Windows

Worms 3D

This game is so playable, has heaps of life and happily maintains the 'Worminess' we have come to know and love from the Team 17 Worms universe.

Although it enjoyed a huge success, it took more than six years of brainstorming and development before Worms3D was released. The word “3D” had the fans worried though, and the fear that the series feeling would be lost was very high. However, Team 17 did an excellent job with the transition, and Worms3D promises to become a classic itself.

Ich trau mich fast nicht, es zuzugeben, aber ich mag kleine, fleischfarbene Würmchen. Während ich anfangs noch skeptisch war, ob die 3D-Optik dem guten, alten Worms gut zu Gesicht stehen würde, haben mich die ersten Runden überzeugt: Das ist die beste bisher da gewesene Variante! Team17 hat ganze Arbeit geleistet und die Würmer kräftig aufgebohrt. Vor allem für Alleinstehende hat das Spiel gewonnen, was nicht zuletzt an den fixen "Quickies" für zwischendurch liegt. Und wo sonst bekommt frau einen Wurm geboten, der stolze 40 Runden durchhält?

Der Sprung nach 3D hat super geklappt. Zwar wurmt mich die gewöhnungsbedürftige Steuerung, aber schon nach drei Partien hat man auch die intus. Dann ist die Würmer-Hatz Spaß pur – vor allem im Mehrspieler-Modus. Die genial designten Levels halten einen immer wieder mit neuen Gags bei der Stange. Einzig der sehr hohe Schwierigkeitsgrad und eine fehlende Speicherfunktion in den Levels sorgen für gelegentliche Frustmomente. Denn in den langen Missionen ärgert es mich, dass ich bei einem winzigen Fehler gleich alles noch mal von vorne spielen darf.

Ever since the big jump from 2D to 3D, favorite franchises have been trying to make the transition without sacrificing the core, the heart, of what made their games great in two dimensions. Some have been more successful than others. Thankfully, Team17 seems to have taken a long, hard look at what made Worms the multi-million selling series that it is and put in the effort required to make a quite treacherous leap to the third dimension. On all platforms, the basic premise is the same: Missions and challenges are offered for solo players, and a freakishly robust customization system is supplied for multiplayer addicts that want to blow each other up. But that doesn’t answer the biggest question – what is the strategy classic actually like in this brave new world? Refreshingly, and stunningly, it remains largely the same.

Despite the criticisms, Team 17 has still managed to pull off an impressive evolution of a much-loved series. The core game has remained barely unchanged, but the 3D engine introduces a lot of unexpected elements to get used to, both good and bad. The PC remains the definitive Worms platform, as its version not only looks the best but features online and LAN play. The consoles versions are slightly less great, thanks to the cramped controls, rougher visuals (especially on the Cube) and - gasp! - there's no Xbox Live support. Nevertheless, Worms 3D remains one of the most satisfying, addictive and downright enjoyable multiplayer gaming experiences I've ever encountered, online or no, and for that it scores highly.

The only nagging issue to really be had with Worms 3D is that it maybe seems a little too much like the 2D Worms games of yore. If you're new to the Worms series, then this is a nonissue for you. Worms 3D stands up as a cute, quirky little strategy game that has some excellent multiplayer capacity. However, the old-timers out there may find that though the transition to 3D is novel, it doesn't really have much impact on the overall experience. There are worse things you could say about a game, and ultimately, it's good to see that Team 17's nihilistic annelids have survived the transition to 3D without much incident.

Worms 3D is a respectable sequel to the established multiplayer- centric franchise. Team 17 has done a solid job of transitioning its popular series into the third dimension while retaining the classic play and control mechanics that made Worms a hit to begin with. On top of that, the 3D nature of the game opens up -- literally -- a batch of new intriguing possibilities, including the ability to move in all directions, to strategically place worm soldiers on multiple tiers, and to target in first-person for precision hits.

If you're hungry for Worms-related mayhem, this game is adequate; but if you want one with all of the fun and none of the fat, leave Worms 3D alone and pick up Worms Armageddon for the PC.

Speel de demo op onze DVD en kijk voor jezelf of de 3D besturing je ligt of niet... Het speelse, snelle en verslavende aspect heeft plaatsgemaakt voor een mooie, maar bij momenten enorm frustrerend, 3D engine.

Le passage à la 3D est réussi, mais c'était une fausse bonne idée : Worms fonctionnait parce que tout le monde était sur le même plan. Même en oubliant l'ancêtre, il manque à cette version des armes réellement spectaculaires, et des cartes aléatoires qui soient amusantes à jouer.

Dommage que le jeu rencontre de tels soucis de maniabilité car question réalisation, le passage à la 3D est tout à fait réussi. Le design des vers de terre est tout simplement génial, leurs attitudes et mimiques sont tordantes et leurs voix toujours aussi drôles ! Espérons qu'un patch viennent corriger ça... en attendant, moi je reste un peu déçu.