Worms Battlegrounds Game review

Worms Battlegrounds
Runs on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Classification: PG
Price: $69.95
Rating: 6/10

These idiotic invertebrates have been blasting each other with banana bombs and exploding sheep for nearly 20 years. In all that time the Worms formula has remained unchanged, makingBattlegrounds feel like an anachronism on the new PS4 and Xbox One consoles. But there are still giggles to be had.

The action is played out on large destructible environments, with players taking turns to whittle down the health of their opponent's wrigglers. You've always needed precision to succeed against skilled adversaries, and now battlefield classes like scouts, scientists and heavy troopers add tactical depth. 

Battlegrounds has the biggest and best arsenal the series has seen. There are 65 weapons ranging from conventional shotguns, bazookas and grenades to wackier novelties like skunks, poisonous whoopee cushions and concrete donkeys.

You can also use tools like jetpacks, drills and ropes to either take defensive action or help get up-close and personal with otherwise faraway foes.

Unfortunately, movement is sluggish and tiresome, and it can be difficult to make precise jumps. With such busy backgrounds it's also not always easy to tell where you can and can't traverse. Falling to your death is frustrating (albeit hilarious for others). 

As ever, Worms is most fun when playing against friends that you can taunt, scream and laugh with. Up to four can play at once, and you can create and join online clans. There are only two multiplayer modes - Deathmatch and Forts - but matches are highly customisable.

The game is not nearly as satisfying or enjoyable against computer-controlled adversaries, which tend to take too long to have turns and can alternate wildly between shoddy suicidal stupidity and preposterous pinpoint precision.

It's best to treat the dreary 25-level story and 10 "Spec Ops" missions as training exercises prior to multiplayer mayhem.