Worms Ultimate Mayhem Review

 Worms Ultimate Mayhem is the latest XBLA title from Team 17.

Developer Team 17 certainly created a classic when they made Worms. It's  goofy humour, along with simple strategy and addictive 2D gameplay has had many gamers hooked. But when we was introduced to a whole new 3D perspective it didn't receive the exact same treatment. Worms will always work best in two-dimensions but playing in 3D is still an enjoyable experience that holds the same formula what makes worms so great.

Worms Ultimate Mayhem is a polished version of Worms 3D and Worms Mayhem. Worms titles are known for add-on packs and Worms Ultimate Mayhem is packed with lots of wormy goodness. Not only does it feature both, Worms 3D and Mayhem but it's also got a bunch of new features and challenge modes. If you already own Worms 3D and Worms Mayhem it might be best to leave Worms Ultimate Mayhem alone, but if your new to the 3D world it's defiantly worth checking out.

Customisation has always been a key feature in worms but Worms Ultimate Mayhem features more customisation options than ever before. Instead of using the pre-made worms you can create your very own worm. If you like dressing up your worm you will have lots of fun here. From baseball hats, Leopard glasses to a curly mustach. There's a nice variety to choose from and you can also purchase more from shop with in-game money.  It's not just the worms you can customize either. Using the weapon factory you can change the colour and effect of a weapon. From the blast strength of a thrown grenade to the wind affected by an airstrike. The customisation isn't big but it's nice to have the option to change weapons at your taste, if you wish.

First on the list is Story Mode. This features team deathmatch gameplay along with set objectives across a variety of themed environments. Objectives can be from collecting certain items or destroying a building and other objects. For example, one level had me searching for explosives on a construction site to destroy a set of diggers. Each level has cinematic cutscenes throughout and it's goofy and funny moments that you would expect from a worms title.

Aswell as it's Story Mode you can also play the campaign from Worms 3D. There's also challenges where you are given certain weapons to complete a level. For example, shooting targets with a sniper rifle. There's even a bunch of Worms 3D survival challenges which has you parachuting and collecting targets in a set amount of time. 

Probably the biggest feature to Worms Ultimate Mayhem is it's multiplayer modes. There's five modes on offer and they range from your standard Team Deathmatch to defence modes where you must destroy the enemies statue whilst protecting your own. 

So yes, it's packed with a lot of content that should keep you busy for hours on end. But the game game does have it's flaws which can distract you from enjoyment. Camera angles can sometime zoom out and go to different directions when close to structure. Controls are also awkward sometimes. For example, when aiming in first person to line up your shot it can be tricky to move the target and it sometimes has a mind of it's own. I also came across a few glitches where I was stuck in the environment and couldn't move, resulting in restarting the game. 

Overall, Worms Ultimate Mayhem is a great package despite it's flaws and is worth checking out.

Review by Gareth Smith