Worms 4 Mayhem
Score: 90% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Majesco Developer: Team 17 Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 4 Genre: Turn-Based Strategy
Graphics & Sound: Worms 4: Mayhem has, unlike its predecessors, incorporated cel-shaded graphics with regularly textured polygons. The effect is one that is even more cartoony than before, but it still does not come close to the look and feel of the old 2D Worms games. Not only are the graphics less aesthetically pleasing than the old-school Worms games, but they can also become a hindrance when trying to navigate around the map. Despite all of this, the 3D maps are soft and pleasing, and can be easily gotten used to if you put your mind to it. The sound is vintage Worms, but there seems to be less content than normal, especially in the area of team dialogue. There are far fewer sets of clichéd speech that a team can take on than in other Worms games. There are a few more sound sets that can be unlocked throughout the course of the game, but still there doesn’t seem to be the same variety. Though the content is lacking, the quality is not. Effects, music and speech are all done with a sense of style and tongue-in-cheek attitude that help make this game a unique experience.
Gameplay: The Worms series hasn’t seen a major facelift since it made the leap from 2D to 3D. Some, including myself, have argued that this was not a good idea. But the series has kept the third dimension for some time now, and most people have gotten used to it, thanks largely in part to the continued support of the developers. Each iteration has not had any major overhaul done to it. Instead, small tweaks have been made here and there to slightly improve each game from the last. Worms 4: Mayhem, like all the other games in the series, has a light-hearted storyline that is more of a series of challenges based upon the mechanics, with a comical context laid over them. The Campaign is more of an aside to the Multiplayer mode, because the AI, while not idiotic, just doesn’t make the same insane decisions a human might make in the course of a game. Multiplayer is where the meat of the game lies. As the name of the game implies, you are a worm, or more precisely, a team of worms. In turn-based fashion, you control your team of 4 to 6 worms and attempt to utterly destroy the opposition in what hopefully will be the most comical way possible. At your fingertips is the largest arsenal of ridiculous weaponry the world has ever known, which includes things like exploding sheep, old grannys, banana bombs, and the Holy Hand Grenade. What really makes Worms 4: Mayhem worth playing over and over again is its random map generator. You pick a theme and set some variables and then presto, you have a completely unique map. No two maps will ever be the same, and if you manage to generate one that you really like, you can save it for later use. Worms 4: Mayhem is all about customization. You can customize your teams, how they look, what their names are, how they sound, and new to the series, you can create your team’s own super weapon. You alter the look and the way the weapon is deployed, and you can also tweak the different damage levels. It’s a nice feature that supplements the seven other new standard weapons that are included in this game as well. As the core of the Worms games is in its Multiplayer mode, you can go online with Xbox Live to play with up to three other people. Worms 4: Mayhem is also compatible with a headset, so talking smack is not only a viable option during these Multiplayer games, but is very much encouraged.
Difficulty: Worms 4: Mayhem is a simple game to learn, and while not terribly hard to master, it is still incredibly fun to play. The AI is good enough to pose an entertaining challenge, so difficulties only arise in control issues. Camera movement is slightly awkward and sluggish, which makes it a pain to aim tough shots when you have a time limit. With the right mindset, however, you can take these flaws in stride and consider them a challenge while controlling these destructive worms with a one-track mind.
Game Mechanics: Worms 4: Mayhem is turn-based, and on every map you have a number of worms under your control. You gain control of a single worm every turn, and by walking or jumping around the map, you set yourself up to deal the most damage to your enemies. By bringing up a list of weapons, you can select your tool of destruction. As stated earlier, this is all relatively easy until the camera controls come into play. They could have been handled a little better, but they are still not impossible to get the hang of. Weapons are deployed in a number of different ways. Some are projected (like grenades), others lock onto a target, and yet others come in the form of bombing raids. Wind and gravity are a very integral part of play, and give the game a wonderfully fun dynamic as most weapons are affected by these forces. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing your bazooka shot lob over the map to hit a worm who thought he was in safe cover. There are tons of variations in the levels you play, and the range of weapons and customizability of everything will ensure that no two games will ever be the same. While this is the best Worms game any console has seen, it doesn’t really push the envelope compared to what has been done in the past. Unless you’re dying to collect every Worms game in existence, you can’t go wrong to stick with what you have. However, Worms 4: Mayhem is still a very good game, and anybody who hasn’t tried any of these titles out should definitely pick this copy up.
-Snow Chainz, GameVortex Communications AKA Andrew Horwitz
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