience, lows and highs often tumultuous in their transition. It might be ugly, but so is wormy warfare. I'm often happy to take the risk, but the real sin is sometimes I'll simply opt for another game, even when teleport guns and water-fuelled jetpacks could light my child mind's fancy. That's not the 'Worms' of old.
Worms Battlegrounds won’t rewrite the rulebook and some Worms fans may feel a little disappointed with the lack of the next-gen leap but for the hardcore Worms supporters out there, Worms Battlegrounds is the perfect remedy for the lack of carnage blues.
The Worms are back. And they're armed and dangerous… with moustaches and hats!
While it's a bit intimidating to newcomers, and the single player campaign can seem tedious as it relies on a tried and true formula, Worms Battlegrounds does offer a very enjoyable multiplayer experience that fans have come to know and love. Anyone looking for a fun online game to play with friends should definitely pick this up if you have the coin to do so.
All in all, Worms Battlegrounds is a solid if unspectacular addition to the series that knows its strengths and generally plays to them effectively. There is an occasional awkwardness to movement that can make the single player story a bit of chore at times, but it does a nice job teaching the basics and serving as an almost extended tutorial for the good stuff - multiplayer mayhem. Mileage may vary since having friends to play with locally is where one gets the most out of the Worms Battlegrounds experience.
Worms Battlegrounds is a no-frills port of Worms Clan Wars, fun and flawed in all the same respects. It's still fantastic in local hotswap multiplayer -- Worms always is -- but lacks any improvements or new content despite releasing a year later on new-gen hardware.
With that said, nineteen years later Worms is still a fun game overall, if it is a series that appeals to you. It's one of the best examples of "more of the same", as it really is the same game as everyone before it. If you enjoy the series, and like having new versions, with new maps, weapons and prettier graphics, then go nuts, there's nothing to not like here.
I extremely enjoyed this game, and it is definitely the best in the franchise that I have played. The story mode is brilliant, and the new features and weapons improve the game play considerably. With online and offline multiplayer available too, there is plenty of opportunity to play for hours. I was a little disappointed with the bugs that I encountered, but in the end it did not take away from the fun of the game.
Worms Battlegrounds continues to impress in multiplayer, offering more of the same team-based battles and outrageous weapons. But i's not the most unique or exciting Worms release, and you'd be hard pressed to pick it out of a lineup.
As long as you have friends to play with, or the online play remains populated, Worms Battlegrounds will provide you with a sizeable amount of longevity to justify its high cost of admission.
It's Worms as you remember them, with a bit of added shine and a few new weapons. If it's been a while, you can't go wrong with Battlegrounds, though be weary of the hefty price tag.
That said, it isn't a bad game, it is Worms and it does what a Worms game does. However because the game has barely changed over the years, it is far from essential to get each new version. At £19.99 it does take the game from a impulse purchase to something you really need to think about. But fans who do buy it will not be disappointed, because if you love Worms, you'll still love Worms.
Like most Worms games, you'll need other people to play with or risk monotony. Enemy AI still isn't the sharpest tool in the shed even this far in the game, and they can take far too long between turns, leading to boredom. Given the price tag of $25, it's perfect for those of you who haven't played a Worms game in years and have the itch. But if you've been playing along for the past few years, you might be able to skip this slightly upgraded collective of recent entries -- unless you're a fanatic, of course.
The good news is that fans can now play a new Worms game on their new consoles; the bad news is that Worms Battlegrounds does almost nothing to advance the series and so makes it hard to justify yet another Worms entry to begin with.
If you like Worms, you'll still love Worms Battlegrounds. Deathmatch and Forts modes are still fun when played with friends, but single-player feels like an interminable grind. Here's what you need to know, in a nutshell: it's a Worms game. Pure and simple.
In the short term the story mode and Spec Ops missions will provide some decent entertainment, but the multiplayer will need to thrive to help reach full potential. It's only a few problems, like sometimes not being able to tell foreground from background, the steep learning curve on some puzzles, and a few fiddly controls that holds Battleground from making the leap to astounding. However it is still worth giving this a shot.
All eventualities considered it's a matter of refinement rather than revolution for PlayStation's best-loved worm-based series, with developer Team17 tinkering and toying to make Worms Battlegrounds the most definitive entry in the series to date.
Worms: Battlegrounds is a solid game. I've had great fun playing it with my friends, and it's definitely one I'll return to after reviewing, which doesn't always happen. But it is a Worms game, which means that nothing much is new, and nothing in particular is worth shouting about. If you don't like the series this won't convert you, but if you do, well, you already know what you're getting.