Worms Blast
Score: 70% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Ubisoft Entertainment Developer: Team 17 Media: GCD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Puzzle
Graphics & Sound: Worms Blast will likely conjure up fond memories of playing various Worms games over the years, on platforms ranging from today's Uberconsoles to Commodore and Amiga computers. It's definitely a series with history, and established fans can expect to find much to enjoy in this pretty Gamecube version. Part of the allure with any Worms game is that it plays great for a single player, but offers some awesome multiplayer modes, also. Like almost any Gamecube joint, there's nothing bad about the graphics here. Nobody expects a lush visual backdrop for most puzzle games like this, but Worms Blast has to juggle a lot on-screen, and the obvious danger might be slowdown. Nothing of the sort appears, likely due to the strong engine and processing power of Gamecube. For those who haven't seen a Worms game but might have been around console gaming a while, imagine Rayman and the kind of fanciful world he inhabits. Bright, colorful backgrounds make up the levels you'll play in Worms Blast and there are plenty to feast your eyes on with over 50 puzzling settings. Since this isn't Bust-A-Move (I'm sure that'll bear repeating several times), you won't hear funny J-Pop playing in the background. What music you'll hear is nice, but it's far from the focus of the experience. You will like the little sound effects produced by the rampage you go on as you take apart some of the more fiendishly constructed levels in Worms Blast, and the power-up visuals and sounds take the cake.
Gameplay: Several different Single Player and Vs. modes can be played, with very different rules and outcomes. Working your way through all the different facets of the Worms Blast 'experience' makes for most of the appeal, even if you're a casual Puzzle gamer and don't intend to try and beat the game in a weekend or something crazy like that. Starting with the Vs. Mode, you'll find a more well-developed group of offerings than you'd expect from most Puzzle games. And this really captures why the series has been a consistent piece of computer gaming for so many years. Without belaboring the rules of the game, which you can easily read on Ubi Soft's Web site, there are 8 unique ways to enjoy Worms action with a friend. Several have you going after items in the level, the precious Stars every Worm lives to collect. Other Vs. modes play similar to the usual Puzzle mode, but in a timed race against the other side. And, if the pressure of beating the clock weren't enough, you also have an opponent shooting at YOU in Fight and Tide Trial modes. Or your shots might bounce back to you as you try to defend yourself. Any number of things can contribute to you falling on your ass and looking like a fool, but that's just the fun of a game like Worms Blast. Single Player offers a pace that can be just as crazy as competing against a human or CPU opponent, if not more so. Puzzle Mode is a nice way to begin your Worms experience as a newbie, or jump into the action as a veteran. Once you've mastered the action and unlocked some secret characters and modes, move on to Tournament. In this mode, you'll be able to play multiple modes, many of them driven more by accuracy with your weapons than simply knocking out balls. Yeah, the weapons are a hoot, and a big part of what makes Worms Blast tick. The Bazooka is standard issue, with several other key weapons. Many, many power-up items can be used to help turn the game in your favor and drop your opponent in his or her tracks. Couple these with the different characters, each having some subtle control qualities such as speed of movement or aiming ability, and you've got endless depth that should keep Gamecube Puzzle fanatics frothing at the mouth until the next Worms installment comes along. More casual gamers may never fully appreciate the depth or just get tired of trying to learn the secrets of the inner sanctum, but that pretty much defines a good Puzzle game, doesn't it?
Difficulty: Nobody who appreciates a good Puzzle should go unserved by Worms Blast. Sure, it may seem to offer a menu of gameplay similar to Bust-A-Move, but you've gotta see past the similar concept (shooting bubble/balls by matching colors) and realize there are many added dimensions to the Worms formula. Examples are the Weapon use and the ability to change weapons; unique character attributes and more competitive Vs. modes with different objectives than Single Player entirely. A note on Vs. modes: Although playing against the CPU is possible in Vs., you'll find it a hard, hard competitor in the higher levels. The added vertical movement in Worms Blast, as the water your boat floats in goes up or down, is something not present in other games, either. All told, fans of similar bubble-popping, color-matching games will see the resemblance, but Worms Blast stands out as a more difficult game.
Game Mechanics: Worms Blast devotes a full 6 pages of its manual to outlining Game Mechanics, so you can bet there are a lot of things to discover and master as you play. The types of blocks (called 'landblock' in the game) dictate how you'll approach each puzzle, and you'll find that there are many more manipulations needed to sink the average block in Worms Blast than in games where matching a color automatically means you'll pop a block/balloon/etc.. Color does play a large part in building a strategy, with the expected matching rules and some weapons that turn blocks different colors. Each weapon has a unique quality, like the Dynamite that totally destroys everything in a certain radius versus the Grenade that only changes color. Also, both these have a five second fuse. Mixing weapon choice with color and placement puzzlers and throwing in the element of character handicaps makes for some really deep gameplay. In fact, it may be a little too deep if you're just looking for a simple time-waster. A perfect example of a feature that might have been disabled (or at least toggled off) for novice players is the water level. During play, various power-ups affect not only conditions around your boat and in the environment, but also the level of the water. Imagine if blocks were piling up in Tetris AND the ceiling was slowly creeping down! Or, if the ground level in Bust-A-Move just kept moving up. These kinds of things are par for the course with Worms Blast, in the sense that the water level you're in can change dramatically. If it changes in your favor, you're happy. If it changes too much, you're frustrated. Over time, you can even fill the water with fish that look nice and deter your opponent in the event he launches a Torpedo at you. Of course, he might also get that power-up that turns all your friendly fish into ravenous piranha. I'll be perfectly honest. For my time and money (both limited), I would probably still recommend Super Bust-A-Move over Worms Blast to most gamers right now. If you've always been a Worms fan, you're out buying the game and I don't even have to convince you. The greatest thing here is a multiplicity of options and features, a veritable Swiss Army Knife of puzzle gaming. But, with all these options comes a depth and level of commitment more casual gamers won't respond to well. If you're ready to spend a lot of time learning all the strategy behind Worms Blast or really want some extensive Multiplayer features, you'll be fine. If you're just looking for a bright, fun, Puzzle title, look on...
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
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