Het grote Apple iPhone/iPod Touch Games Topic deel #1

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Worms iPhone Review

July 13, 2009 - The classic strategy game Worms has finally wriggled on to the iPhone, a platform that seems like a perfect fit for its brand of comic mayhem. Exploding sheep, holy hand grenades, and homing missiles fly furiously as the worm armies square off on randomly generated stage littered with both hazards and opportunities. These fun moments, plus the thrill of delivering a manic combo strike that decimates an opponent, are the reasons why the franchise is still endearing to its fan base.

However, due to some wonky controls, Worms on the iPhone is likely to infuriate the loyal. This is always the catch with games that have some dedicated followings. You fell in love with it on another screen so you know when a new version of it just feels... off. And in the case of Worms on the iPhone, the inability to execute precision flights with the jet pack or accurately throw a rope and pull off those awesome worm acrobatics will have you gnashing your teeth. Don't get me started on the jump controls either. I cannot count the number of times I double-tapped a worm to do a back-flip, only to helpless watch it jump either into the water or straight into range of a mine.

Practice makes perfect, right? I have been hammering on this game since it came out this weekend, though. And while my roping skills did improve, there is just no way to move the worms with the same laser-like precision of the PC game. Yes, yes -- the iPhone is not a PC -- but that is half the fun of the game, though. Bounding halfway across the screen on a rope and delivering a dynamite stick to a helpless rival is one of those awesome gaming moments. You will not find it here.


That said, I could see a newcomer not getting too worked up about the control issues because they simply wouldn't know any better. The wonky flight path of the jet pack would be far less important to the laugh of launching a sheep attack for the first time or hearing the "hallelujah" of the holy hand grenade. It's not like you cannot use all of the other weapons and gear to great effect, such as air strikes and the shotgun. And with these tools, you can still have a modest match of turn-based madness.

However, there are two more complaints with Worms that grind down its score: online multiplayer (or the lack thereof) and enemy AI. You cannot play Worms online with other gamers. You can only play it local -- and by local, I mean pass the phone around the room. It certainly works, although it robs the pleasure of having your opponent watch you unload a bazooka at just the right angle to blast their healthiest worm right into a watery grave. Unless they were standing over your shoulder, of course -- but then they would know which weapons you had left in stock. The iPhone is a very capable online multiplayer device and there is no reason for Worms to ship without it. Sure, it may come in an update -- but it should have been in here from the get-go. Online multiplayer is a hallmark feature of the series.

When playing against the computer in Worms, get ready for some spectacularly uneven intelligence. There are three difficulty levels and if you pick easy, the game is a total cakewalk -- no challenge whatsoever. If you pick normal, the computer veers wildly between stupefying mistakes like dropping a grenade right on itself and pulling off a perfect shot, firing the bazooka into the wind at just the right power so it drops straight down on your worm. Oh, and of course that worm is bounced into a mine. And the explosion from that mine launches them into the water. Or into another mine. You get those kind of amazing chain reactions maybe once every ten game. The computer is able to deliver those without breaking a sweat, over and over, in hard.

At least the game looks solid and the soundtrack is exactly what you remember. The background music is still purposefully at odds with the destruction, although you can opt for your own music. The worms utter goofy worm-speak in funny accents. And I do like that Team17 included 50 challenge levels to give the game something of a single-player campaign that does work, to some degree, as a tutorial.

Worms was reviewed with version 1.0.


Closing Comments
Worms is such an awesome game -- it's a shame this version of it is not. The walking and aiming controls work well, but jumping is haphazard and effective roping is about as likely as your iPhone spitting out the winning lottery ticket. As I mentioned, I could see a newcomer not being too bent about these things because they don't know about how cool Worms gets when you master the ropes, jumps, and jet pack. But for those of you that were looking forward to having Worms to-go on your iPhone, I must strongly warn you: this port is very, very frustrating.

IGN Ratings for Worms (iPhone)
Rating Description
out of 10 click here for ratings guide
7.0 Presentation
The game looks fine and the menus are easy to navigate.
7.0 Graphics
All of the worms, backdrops, and weapons look alright, but the game is unfortunately chuggy in places.
8.0 Sound
Great worm voices and sound effects. Background music is good and you can use your own music, too.
5.0 Gameplay
The controls need serious work -- especially the precision stuff. It just sucks the fun out of the game.
5.0 Lasting Appeal
50 challenge stages sounds good, but the lack of online play is a bizarre exclusion for a series that regularly flaunts it.
5.5
Mediocre OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)