Check out AT&T's FREE camera phones
The Xbox version of Worms 3D has a very pronounced edge over its PS2 and GameCube counterparts in the multiplayer game, largely because of the inclusion of system link and Xbox Live support. Thanks to the standard Xbox Live feature set, which includes the easy-to-use quick match and optimatch features, as well as voice chat support, the online experience is far more streamlined and stable than what Team 17 implemented on the PC. There aren't many people playing right off the bat, but when you can find some competition, the multiplayer is a lot of fun.
The look of Worms 3D is usually sunny and cartoony. There's no thematic consistency beyond that, really, and the levels you'll do battle in include a spooky graveyard, a re-creation of King Kong climbing the Empire State Building, and the moon. The graphics are simple, looking kind of blocky and sporting some rather simple textures. The personality definitely helps the game overcome the relatively basic technology that powers it. It doesn't look like Team 17 has tweaked the visuals at all in the year since the other platform releases of Worms 3D, and it shows. Textures can be a little fuzzy, and the overall scope of the game isn't impressive.
Aside from aerating soil, these worms enjoy using heavy munitions and are proficient in close-quarters melee combat.
The voices of the worms have been a linchpin to the aesthetics of the series from the beginning, and Worms 3D knows not to mess with a winning formula here. On the whole, the worms will make off-the-cuff comments in a cute, squeaky voice, but the beauty here is that there are just shy of 40 different voice themes that you can assign your worms, which gives you plenty of options if you grow tired of a particular set. The bulk of the in-game sound effects have been lifted directly from past Worms games, and the familiarity of the squeaky noise the worms make as they inch along, the hollow clank of a grenade bouncing off surfaces, and the solid kerplunk when worms end up in the water not only let you know you're playing a Worms game, but also complement the game's outlandish tone on their own. There's a bit of music in there too, which is light and upbeat, though not in an overly cartoony way.
Worms 3D puts in a good effort to introduce a third dimension into the formula without losing the strategy and the silliness that defined the series, but frankly, the 2D Worms games of yore were just better. If you're not concerned about the Worms legacy, you'll find that Worms 3D stands up as a cute, quirky little strategy game with excellent multiplayer capacity. 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.
- See more CNET content tagged:
- worm,
- Sega Corp.,
- appeal,
- violence,
- Microsoft Xbox
User reviews
Write your own review Be the first one to review Worms 3D (Xbox) and share your experience with the CNET community!
Worms 3D (Xbox):
%20Xbox%20Game%20reviews%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/xbox-games/worms-3d-xbox/4505-9582_7-30975695-2.html){kind=small}