Worms: A Space Oddity player impressions [Archive] - Team17 Forum

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48Prong
21 Mar 2008, 17:15
I rented the game and have been playing it all afternoon. I am sad to say that I am a bit disappointed in it. The new motion controls for the weapons and gadgets are great and are fun to use, but the game itself is just not as fun as the other recent 2D Worms games (Open Warfare 2, XBLA Worms). Something is weird with the backflips, and the in-game physics. The way the Worms are blasted back when hit and sliding around the landscape is a little off, in all gravity types I have played so far. It is kind of hard to navigate the landscape. And the graphics are not looking so hot. Pretty blurry and jaggy. I am playing on an HDTV.
It is not a bad game, but since I own most of the other versions of Worms already, this is most definitely not the version of my preference. If you don't have any of the other games, and all you have is a Wii, then sure, it would probably be worth a try. I am glad I rented it before purchasing.
Hopefully another 3D Worms game will come along again at some point, I really liked the direction they were going! Armageddon and Open Warfare 2 are going to be really hard to top as far as the 2D Worms games go.

AndrewTaylor
21 Mar 2008, 22:31
How much of that do you think is just that it's different to the other versions?
I'd be interested to see if you thought the physics was "off" after a couple of months' play, although that'd be a very generous rental.

Plasma
21 Mar 2008, 23:01
Well hey, try blowing up invertebrates on another planet, then say the physics is wrong!

48Prong
22 Mar 2008, 00:10
The physics are different from the other Worms games, sure. The problem is, they are less 'fun', to me at least. It is not the difference in gravity itself that is the culprit. It is in the manner that a hit worm, bouncing items and the like react and move around. And I am not talking about the differences in ground traction, either. Something is just not there that has been in pretty much every Worms game since the original. It feels kind of 'stiff'. The only way I can describe it is it feels a lot like the DS version of the first Open Warfare game (which I do not like). And wait until you get a chance to try out how backflips work now. For the first time you will need to relearn the basics for backflipping up to a high ledge. you'll see.
I doubt I will be playing this game months from now. You probably would get used to it eventually. I personally am still having fun playing Open Warfare 2 and XBLA Worms, and the Wii game is just not as fun to me so far. I am still giving it a shot tho. Every Worms game to date has drawn me in from the moment I started playing it, with the exception of this game and the DS Open Warfare 1. This game reminds me more of a quick little spin-off diversion, along the lines of Worms: Blast.
Worms is one of my favorite video game franchises, and I have played pretty much every version extensively. I am curious to hear the opinions of some other long-time Worms players that have played A Space Oddity.

Swiftaudi
23 Mar 2008, 04:08
Bottom line this is one of the worst worms yet. Team 17 really hit the mark though, they aimed for simplicity and made the game way to user friendly, this in return makes it to easy. The lack of online play really is bad, at first I agreed with Spadge yes online would be pointless for the Wii Worms however after playing the game I strongly disagree. The game is way to damn easy make it impossible to have a worthy CPU opponent. Lastly the game is more of a puzzle. I was hopping to b.tch slap some worms in space and got a go collect some space ship parts and gas in less then 2 minutes kind of game.
Weapon selection...... n/m there isnt one. You get a few weapons you already know and your missing a lot of great weapons you already know. I am angry theres no online I am angry the game is a puzzle and I am angry the damn user face is so small you cant see the items your selecting when you customize. I have a 25" TV damn it not a Movie theater.
I hope the next worms game comes out for the computer and its a heck of a lot better and less user friendly.
On another not the game was not made for Worms fans it was made for Wii users and in that aspect this game is perfect. It fits in with the rest of the Wii games released (Wii = 90% crap games out of the 10 games released a year) If I wasn’t a worms fan I would probably be one after playing this game however being a womrs fan I expected to much I guess and wasnt ready for the simplicity and puzzling missions.

Plasma
23 Mar 2008, 10:28
Lastly the game is more of a puzzle.
You mean, say, strategic?
(Wii = 90% crap games out of the 10 games released a year)
People are going to ignore your post now just because you said that. Makes it seem like you're just a troll.

AndrewTaylor
23 Mar 2008, 11:49
Yes, aside from pulling statistics from a dark place (there's been a Wii game released every day since the console launch, on average)...
Team17... made the game way to user friendly...
I hope the next worms game ... [is] less user friendly.
What the hell?
User-friendliness is a good thing. There's no possible way it can be a bad thing. What on Earth do you think the phrase "user friendly" means?

yakuza
23 Mar 2008, 12:06
Yes, aside from pulling statistics from a dark place (there's been a Wii game released every day since the console launch, on average)...
What the hell?
User-friendliness is a good thing. There's no possible way it can be a bad thing. What on Earth do you think the phrase "user friendly" means?
He means too simple. A game that is too user friendly basically means it can be picked up by almost everyone, that's not really a good thing for experienced gamers or people who have played previous worms games, in general.

narkolepzy
23 Mar 2008, 12:17
I have to agree with whomever said this was one of the worst releases yet. The drop of online support, the lack of weaponry, and the stiffness of the controls makes it feel more like a gimmick than anything. I have to say the limited weapon choices is what really did it in for me. It's just as bad as the xbla worms. The thing that really pulled me into the worms games was the array of wacky weapons that didn't always do what you wanted them to do, and that was 50% percent of the fun right there for me. ASO under delivered immensely. And lets not beat around the bush, team17 isn't a very well funded developer. When they release something like this as a first impression to the wii market (which I bet consists of a lot of people unfamiliar with worms, so it's important to make a good impression) all they are doing is cutting their own necks in the eyes of thq and other possible publishers.

48Prong
23 Mar 2008, 12:35
I think what he means by the game being more of a puzzle game, is the story mode. The levels are not 'strategic' as say, playing a multiplayer game of classic Worms is strategic. There are 'puzzles' you have to figure out. For example, one level early on starts you off with no weapons and a crate. You have 1 health point, the opponent worm has 200 health, and is far away from a place you can knock him into the water. You have to figure out a 'puzzle' of blowing up certain barrels blocking the worm's path and punching the enemy worm multiple times just right to get him to the water, without any errors or wasting any ammunition at all, or you have to start all over. It is much more confusing, hard, and less fun than Worms single player missions in past games. And, this type of 'puzzle' comes way to early into the game for casual newcomers to the series to really understand the concept of what is going on and what to do. W:ASO has a serious flaw - the game has been dumbed down and made a bit more user friendly to appeal to the casual gaming masses as far as basic controls go, but me, a seasoned Worms veteran, had an extremely frustrating time trying to get one of the puzzles right very early in the game. I knew exactly what to do, but trying to get the desired strength of the punch right with the Wii controls was not easy to figure out and get it right. I seriously did it like 20 times, having to start all over if you missed one, before I got it right. It was not at all fun. No 'casual' gamer is going to give it that much dedication. No more than 5 mess ups and they are going to get frustrated and move on.
Also take into consideration the fact that mines have pretty much been removed. There are a few random obstacles placed randomly on the levels (like trampolines and magnet fields), but to me one of the most satisfying things in a Worms game to do is to chain combos with mines and barrels on your opponent. That whole strategy is gone in this game, and with it, a whole lot of the fun. It is not that I am stuck in the old ways and don't want to try new things, it is just that even with these new elements, you do not get the chance very often at all to do many cool combo meneuvers.
Please you all, don't be so quick to defend this game until you play it! When I first popped it in, the first hour I was like 'this isn't so bad', but the more you get into it, the more you realize it is not a very fun Worms experience at all. It is obvious that the dumbing down, and making this game more 'user friendly' to appeal to the masses is it's main downfall. I feel it is going to do more to damage Worm's reputation to new casual gamers than garner any new interest in the franchise, sadly.

yakuza
23 Mar 2008, 15:02
To make emphasis on the puzzle part, many of the levels have only one way of completing them, there's no strategy involved, there's only figuring out what to do, as opposed on having mutiple choices and choosing the best strategy possible. Surely this is not very literal, but that's probably what he meant.l

AndrewTaylor
23 Mar 2008, 16:29
He means too simple. A game that is too user friendly basically means it can be picked up by almost everyone, that's not really a good thing for experienced gamers or people who have played previous worms games, in general.
Yes, it is. It's a good thing for everybody. Too simple, I'll give you, but "user friendliness" is a whole different thing. Making the game less user-friendly might mean making the cursor invisible or arranging the menus badly. That would just annoy everyone. It certainly wouldn't improve the game. I do wish you'd all stop using the phrase "user friendly" so glaringly wrongly. Anyone who doesn't realise you don't actually mean "user friendly" will think you're a moron and anyone who does won't be certain what you do mean. That's not useful communication.
I'm not defending the game at all -- I've not played it -- but I'd rather see it criticised in a way that makes sense.
It's just as bad as the xbla worms.
That would be, the one that was the most played XBLA game last year (http://spadget17.blogspot.com/2008/02/by-day-quick-witted-studio-exec-at.html)? I'm sure Team17 will be devastated to know that.

48Prong
23 Mar 2008, 17:28
To make emphasis on the puzzle part, many of the levels have only one way of completing them, there's no strategy involved, there's only figuring out what to do, as opposed on having mutiple choices and choosing the best strategy possible. Surely this is not very literal, but that's probably what he meant.l
You got it, that is exactly the issue.
It's just as bad as the xbla worms.
C'mon, now. I was very hesitant about the XBLA Worms at first due to the diminished weapon set and that it seemed an awfully lot like W:OW 1 on the DS. But after playing it for a bit, it is an excellent game due to the strategies you must use with the limited weapons. One of the best Worms games to date, in my opinion. Too many weapons gets annoying while playing online matches of W:OW2 with people who use the Full Wormage scheme and just bombard with Donkeys and airstrikes. That is annoying...

Plasma
23 Mar 2008, 17:42
Oh wait, I think I remember. In an IGN interview, Team17 said that the singleplayer missions would be a mix of game modes: some strategic, some puzzles, some party. Or something like that.
In other words, the mission you described as a puzzle that didn't require strategy is supposed to be a puzzle.

Shadowmoon
24 Mar 2008, 17:31
I'm getting WASO for my birthday.....
by what i've seen so far, i'll be selling it in a month.

MtlAngelus
25 Mar 2008, 09:22
Oh wait, I think I remember. In an IGN interview, Team17 said that the singleplayer missions would be a mix of game modes: some strategic, some puzzles, some party. Or something like that.
In other words, the mission you described as a puzzle that didn't require strategy is supposed to be a puzzle.
Detective Plasma solves yet another mystery!

Chordus
26 Mar 2008, 02:56
This game cost me $50... as much as SSBB, Super Mario Galaxies, Metroid Prime 3, Twilight Princess, and Super Paper Mario. Therefore, I expect a game of at least reasonably similar quality. I'm not asking for the most perfect game ever created, but give me something for my money. Worms 3D cost me only $30, and I got a LOT more out of it.
Instead, I get a game with 10 weapons, teams of three worms, and no online connection. I beat the entire story mode in about three hours, and I'm left with the dreadful feeling that I'm not going to get much in the way of entertainment from multiplayer. A little, perhaps, but it's not a game I'll come back to much. On a positive note, all of the other worms games had clumps of similar weapons, so it's not like the cut of weapons is particularly Earth-shattering.
The controls are decent, though I do occasionally have some problems with them; the jumping in particular is a bit clunky. The interaction between the player and the weapons is a nice new concept, but offers very little in the way of new gameplay.
The minigames are cute, but feel somewhat out of place. They're a nice addition, though. The only problem is that there are only six, meaning that it's not much entertainment as a minigame collection either.
I don't feel like the game is completely devoid of entertainment, but I do feel pretty ripped off. This is a $20-$30 game, not a $50 game. Not only do I expect more from Team 17, but I expect a bigger bang for my buck.

franpa
26 Mar 2008, 11:40
a new forum is open on these boards for this game :D

thomasp
26 Mar 2008, 12:24
a new forum is open on these boards for this game :D
And all WASO threads should now be moved into it!

SNUGGLES
28 Mar 2008, 04:04
I am a long time worms fan. I own EVERY single worms game released. I still play almost all of them on a regular basis. Even the xbox 360 version. I know some people don't like that one. But I am enjoying it. Which proves, I give all the worms games a chance.
That being said......
I rented the game from Gamefly. Thankfully I played it before purchasing it from them. The game is a severe disappointment.
I love the cute graphics. I love the customizing. I love the 2d.
I HATE the no online gameplay. The controls are terrible. Being female, I have small hands and smaller fingers. Even with the small hands, that D pad on the wii remote is terrible to use. The game controls with the D pad. It makes it EXTREMELY annoying to control the worms. My husband and other family members have larger hands and larger fingers. They are having the worst time with that d-pad. I wish they would have allowed a controller configuration for the nun-chuck to be used. The analog stick would have worked much better. Heck, even the classic controller would have.
The game is EXTREMELY short for the single player. If you are a long time worms fan.... you can blow through it in a blink of an eye.
The game is way way too simple. Even for my 6 year old. He picked up the game and beat it in a few hours. He was even bored. He beat the game in under 3 hours. It took me about 2.5 and it was boring the whole time.
It is more of a chore to finish the game than anything.
The jumping, has issues. Especially the backflips.
There are only about 10 weapons. Most of them really suck. And the whole guided line to your shot on a few of them.... takes out the whole fun of it.
The game really is not made for worms fans. It is more of a way to introduce wii gamers to worms. The game is more a demo version than an actual game. It is not worth $50. If the game was $20, it would might have a shot at being a decent selling title. But only for the offline multiplayer. If it was $30 and had online multiplayer.... that would rock. As the game is now..... it is a severe disappointment.
Long time worms fans, stay away. There are far better worms games with better controls and better multiplayer.
I look forward to another worms game on the wii. It needs a decent worms game. This one..... is not it.

killthef
28 Mar 2008, 09:00
If you dont have any friends to play this game with, i would give you a week before you get bored with it. I beat and unlocked every challenge in the story mode in 4 hours. There are multiple ways to beat most of them, but there is at least one level in each stage where the answer is obvious. I think wii did a great job with the controls. I have a 35 inch TV. So i dont have the menu problems ive heard some of you complain about. The graphics are decent, and the backgrounds are pretty impressive. I agree, the number one downfall of this game, is the weapons are weak. But any hardcore worms fan knows its more challenging and takes skill to use limited weapons options in multiplayer. BTW.. I see people complain that the game is too easy. You have the option to turn the aim guides OFF and change weapon schemes when you beat the Story mode... Its very close to worms armageddon. I like that you can add black holes and land mines in versus modes. More weapons would have been great (I miss the banana bomb, holy hand grenade, and the napalm weapons). But Many of the weapons in the other worms games were pointless, and repetitive. You had a land mine, C4, and Dynamite that all did the same thing. A pistol, machine gun, and shotgun that all pretty much did the same thing as well. and there were many different variations to punch people. Sorry about the rant.
What i really dont like about the game... The manual... How vague is that? A few moves they don't clarify. Press A twice in a row to do a backflip. Go to the weapons menu and back to center the zoom around yourself. Sadly i didnt figure out you can move the camera by holding down + until after i finished the story mode. has anyone figured out if can you change which of your worms you want to use?

nicoken
30 Mar 2008, 21:50
Hello
I'm a worms fan for long.
Worms ASO is the worst worms game i've ever played.
- no online mode
- all landscapes look the same
- too few weapons (and not the bests) and no ninja rope!
- too few missions
- "funny controls" are not as funny at all
worms wow2 on DS is better.
I love team17 but this worms should have never been released.
Players just wanted worms armageddon or world party on their wiis with online play.
Why team17 didn't see that?
The worst worms ever...
I really wonder why team17 released such a miserable game.
bye

jonnyb
1 Apr 2008, 14:19
I bought the game at the weekend and think it is pretty good, bit tricky at first but its fun and its worms on the Wii, I understand the points everyone has made though can Team17 make a downloadable update for the Wii like the VC titles maybe to make the game better??

48Prong
1 Apr 2008, 14:51
I LOVE Worms: A Space Oddity. It is my favorite game EVER!
april fools.

nicoken
1 Apr 2008, 15:06
LOL!
I was affraid you said it seriously.

franpa
3 Apr 2008, 04:26
theres no rope? i wouldn't call it worms then -_-

Plasma
3 Apr 2008, 20:10
Right, well I got and played the game myself. And I think I'm the first regular forumer to do so, by the looks of it. (Warning: long post ahead!)
I actually really like it! I honestly thought it was a LOT better than everybody's making it out to be! For one, having such a limited number of weapons and utilities seems really restrictive at first, until you realise that because the weapons aren't just 'choose direction and fire', adding in more stuff would get very confusing, very quickly. That, and each weapon has it's own training/time-trial level.
One thing that makes it stand out is it's controls. In short, they're FUN, and also very easy to use. For example, the thrown weapons (including the bazooka equivalent) work by choosing the strength of the shot by how far back you pull your hand (in an about-to-throw manner), and this can be seen in a strength bar at the bottom. Once locked in place with [B], just throw to fire. I think the speed of your throw also affects the strength of your shot. Oh, and the aim-guide is absolutely BRILLIANT for getting used to shooting, I really wish it was in the first Worms games, it makes the game a whole lot easier to get into. As for one point made by, IIRC, Andrew: no, the controls are not easy to accidentally screw up on. As long as you're moving the Mote in a way that's even vaguely similar to what you're supposed to be doing, it'll work. And the speeds you move the Mote aren't a major factor either, so you can play a relaxed game.
The animations, for a 2D game, are brilliant! Granted, I haven't played any of the handheld or XBLA Worms games, but these really are brilliant. Unfortunately, it's also very hard to explain using words, so I'll stop here. Oh, and the backround music is great too; well, as good as it could be for a slow-paced game like Worms.
The game is also very user-friendly. The description of how to fire weapons can be turned on in a help box, by pressing the (2) button, and as I said, there's a training level for each weapon and basic movement. While the menu interface has small buttons, that only serves to take slightly longer to click on something. But I doubt that could be helped, really, there's a lot in those menu screens.
I haven't had a proper chance to try out any of the features towards the multiplayer side of the game yet though, aside from a few quick matches. All I do know is that, yes, there is a landscape editor. Oh, and having multiple schemes for Fort (remember this?) can only be a good thing!
As for online... there isn't any. Granted, I don't play Worms online very often anyway, so I don't feel it's missing much. But either way, it's not really a choice thing: as Spadge said in an announcement, an online mode on the Wii wouldn't increase sales enough to justify adding one in. Team17 are an indy games company, so they can't throw in things like that if it doesn't increase profits enough. That's just the way it is.
Singleplayer missions are few, there's only 30 short missions, not including the 6 bonus games and the training/time-trial levels. If you're using the aim-guide, you'll whiz through them in no time. But I strongly suggest attempting to go through it a second time with the aim-guide off. It should be a lot harder then.
Physics... are different. Not really worse, or better, just different. Most notable point is that the worms walk an awful lot slower, and jumps are smaller. Which does help stop the player from just walking across the entire map to an enemy and shooting him at point-blank range. As for back-flips, I found them a lot easier to use because they don't result in your worm going backwards as much. It's a lot easier to get up ledges now.
Umm... I think that's it, anyway. As I've played the game some more, I'll straighten it up, and use it on RealVG.com (who are in dire need of more reviews). The slow mobility and lack of a ninja rope makes it less-than-fun fun for people who play the other Worms games just for the ninja rope, and the limited arsenal means people who think of Worms is brilliant for random carnage probably won't find it so enjoyable either. But for everyone else, it's a genuinely fun game. Although it's not as great as Worms Armageddon, it's a much better game for people new to the Worms series, and for people who are already well-adapted to WA, it's distinct controls makes it a nice change from the ordinary.
EDIT: 775 words... I was trying to keep it brief, but I guess I got a bit carried away!

NilartPax
5 Apr 2008, 20:34
I've played worms since the beginning (I even still play Learo). This game definitely has it's moments. The physical motions really add to the skill of playing and make it more accessible to the usual wii players (rather than just charging up). I also really like the different worlds. I even like to some degree the new backflip. The minigames are also pretty fun.
however anyone who has played any of the old worms is going to be disappointed in the weapon selection. key word: OPTIONS. Why are so many weapons that have been "classic" from the beginning not in the game? don't tell me it's the controls, because most of the weapons in the old game used similar ways too (you got guns, punches, grenade-like weapons, placement weapons, bazooka shooting method, and homing). I don't understand why the basic programs for all of these methods are there, but all of those awesome weapons are missing!
team17 has always been good about giving options, so players could make the game how they wanted. players could leave out the big weapons, or they could only put in the big weapons and maximize damage. it's their game!
no more options, such a shame.
This game had (has?) lots of potential. The things in it are genuinely fun! But it needs a cheap booster pack or something to add all of the old classic things it lost.
I would really love to see stat tracking like in the old games. The worm awards, and a way to expand the number of worms.
I know I'm not really saying anything new.
The thing is IWorms has always been one of my favorite series of games and I want a really, really great Wii version that I can have a blast with my fiance (who really likes World Party and 3d) and our friends. Currently, this game isn't that.

Melon
6 Apr 2008, 15:23
theres no rope? i wouldn't call it worms then -_-
If there's no rope, then I'd say it was MORE like Worms. Worms isn't the rope. Worms was never about the rope. A group of people decided Worms should be about the rope and have since that time not actually been playing "Worms". Worms is effectively a Tanks game with slightly more movement freedom, not a tanks game with complete freedom, which is ridiculous when you think about it. Ever see a match with infinite jetpacks? Ever wondered why?
It's great that a bunch of people have loved the rope physics and decided to make an alternative game out of it, but rope games aren't Worms. The rope is not Worms. You may be playing these using the Worms engine, but it is not, and never will be, Worms.

yakuza
6 Apr 2008, 15:38
Ever see a match with infinite jetpacks? Ever wondered why?
There's jet pack race, jet pack wascar, and jet pack bng amonst others.
The rope is a part of worms, a very important one might I add seeing as it has featured in most deathmatch Worms games.

Muzer
6 Apr 2008, 16:20
But it's not what makes worms worms

Casino D
6 Apr 2008, 19:26
I've read reviews about worms, a space oddity and rented it out, but is it just me or does the landscape disappear really quickly, i mean a bazooka takes out about 5 times more than it normally does, and the in game physics are messed up to, sorry but i think the other worms games are much better

Plasma
6 Apr 2008, 21:11
i mean a bazooka takes out about 5 times more than it normally does,
(aside from that it wasn't five times as much) I thought the same. But I haven't had a problem with the terrain degenerating too much, just that it leaves large holes.

Shadowmoon
12 Apr 2008, 14:21
Okay, my review.
Also, i created this and posted it in another forum, and i also understand why people don't like this game- because it doesn't have much strategy.
Anyway, the review.....
i have to say, it is actually a very good game. Its nothing special, but so far, i'd say its the best game yet in the New THQ series of worms.
As soon as you start up your game, you'll get a mini movie, which features worms in space. Then after that you go to the main menu, and you can choose from the following options.....
Versus
Single Player
Mini Games
Quick Game
Customisation
Options
In single player, the first mode you will most likely do is training. This time, instead of it been a short training mode, that only shows you few weapons training, you get a big one, that lets you train with all the weapons! you should do training mode first, because believe me, the controls are easy, but can take some time to master. Examples of the controls are when your using the Rocket Pack, which is like the jetpack, you must hold A down to boost, and turn the wii remote round to steer! i have to say, i do not like Rocket packs controls, they are extremely tricky.
Also, the robo sheep, you release B, and then the robo sheep moves in the direction you told it to. You can lift the wii remote up to make it jump, or press B to make it detonate.
For the UFO, you select using the cursor where you want the ufo to go, and when it goes to your target, you shake the wii remote, to release multiple lasers that hit your target.
For the drop ship, you select using the cursor, and the drop ship goes to your target. This is by far, my favourite weapon. Once the drop ship goes to your to your target, you swing the wii remote down, to release a bashing hammer thing that goes down from the ship, and explodes into your worm. You have to swing it down 5 times.
The Astro punch, is like the fire punch, and for this weapon, you stand next to your target, and you hold down B, and push the wii remote forward to jab, or hold down B, and swing the wii remote up to do an uppercut.
Another weapon, the guided frag, for this weapon, you release the frag, and then you move your wii remote, to decide where it goes. Basically, you get to control the frag using your wii remote.
So really, the controls are actually very fun. At first when you start learning the controls, you'll find them hard, but they are actually very fun, and you will be a master of the controls in no time.
There is also a single player mode, which consists of 30 missions, which are spread across 6 worlds. In the missions, you mostly kill worms, and you sometimes collect a crate, to unlock something in your acheivements.
And in versus mode, you verse against other friends.
Sadly, this game does not include online mode, but i don't think it is much of a big loss, because this game is actually GOOD. Online mode would have been fun, yes, but its really, not a big loss at all.
In Mini-game mode, you play minigames, and they are actually very fun. There are 6 in total. An example of one is the frostal minigame, where you travel in a sled to the finish line. If you get hit by the snowball or lose 3 worms from your sled, the game is over. Other minigames are fun too, but this is my favourite one.
In Quick Game mode, you play a Quick Game against the computer.
In Customisation mode, you can create your own team, choose a hat for them, and change their skin, and grave, and soundbank. There's also a landscape editor, which i haven't tried yet.
Overall, this game is actually good. You may have noticed the player impressions thread, most people are complaining about the weapons. Yes, there's not a lot, but would you want to make like, 34 weapons? not only do you have to do that, but you have to make the controls too, and that is actually a little hard.
The graphics are very nice. One thing i don't like about this game, is that the weapons don't bounce about as much in previous worms games. There's also 6 themes, Cavernia, Tenticlia, Frostal, Kaputzol, Mechanopolis and Earth.
They look great. My fave has to be frostal.
The manual.... it does not tell you how to use the weapons. But by pressing 2 when you select a weapon, you can find out how to use it!
What i really don't understand, is why people are not liking this game. Its a good game, and i like it!
However, once you beat the missions and training, that is it. I've completed the training, and done 5 missions, but once you do complete them. Thats the end. The only thing you can do is Play them all over again.
Anyway, this game is very good, and i fail to understand why most people don't like this game.
Well done Team 17!

Plasma
12 Apr 2008, 15:13
In the missions, you mostly kill worms, and you sometimes collect a crate, to unlock something in your acheivements.
Actually, there's a crate in EVERY level. Each one unlocks something, from team flags to soundbanks.
However, once you beat the missions and training, that is it. I've completed the training, and done 5 missions, but once you do complete them. Thats the end. The only thing you can do is Play them all over again.
I wouldn't say that. The Versus mode was always the main part of the Worms games, especially now with the much better and varied AI. And don't forget the minigames too.

Shadowmoon
12 Apr 2008, 19:04
Actually, there's a crate in EVERY level. Each one unlocks something, from team flags to soundbanks.
I wouldn't say that. The Versus mode was always the main part of the Worms games, especially now with the much better and varied AI. And don't forget the minigames too.
Well, this review is basically 8 hours after i played the game.;)
Not much of my friends play worms, so for me, once i've finished, i suppose i'll be bored.:(

SS Bazooka
13 Apr 2008, 14:52
Bottom line this is one of the worst worms yet. Team 17 really hit the mark though, they aimed for simplicity and made the game way to user friendly, this in return makes it to easy. The lack of online play really is bad, at first I agreed with Spadge yes online would be pointless for the Wii Worms however after playing the game I strongly disagree. The game is way to damn easy make it impossible to have a worthy CPU opponent. Lastly the game is more of a puzzle. I was hopping to b.tch slap some worms in space and got a go collect some space ship parts and gas in less then 2 minutes kind of game.
Weapon selection...... n/m there isnt one. You get a few weapons you already know and your missing a lot of great weapons you already know. I am angry theres no online I am angry the game is a puzzle and I am angry the damn user face is so small you cant see the items your selecting when you customize. I have a 25" TV damn it not a Movie theater.
I hope the next worms game comes out for the computer and its a heck of a lot better and less user friendly.
On another not the game was not made for Worms fans it was made for Wii users and in that aspect this game is perfect. It fits in with the rest of the Wii games released (Wii = 90% crap games out of the 10 games released a year) If I wasn’t a worms fan I would probably be one after playing this game however being a womrs fan I expected to much I guess and wasnt ready for the simplicity and puzzling missions.
frankly, swiftaudi, i agre with everything you said, but one fact remains that keeps me playing this game which is the fact that the explosions and the animations, backgrounds and shakes etc. are all tidied up nicely and look really nice. i just wish they could have had decent gameplay as well...

jsgnext
5 Jul 2008, 03:32
If there's no rope, then I'd say it was MORE like Worms. Worms isn't the rope. Worms was never about the rope. A group of people decided Worms should be about the rope and have since that time not actually been playing "Worms". Worms is effectively a Tanks game with slightly more movement freedom, not a tanks game with complete freedom, which is ridiculous when you think about it. Ever see a match with infinite jetpacks? Ever wondered why?
It's great that a bunch of people have loved the rope physics and decided to make an alternative game out of it, but rope games aren't Worms. The rope is not Worms. You may be playing these using the Worms engine, but it is not, and never will be, Worms.
totally agree.... i dont think shoopa,roperace,fly,etc, are worms....and some ppl think a person who uses the rope well is a pro(thats patetic,specially in worms4 where the rope games are called pro games)and thats not true.Yes, I know some ppl uses the rope games as a "noob filter" but i think u can be a pro without being a roper.

Luco
9 Jul 2008, 13:13
I'd like to start by saying that I have really enjoyed playing WASO. There may be a lbit that I think they could have added, but at least the game plays and feels like a Worms title. I picked up a copy for £15 gbp ($30 usd), a fair price.
Good:
- Ninja rope is gone
- Controls are well implemented
- Story mode is fairly entertaining
- Teams of 3 tightens the game somewhat
Bad:
- Weapons roster has been massacred
- No instructions on certain menu screens / menus are unclear
- Everything about the menu feels a bit too small - the text, the worm editing screen, even on my 40" tv it was hard to see certain bits.
- Certain instructions on weapons are unclear
- Mini games are tacked on and unnecessary
- Story mode is way too short and unchallenging
- Visually sub-par, even for the Wii
- No online play (I'm not going into this one, it's been done to death).
Given that T17 keep saying "this is for casuals", I went and enlisted the services of 2 of my most casual gaming friends I could find, by letting them loose on WASO. These 2 are partners, they own a wii, but it only gets played for an hour or two a week at the moment.
I could give you an extensive report on their first 60 minutes with WASO, but the tl;dr is this: They didn't get it. After 5 minutes of watching them fumble through their first match, I had to step in and explain where the power meter is. Over the next hour I had to explain: how you gauge your shot; how to check wind conditions; how to move the camera and zoom; how to use the tools; how to use each and every weapon; what each item on screen is (mines, crates, etc); what the buttons in the worm editing section mean; the list goes on.
Ok, so they could have learned the weapon controls by going into the training. But the point is that watering the game down is not the way to increase your fanbase, especially when you STILL fail to give enough CLEAR instructions to get the casuals up and playing. I know that T17 probably don't want my advice, but I'll give it anyway - don't simplify, clarify.
If you're going to make a casual game, make it user friendly and make sure it gets playtested by actual casual gamers. I'm almost certain that casual players will quite happily get their teeth into 70+ weapons and tools if they had the chance, all you need to do is make it clear what each weapon does. Perhaps group the weapons & tools by type in a tabbed browsing system? It would certainly be a lot more palletable than the watered down weapons roster of WASO.

Baines
11 Jul 2008, 05:51
My review:
I don't consider myself a hardcore fan. I've never learned to abuse the ninja rope, I loathe single player mode's challenge, and more so loathe that Team17 was so adamant in locking so much content for what could be a fun casual multiplayer game behind stringent single player challenges.
On the other hand, my first Worms game was the PS1 version of Worms 1, which I loved. I've also played Armageddon, 3D, and Forts. (Just to note, I liked 3D and hated Forts.)
Overall, I'm disappointed with W:ASO. This is a $20 value product being sold at a $50 price tag. Being a realist that some would argue is pessimism, I'd say this is a typical shoddy third-party product made with the goal of cashing in on the Wii's mythical casual market gold mine. And perhaps a greedier attempt than even most of those.
I do like some of the attempts to approach a more casual and less hardcore audience. I like that the game is multiplayer out of the box, without a bulk of content locked behind single player mode. I've never understood that mentality in game developers, but so few actually make their multiplayer stuff achievable through multiplayer itself. What is locked are minigames and a few team creation items. This isn't 3D, where most of the stages are locked. (But then again, there are no stages to lock.)
I don't mind the reduced weapon set. I've felt that the Worms weapon set became bloated, and then over-bloated. There are too many overlaps, too many that appear too weak, and just too many in general. While they might be funny, I don't see the point of five different air strikes. I don't see the point of the blowgun existing, why the axe exists outside of specialty matches, or both the handgun and uzi existing in the same game that already has the shotgun. In this area, W:ASO almost feels like a return to Worms 1. With the exception of the UFO and Drop Ship, everything has a distinct purpose. (The UFO feels like a more ineffective version of the Drop Ship, and I might have gone with only one of the two myself. I cannot say which though.)
Compared to other Worms games, something is off with the backflip which makes vertical movement feel more difficult than it should be. Even on the "move about the stage" stage, I found myself repeatedly failing to backflip to higher ledges. I had to keep attempting until I found the few pixels where my worm would land on level ground, rather than bouncing off the side or sliding back down. Vertical jumping is awful compared to Worms 3D, and I don't recall having such problems with the previous 2D games I'd played.
The stages feel tiny. I'm guessing this is related to having three worm teams as well as the decreased worm mobility. It seems like a weird mix, and may lead to problems.
Map making is disappointing. Worms 3D gave a variety of controls that affected how your random map would turn out, which is missing here. The map drawer is also limited. The tiny stages and jumping issues don't help. There just doesn't seem to be much difference between stages. While you can "draw" the basic landscape, you cannot manually place features. The brush doesn't go to a small enough size for detail work. (I must also admit that when I heard you could "draw" your own maps, I hoped for something like the PC days when you could really draw your own maps, with some bit of freedom in those images.)
I'm guessing there is no SD card support for easy transfer of created stages? I haven't checked to see if there is a limit to the number of saved staged. Just because I've learned to expect Team17 to come up short on useful features, I'm going to guess for the moment that there is. Though honestly I haven't had the desire to create enough stages to find out what the real limit may be, which speaks to the other map maker problems.
I'm not sure how to feel about Practice Throw being on or off. The weapons seem more balanced with it being on, even if it makes attacks much more accurate. (For example, with practice on, the Guided Frag isn't quite as overpowered.)
Instructions are poor. The manual might as well not be present at all. I had to look for online reviews just to make sure that the game had 2D play, since everything in the packaging itself was more focused on the minigames. Heck, I doublechecked whether the game even had a regular mode multiplayer. Instructions inside the game are sometimes poor as well, with some of the weapon instructions being unnecessarily vague or confusing.
Some of the team creation stuff is difficult to see, even on a large TV. Some of the creation controls were also slightly annoying, having to point to the little arrows to change options rather than the giant labels. I'd rather have navigated the menus by d-pad and buttons, when cycling through voiced and the like.
The number of voices feels lacking, even including the unlockables. Normally I don't have a problem finding an OK voice for my team. Here, I did.
I wish the game supported the nunchuck. Free screen control would have been great, whether it be devoted to the d-pad or the nunchuck thumbstick. Much better than what is available in the game, where you have to hold the "+" button to scroll the screen. With more accurate control. And without the risk that you sometimes get the camera "stuck" where the game doesn't seem to want to move it where you want it to go, which can sometimes happen with the current system. Worm movement itself might feel better, as it takes a while to get used to holding the wiimote in pointer fashion while using both the d-pad and A button for movement.
Even if the Wii's online presence is weak, it might have given the title more life.
Compared to other Worms offerings, the total package should at most be budget priced. This is no where near a $50 value.

Plasma
12 Jul 2008, 13:35
(The UFO feels like a more ineffective version of the Drop Ship, and I might have gone with only one of the two myself. I cannot say which though.)
That's sort of on purpose, actually. The Drop Ship was designed to be the most powerful weapon in the game, but also the scarcest.
I'm guessing there is no SD card support for easy transfer of created stages? I haven't checked to see if there is a limit to the number of saved staged. Just because I've learned to expect Team17 to come up short on useful features, I'm going to guess for the moment that there is. Though honestly I haven't had the desire to create enough stages to find out what the real limit may be, which speaks to the other map maker problems.
IIRC, the maps are saved in the single savegame, so no they can't be transferred via SD Card. But I don't think there's a limit on the number of stages allowed other than the limit of free space avaliable on your Wii Hard Drive or SD Card.

davidmncc
6 Aug 2008, 12:11
In the start window I get the button 'Try It' which I clicked. But it still ends after 10 minutes.

NewKingdom
27 Aug 2008, 16:57
It was ok, but the lack of weapons was a major turn off.
Worms Armageddon has 60, for jeebus' sake.

ScyGrynder
2 Sep 2008, 20:32
Noob review time.
WASO is the first worms game I've played, and it hooked me. Me and my younger brother spent the 2 days we had it rented blowing those cute invertebrates to bits. My little worm team tended to get shot/exploded/smushed into the water, but that was hilarious, for the most part. And I mean Laugh out Loud hilarious.
I, personally, thought the weapon selection makes this game challenging. I thought the guide was pointless, so I turned it off, and that was fun. Honestly, fort mode was the best.
Um... Excuse me if that was short and useless, I played this 2 months ago and never have since.
Blah.

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