Tag: Worms 2: Armageddon »

Lots of people have grown up on Worms, and plenty have come to love the little invertebrates thanks to their multiple re-releases on virtually every existing platform, but something’s been missing from Worms 2: Armageddon this whole time. It’s meant to be a multiplayer game through and through, but while the wealth of options has been nice (Bluetooth, Local Hotseat, WiFi) there was still one element needed to make it perfect for mobile – iOS or otherwise – gaming. Good thing Team17 is awesome.

Worms 2: Armageddon now features asynchronous multiplayer. Allow me to reiterate: Worms 2: Armageddon now features asynchronous multiplayer. This means that anyone anywhere can start, continue, or finish a game whenever they have a spare moment. No need to sit around waiting for the other person to make their move. No more forfeiting a game because someone has to walk the dog. Players can simply take their turn, then move on to something else. Perhaps another game of Worms.

The update is live now, so anyone who already owns it can jump on the App Store and start the download. Then enjoy up to 16 simultaneous games to be played at their leisure. Everyone else can download it for $0.99 and start priming those Holy Hand Grenades.

Less than a week after launching a major update, and under a month after launch, Team 17 has announced that new DLC is now available for Worms 2: Armageddon. The "Battle Pack" will include new updates, levels and some nice new features all for an additional $1.99.

The new batch of content includes 30 new deathmatch levels, a new "Warzone" theme, the "Forts Pro" game style and several new weapons and items such as "termites, ferrets and worship statues." The PlayStation Network version of the game is also receiving all these updates, as well as a new "Body Count" mode. The new content is available as an in-app purchase so all you need to do is fire up the game and follow the on-screen instructions.

So now the major question becomes, is all this new content worth it? When Worms 2 launched we ruminated about how it might fare in relation to the original iPhone game, which was basically a hot mess. We haven't reviewed the sequel, but numerous outlets have noted that the new version of the game isn't much of an improvement over the old. This is definitely a disappointment for fans of the series who have been hoping for a substantive, enjoyable Worms game which they can keep coming back to over and over.

In spite of all this the franchise still has its die-hard supporters who no doubt already love Worms 2 and can't wait to get their hands on this new content. To those folks we say congratulations, because for you the war continues to rage on. Now go out there and strap a grenade launcher to a Lumbricus terrestris (that's a fancy word for worm) and proceed to blow some giant holes in the Earth. After all, what are worms good for if not firing ridiculously overpowered weaponry at one another?

Fans of the Worms franchise have reason to rejoice today as Worms 2: Armageddon has made its App Store debut. The new entry into the franchise boasts local multiplayer with up to 4 players or 2 player battles online, as well as an increased arsenal of weaponry and 30 single-player missions spread across five locales. The cost of all this new content? $4.99.

Of course, many folks are going to be wary of this game after the less than stellar reception the original Worms received. Though the franchise has been remade and ported many times over, the original iPhone edition of the game was an utter mess, turning off most who played it after only a couple sessions. Over the course of the app's lifespan, Team17 did add a number of updates which improved performance and functionality, but by then it was basically too little too late.

The hope with Worms 2 is that players will be presented with a polished, finished product right from the start, and we won't have to wait six months or longer after launch to get a game that's actually worth the flash drive space. From the looks of things, the game is promising, but you'll forgive us if we're just a little gun-shy after last time. An added bonus is that the app is apparently Universal, allowing iPad owners a chance to play on a larger screen.

Therein lies the major issue Worms 2 has to overcome. How will Team17 lure back jilted gamers who feel betrayed by the franchise? How much demand is left for a franchise that had a sub-par debut on the iPhone when Worms can be played on the PC, Xbox or any number of other outlets? Is the Worms brand strong enough to overcome these hurdles? We'll just have to wait and see.

[via TouchArcade]