Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition review

Surely everybody has played a Worms game by now? It’s like a gaming rite of passage. I remember playing the original Worms with my dad decades ago, and I’ve played nearly every iteration since. As far as local multiplayer games go it’s up there with the best of them. Though the best version by far is Worms Armageddon.

The developer and publisher of Worms Armageddon, Team17, obviously know this, which is perhaps why it’s tasked Digital Eclipse with making an Anniversary Edition of the title for consoles. After all, the PC version is still all fine and dandy some two and a half decades after its release. Featuring all the content of the original game as well as some interesting museum content and curios, it’s pretty much a must-have for Worms fans. Though there are some aspects that leave me scratching my head.

If you have somehow never played a Worms game before, let me go over the basics. Taking control of a team of worms, you compete against one or more players, taking turns to try and obliterate each other. As if the idea of worms engaging in warfare isn’t amusing enough, the action here is made even more hilarious due to how easy it is for things to go wrong. Basic weapons here include grenades and bazookas, for example, and all it takes is for you to misjudge how much power is required or forget about the effects of wind for you to end up blowing up one of your worms instead of an opponent’s.

The best things about Worms, though? It’s the more ‘out-there’ weapons, definitely. You can shoot an enemy worm with a shotgun if you want, but is it not more interesting to attack them with a flying exploding sheep instead? And while a well-thrown grenade is sure to cause some damage, a Holy Hand Grenade will cause much more damage and make you laugh at the same time. There are so many outlandish weapons here that never fail to put a smile on your face, though even the basic ones can have you full-on belly laughing at times due to their unpredictable results.

Part of what makes Worms Armageddon the best worms game is the level of customisation available, and that remains the case here. Your team of worms can be customised, with you choosing their names, gravestones, and even voices. On top of that, you’re free to define how many worms are involved in each match, how many rounds a match consists of, what weapons are available, and more. Throw in randomised battlegrounds and you have a game that provides near-endless entertainment.

There are multiple ways to play, too. There’s a full single-player, for example, and while Worms Armageddon is best enjoyed as a local multiplayer game, you can take the action online if you wish. Since its original launch in September last year, Digital Eclipse has even added some old Worms games to play for free via an update. They make for a nice addition, and a very welcome free update, but honestly? They’re all horribly dated now. Would you really want to play the Mega Drive version of the original Worms or the Game Boy Colour version of Worms Armageddon in this day and age?

The worst thing about Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition, however, is its menus. Not only are they bland, they’re simply a pain a navigate. Still, you’ll get used to them eventually. Other quirks that might frustrate some players include a somewhat fiddly control system with no guidance on the fly which would have been helpful for newcomers, and a heads-up display with text that might be a tad too small for some. These issues can all be irritating to a degree, but thankfully they’re not all that troublesome in the grand scheme of things.

Is this the best version of Worms Armageddon? Perhaps not – the PC version still has that accolade thanks to it being even more customisable. It’s certainly the best Worms game available on console, though. There are some minor issues here, but Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition remains a hell of a lot of fun regardless. And the museum-like content which includes videos and more, going back to the series’ roots, is a very nice touch. I’d like a new 2D Worms game someday, with yet more outrageous weapons and over-the-top antics, but until then, Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition will do just fine.