Worms 4: Mayhem Review

You can call it childish if you like, but you know in the end you will like it. You can’t deny the fact that those worms aren't only cute, but are funny as well. I mean if you want to impress a girl, you play worms - playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. certainly won't get you anywhere. But those little pink worms are meaner than you would think. So watch out, you don't want to mess with them.

Having played Worms 2 and Worms 3D, I can assure you this one has a little flavour of its own. From the start you won't notice the coolness of those little wormies, but you certainly will once you start to create your own team. In Worms 4: Mayhem, the details you can throw onto your pink ones are pretty comprehensive. For instance you can choose their headwear, hand clothes, moustache, glasses, and how they talk, with up to 5 worms per team.

In addition to this you can also define a weapon, choosing the barrel, the handle, the scope, just everything. If that’s too many details, you can switch anytime to the pre-made teams or special weapons. In other words in Worms 4, you will see they have paid attention to the details neglected in other titles.

Worms 4 features a much more in-depth story than before. As you start making your way out of the train station you find that your primary objective is to enlist in a school, where ultimately a professor is somewhat in need of help. Of course as the brave little worm you are, you come to the aid. Worms 4 provides you with a 10 mission single player campaign. Missions range from the normal skirmish combat mode, to a 2 on 2 fight, a stealth mission (sort of) and skill based levels, where you need a key skill like jumping.

How are you going to survive you say? Well they have geared you up with the most powerful and elite of weapons. Classic Worms weapons make a comeback, such as the Ninja Punch, the Air Strike, the Shotgun, Bazooka and so much more. Most notable however is the elimination of the Wield Torch ever since Worms 3D, so first timers in Worms’ new 3D skin should be advised that there is a slight variation in those weapons. Of course, with the new weapons like the Shield Bubble and the Old Lady, you will have some new things to explore and have fun with.

As with most Worms titles, this one has the environment destruction ability where all structures - or to be more accurate the whole world - is able to be destructed, including the ground. However, in some levels environment destruction is disabled, which feels a little out of the ordinary.

The graphics of this Worms is polished and well done, though a little too cartoonish. Even so, it is brighter and prettier than the earlier titles. It would seem that our pink guys have had a little sip of the elixir given to Crysis. Though not as realistic and marvellous, it is still something to be looked at.

The multiplayer mode is still intact with the same features. Internet/LAN mode and even a duel with friends is available on the same computer, where you can have a battle with up to 4 teams at a time. As always it’s fully customizable in looks, weapons and locations.

The gameplay system is much the same, with the occasional wind blowing that affects missile types of weapons (including grenades) as an example. With the new 3D system you can zoom out to the whole map and choose your targets easier than in the first title, though this proved a little bit more challenging than the 2D version when using the homing missile. Aiming then becomes a combination of a first person and a zoom out on map deal. With that said you are given a first person view mode, where you can zoom in or take aim on a particular target.

Worms 4: Mayhem has restored my faith in the Worms series once again, and most of all it put a huge smile on my face. The missions are fun but short, but then there is the multiplayer mode to compensate the short story. In any case if you are a pink little worm lover then you should buy this title. If not I suggest you become one. You never quite know when little pink worms will run over the Earth, so you need to make a few friends while at it.