Worms: Open Warfare 2

"These cute pinky worms will follow you everywhere you go"

Worms. You have probably heard about this game before --- maybe you have even played it before. Worms got really popular and started spreading like the computer virus worms and now have many different versions on many different consoles, one of which is the DS. The first game on DS was Worms Open Warfare, which seems like an epic failure. Now Version 2 is released! But don't assume that this game will be as lousy as the first one. In fact, this one is just lovely! If you are a great worm fan, you'll won't be disappointed and even if you are not, pick this game out from the shelves and try it now! Right now I tell you why.

Gameplay: 9/10

Like all worm games, you are expected to destroy the opponent by using any kind of weapons. Your weapons range from Bazooka to Holy Hand Grenade. For basic weapons like grenades, you are usually given infinite of them. For more powerful weapons like the Air Strike, you are usually given a limited amount, sometimes only coming in later in the battle as reinforcements. In worms, you have to take turns to move and do so. Your enemy will do the same. To destroy them, you can lower their health to zero or blast them to the water and drown them. This sometimes gets quite intense and fun as you may be on the verge of losing and suddenly you make a comeback.

Graphics: 10/10

I've never seen such brilliant graphics before! Despite the DS limitations, the background looks really 3-D and brilliant! The worms look real and really cute. Weapons are nicely modeled. The landscape is nicely programmed and have certain nice decorations. Seriously this part is one of the best parts in this game.

Content: 10/10

There is so much to do! From simple tutorials (Which BTW, is really detailed and you could really learn how to play this game if you are a newcomer) to difficult campaigns, there is definitely a wide range of stuff to do. In tutorials, you learn the basics of the game, like how to move, how to use some basic weapons and utilities, etc. In campaign, it's where you pit your skill against the (Quite)skilled A.I.! You have to sometimes destroy really high health opponent with just two ordinary worms or less. Sometimes you are hounded by a bunch of opponents that surround you completely. Best of all, some of the campaigns are fun! In the all-new puzzle, it's time to use another part of your skill --- Your brains. Solve cunning puzzles, with just a limited amount of worms and weapons! Some levels really require some deep thinking, so continue cracking your brains until you get the answer! In another all-new mode of Laboratory, explore the unique functions of your DS. Get to use your touch screen and microphone. Something that is exclusive to the DS only! Get to aid your worm through the terrain, and aid his fall by deploying the parachute and blowing him high into the air! Get to blast your worm everywhere to get him to the finish! And finally, save your worm by drawing platforms so he can get to the finish! Laboratory can be real fun, though sometimes it is a bit frustrating. Otherwise, you could try a new mode --- racing! In this mode, you don't fight your opponents but you challenge them to who could reach that finishing point faster. Have fun with Jetpacks and Ninja ropes!

Weapons: 7/10

Quite unfortunately in this version of worms, there are not as much weapons as other worms in computer. Some weapons, such as Napalm Strike, Armageddon and Baseball Bat are missing. Well luckily some popular weapons like Holy Hand Grenade still exists in this game. I guess Team17 spend too much time on graphics and content that they forgot about some weapons. Well maybe there wasn't enough space neither.

Music: 9/10

The music of the game fits well with the game. The background for the menu is okay, good enough. The music for each individual theme for the actual battle itself fits well. The theme music fits the theme perfectly and actually is very nice, in fact I wanted to download the individual theme songs.

Features/Functions: 10/10

There are many customization options in this game. You can modify your team of worms a lot, like the graveyards, the flags, skin colour, speech accent, etc. You can also modify the playout of your battle, from the weapons you have access to to the mode of the game (Deathmatch, Forts and Race). There is a level editor in the game, which allows you to create your own battlefields and race maps. How brilliant! And you use the touch screen so there is not much limitations. There are many options for your field too, like putting oil drums and mines. I found that the number of details all together for all fields are quite a number, you can create quite a few landscapes.

Conclusion: 9/10

There are many pros in the game, like the insane amount of stuff to do, the absolutely brilliant graphics, the nice theme music, many customization options, level editor, etc. The only not so good thing is that there aren't too much weapons to play around with, but that's quite okay. Oh, BTW, don't buy the PSP version, as the PSP one doesn't has the fun Laboratory mode, but the boring Time Attack Mode, where you just race against time in a quite boring course. So anyway, YOU MUST GO BUY THIS GAME AND TRY IT. IT'S REALLY FUN!!!!! YOU DEFINITELY WON'T GET BORED OF IT IN JUST A FEW MONTHS. IT'S ONE OF THE BEST HANDHELD WORMS GAMES EVER, I SWEAR!!!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/03/09

Game Release: Worms: Open Warfare 2 (US, 09/04/07)