Platform(s): Playstation 2
Released: Dec 2004
Game Type: Turn-based Strategy

Rating: G8+ (cartoon violence)

Developer: Team 17

Publisher: Sega

Homepage: www.wormsforts.com

Worms Forts: Under Siege is the tenth title in the popular Worms series.   The appealing cartoon worms and comical weapons return for this version.  It also features a catapult-launched exploding refrigerator that scatters ferrets, exploding mad grannies and giant exploding chicks.  Gone, unfortunately, is the destructible terrain.  Instead, the developers have added forts to the game, making it more of a base-building strategy game.  Although the 3D graphics looked good, the gameplay was often difficult to manage in 3D.

The worms now have to build forts and towers in order to launch attacks against other forts. The towers and forts serve as platforms for launching weapons.  Other buildings give you extra features.  Eg. a science building strengthens your weapons and a hospital allows you to heal worms.  Each building must be connected to the others.  Each player (up to four) has one minute in which to move, build and launch an attack for their turn, which certainly keeps the anxiety as high as an action game.

The tutorial is simple to use and a necessity to figure out how to move around quickly in your one-minute turn.  The double jump being a back flip takes a little getting used to, as does switching between the many slightly different, yet amusing, weapons.  It is also vital to learn how to manipulate the camera quickly so you can see what is going on.  The camera seems to need moving far too often. 

The animated characters are simplistic but very appealing.  Worms in period helmets add to the siege feel.  The outrageous weapon effects are excellent, but the cartoon landscapes are a little blocky.

All in all, it’s an amusing game, but not as good as previous Worms.  Younger children may not have the patience needed for lining up weapons and cameras or appreciate the time limit.  Fans of previous Worms games might not like where this worm has turned.  But those who like strategic base-building games should enjoy lightening the mood with these cute cartoon characters encountering a full range of ancient mythologies in their unique worm style.  There are lots of new weapons, environments, and fort styles to unlock as the game progresses, and plenty of highly challenging missions from the final tutorial onwards.

Comments from the experts:

Harley - 9, five years experience as a computer gamer, four years experience on Playstations.

Cliff - 11, eight years experience as a computer gamer, PS games for four years (fan of Worms World Party).

Graphics:

Harley: 3D is okay.  The trees need some work but everyone likes cartoons.

Cliff:  I hate having the worms in a 3D world. The graphics are good but it’s way too hard.  It’s hard to get the camera focused on the right part and because 3D games have a much bigger world, you hardly have any time to do anything in the time limit.

Sound:

Harley: It sounds really good.  Cute remarks from the worms.

Cliff: I like the worms’ comments.  Really good sound effects.

Gameplay:

Harley:  It doesn’t let you play without a duel shock 2 controller.  I’d like to be able to change the controls from the analogue stick to the buttons.  It’s way too easy to fall from too high and hurt yourself and lose a turn.  I didn’t have much time to finish my turns.  The worms move fast enough but everything else takes too much time, like building and aiming the weapons.  The weapons are funny, especially the ferrets and the old woman.

Cliff: Earlier versions of Worms are better.  I don’t like constructing buildings and having to fire from them.  Controls for building things are pretty hard.  It requires much more skill to fire a weapon in Worms Forts: Under Siege than in Worms World Party.  Firing a weapon in the right spot is especially hard.

Appeal:

Harley:  I’d play it for about two weeks.

Cliff:  I already don’t want to play it.