The Worms series of games has long been loved for its multiplayer chaos and cartoonish violence, but when it moved to the Nintendo DS, it seemed to lose a step. The first portable version of Worms was met with poor reviews due to a number of problems. This time around, things are a lot better and a lot closer to the old PC titles, which is a very good thing.
This newest installment in the classic Worms franchise brings a Quick Game mode that jumps you into a randomized map; a Custom Game mode that lets you set up your own battles and edit your own battlefields; a Multiplayer mode; and a Single Game mode, which is comprised of Puzzle, Campaign, Laboratory, and Training modes. Laboratory mode is perhaps the most interesting and integrated with the DS, as it uses the mic and stylus to complete challenges, such as drawing land in the right spot to reach a goal at the end of the level.
Open Warfare 2 is classic Worms game play. Your goal is to defeat the enemy worms by any means possible, and in this game, that means with bazookas, guns, rockets, grenades, boomerangs, exploding bananas, sheep, and a whole lot more. In order to do this, you aim your weapon, select the power level, release, and watch the chaos unfold. In other forms, like puzzle mode, you'll have to figure out solutions to both complete the level, such as having to set off a chain of explosive drums or maneuver a jet pack up the side of a mountain to pick off an enemy. Not everything from the old Worms games is here, but plenty of old favorites are still around.
The big question with this and all DS games, though, is how it makes use of the dual-screen and stylus. Open Warfare 2 uses it well, allowing for navigation through menus and the ability to move the cursor and scan the battlefield, but it doesn't let you adjust the angle of your shot, which is a bit sad, but considering that the game still plays smoothly, it's a brief squabble.
Article comments
1 - Matt Paprocki
Given the need for specific aiming angles, the touch screen seems like common sense given the lack of an analog stick. Odd developer choice.
2 - Blast Magazine
Congrats, this article has been selected to appear in Blast Magazine, in its November 1 issue.