Worms Reloaded

[toblix]

So, there's a new 2D Worms game coming out on the best console of them all -- the PC!

So, anyone other than me fancy the occasional game of this, if it's any good?

[Lu]

Wow. Team 17 never gets tired of making more Worms games, eh?

If it's good, then yes, I'd love to play. I haven't played a Worms game in ages.

[elmuerte]

I guess they needed a distraction from working on another Alien Breed game.

[Kolzig]

2D Worms game on PC is always welcome.

[SiN]

Worms is the only game where I'm a hardcore purist nerd. I hate that I am too. But yeah, Worms Reloaded will almost certainly be based on the new Worms engine, which I think feels awful. The physics is much heavier than the classic games which means you can't have the same level of high-flying action. The weapons are limited too, and yeah, most of the good ones are in there, but there is the odd weapon or two that I still miss. Also, the new games don't have the beautifully drawn single-player campaign missions. It all feels a bit toned down, which is pretty disappointing for a Worms game.

That said, like any hardcore purist nerd, I will buy it and then complain about it some more.

Mo

[miffy495]

If there's ninja rope hi-jinks, I'd be down.

[Armchair General]

Count me in too.

[ThunderPeel2001]

I'll be there, although I'd prefer if they'd add the one improvement every one of these games needs: Invulnerability to the worm you did the most damage to in the last round. Otherwise it makes sense to just focus on one worm at a time -- and this upsets your fellow players.

[Thrik]

No chance! That would compromise some of the hilarious chain reactions you sometimes get.

Back when we used to play regular Mojo games there'd often be someone with like one worm with one health, and despite our best efforts to keep him in the game there'd invariably be some insane fluke of physics that'd result in him dying, such as a worm self-destructing after death knocking a mine down a cliff into another worm which gets blown over and takes him into the water with him. :tup:

As I see it the earlier 2D worms were essentially perfect, simply needing a technical overhaul.

[Sombre]

I'm in, 100%. Needs ninja rope and dynamite throwing.

[Jake]

No chance! That would compromise some of the hilarious chain reactions you sometimes get.

Back when we used to play regular Mojo games there'd often be someone with like one worm with one health, and despite our best efforts to keep him in the game there'd invariably be some insane fluke of physics that'd result in him dying, such as a worm self-destructing after death knocking a mine down a cliff into another worm which gets blown over and takes him into the water with him. :tup:

As I see it the earlier 2D worms were essentially perfect, simply needing a technical overhaul.

Oh man I miss the nightly Worms Armageddon matches. Only on my most recent home PC did I not immediately install WA out of instinct.

[thorn]

Apparently it's not a new Worms game, but a port of the recent console releases with some extra stuff.

Has anyone played the console versions?

[toblix]

Jesus, what a disappointment. How hard can it be to make a video game!?

[Nappi]

I guess it's just easier not to make a new video game.

Still, I might be up for HD worms if they do it right. The last 2D one I played Worms Armageddon and it has been too long. Does anyone know if there are "story" missions in the console version? Those were surprisingly awesome in Armageddon at least.

[toblix]

Yeah, there were some. I'm still pissed that they haven't really done anything new since Worms 2. It feels like everything since that (except Worms 3D) is just repackaging, and mostly of the type where they remove some weapons.

[Nappi]

Yup. One would think that they could at least come up with a couple of new cool weapons for every new installment and a new game mode or a gameplay mechanic every now and then. It really does seem that they have got it all wrong and are removing stuff instead, which is a real shame.

I probably wouldn't pay the price of new full game for a remake of Armageddon, as I still have it laying around somewhere. I definitely wouldn't pay the price of new full game for a lite version of Armageddon, as it would just be dumb.

[Thrik]

Er, what's the problem with it being an extended PC-optimised version of the console Armageddon? That game looks awesome.

Team 17 did actually say right when the console ones came out a PC version was in development, so I guess this is just a rebranding. I've been looking forward to it since then whatever the case.

I thought even the original console Worms was pretty awesome to be honest. It's just impossible to do the same kind of ninja tricks without a keyboard, which is why I didn't play it too much.

[SiN]

Has anyone played the console versions?

Yep, I've played both Worms games on XBLA. Like I said above, they're good, but the physics isn't as nice as Worms Armageddon, and neither is the weapon variety. Getting the console version on PC is by no means a disappointment, it was expected tbh. At the very least, ninja roping is a million times easier with the keyboard.

Still, I can't help but feel that the new games have nothing on good ol' Worms Armageddon. Feature-for-feature WA outclasses the new games. I'm not sure why upgraded tech is needed at all... Worms has aged very well. I'd be far happier with the original Worms Armageddon re-released to play nice with Windows Vista/7, and with a robust online component.

Mo

[toblix]

I'm not sure why upgraded tech is needed at all...

But what tech has been upgraded exactly? Aren't they just using the assets and engine from Worms 2? Isn't this just Worms 2, cut down and ported to a console, and now apparently ported back again?

[Thrik]

No, this is a completely new engine that has support for things like zooming and the effects are GPU-powered and much prettier (water, explosions, smoke, etc).

The numbering scheme is confusing, but these XBLA/PC Worms games are nothing to do with the original PC ones. It's essentially a new Worms series that was called 'Worms' and 'Worms 2' on XBLA, the latter of which is coming to PC but renamed to 'Worms Reloaded' due to the obvious confusion that could occur.

If you watch this old video of what has evolved into Worms Reloaded it should be fairly apparent how it differs if you played the PC versions much:

Personally I like what I see, being one of the biggest former Worms addicts ever. Zooming in particular I approve of.

[toblix]

No, this is a completely new engine that has support for things like zooming and the effects are GPU-powered and much prettier (water, explosions, smoke, etc).

Yeah, now that I look at the screenshots there's been quite a bit of visual polish. Okay, so all the new Worms games are to Worms 2 what Vista was to XP. It's basically the same thing, only with some visual polish. I'm not saying it's bad, and I'm not saying they shouldn't be doing this -- the Worms series is fantastic and they should do whatever they feel like. I'm just personally sad that they haven't really taken another step forward with it. Not that it' obvious what that step would be -- I'm no game designer.

[Thrik]

Well, that's the funny thing about Worms. It's one of those rare games that most people agree is pretty much perfect as it is, and I too would find it hard to imagine anything beyond a technical overhaul I'd want from the series. Obviously Team 17 thought going 3D was the next step. They were wrong. ;

I loved Armageddon but the same old look and sounds definitely got old, not to mention its many technical quirks (and ultimately complete breakage) as it's aged. Even if this doesn't have everything Armageddon had (which was a LOT due to community patches), it's a step in the right direction — a new 2D Worms on the PC!

[toblix]

Absolutely a right step.

[Patters]

Well, that's the funny thing about Worms. It's one of those rare games that most people agree is pretty much perfect as it is, and I too would find it hard to imagine anything beyond a technical overhaul I'd want from the series. Obviously Team 17 thought going 3D was the next step. They were wrong. ;

I loved Armageddon but the same old look and sounds definitely got old, not to mention its many technical quirks (and ultimately complete breakage) as it's aged. Even if this doesn't have everything Armageddon had (which was a LOT due to community patches), it's a step in the right direction — a new 2D Worms on the PC!

So essentially you want a street fighter IV/Starcraft II but in worms form? If so I agree.