The Worms franchise has long been a cornerstone of the casual video game market. Managing to find its way onto nearly every console since its first release in 1995, the PlayStation 3 is finally getting its own version of this long standing turn based classic. It’s time to once again let loose the worms of war!

The game centers on controlling a team of tiny earthworms as they use a wide arsenal of weapons and tools to explode, drown, and bludgeon the opposing team(s) to death, all while delivering nonsensical quips mixed with two heaping teaspoons of humor. The unique accents and nutty comments stylize the Worms world, making it just what any gamer needs to unwind from the grind of leaderboards and strenuous pursuit hardcore gaming. There is no story, just pure cynical violence the whole family can enjoy!

The first thing you will notice after installing Worms is how beautiful the game looks. Six different themes characterize the battlefield in their own unique way, each bringing a crisp and attractive new setting to sink your teeth into. When coupled with the great musical tracks, the presentation is better than the bees knees. The game runs very smoothly, with no lag even when playing online, but is impeded by a Frankenstein like camera that chops up the flow of battle. I would frequently be surveying the field of battle only to have the camera fly off to examine what it thought was the most interesting section of unoccupied map, remaining there until I manually panned back to the fray. While this problem can be solved by zooming the camera out to its maximum, it really bites the game in the butt.

Audio, on the other hand, is entirely sound (See what I did there?). The game delivers appropriate music for each locale, and the voice acting is superb to say the least. When building a team of worms you are given the choice to enlighten your team with a funny, stereotypical accent that ranges from overlord invaders to the Irish. Dialogue will become stale after a few hours of playing, but the delivery is so comically out of place that it is beyond forgivable. Sound effects are beautiful too; the horrifying sounds of an incoming sheep have never been so glorious.

Getting to the core of this review, the gameplay works on the tried and true methods of old. Start your turn, pick your weapon, factor in the wind, take aim, and watch what happens. That’s all there is to it. You can worm your way across the world at a snail’s pace and do short hops and back flips to overcome whatever is in your way. If that isn’t enough for you, the environments are 100% destructible. As they say in Wild West, “No problem dynamite can’t fix”.

Controls are simple and the game’s learning curve is essentially nonexistent. Up to four teams of four can play at once: each takes a turn controlling one worm at a time. It is all solid, but this game does have some bugs (Oh hohoho I’m on a roll!). What Worms fails to deliver is variety. I can count on one hand the number of modes the game offers, which include and are exclusive too: playing against the computer in either quick battles or one of twenty challenge missions, locally against your friends or online.  There are a dozen or so trophies to unlock and an ability to create your own team and game style, but while these features make an attempt to push the envelope of differentiation, neither pushes it far enough.

The only other aspect of the game I should address is the online mode. It might just be my connection, but getting a game together can take some work due to the small community. Additionally, there were a few instances where the game would tell me I was disconnected from their servers and my PlayStation would crash when I tried to quit the game or sign in again.

To recap: the visuals and audio are fantastic and continue to push the unique image Worms has long since established. Gameplay is decent; there is the issue with the camera, which happens way too frequently for my liking, and the occasional crash, but take those problems aside and it will live up to even the most critical Worms fanboy’s expectations. Worms is only about twelve dollars and I would recommend it to anyone who needs a break from Killzone-esque games.

9.0 Graphics Worms has proven that simplicity is still in style and you don't need complex renders and textures to make a game look good. A few more interactive background elements or themes and it would have been perfect. 7.2 Sound he sound is solid, with no real slip ups besides the fact that it's quite unvaried. In true Worms fashion the humorous voices make a triumphant return. 7.8 Gameplay The camera has a habit of getting on my nerves, and it takes a while to find matches, never the less the tried and true formula delivers a concrete experience. 6.5 Replay Value Unless your a die-hard fan there isn't much to be found. The game pretty much only offers one mode, online and offline. If you're into it you won't be disappointing, but from a casual stand point there isn't much being offered. 7.6 Overall The game does everything right, but just doesn't take that far enough. Granted this is only a PSN title, but I still think that more could have been offered for the price.