I’ve got Worms. For over 30 years I’ve had Worms.

And, I’m sure that over the years or decades you yourself have experienced Worms to one degree or another. We are talking about the wriggly torture video game, right?

Published by Team17 (who have consistently been the publisher) this infectious, addictive title is back with Worms Armageddon Anniversary Edition.

Originally inspired by Lemmings, Worms was created on an Amiga computer system by Andy Davidson.
Initially created to be Tanks, the cute but fierce Worms as we know it first released all the way back in 1990 0n a then 8 BIT system.

If somehow, you have never seen or heard of Worms, it’s a strategic single or party play game where you command an army of Worms in a complex system generated landscape and either against other players or the computer, you take turns at blowing each others Worms up with a varied selection of weapons.

Worms has come in many shapes, flavours and forms, from PC, to every console over the last three decades, including handheld and it even went 3D at a certain point.

While the 3D version was not so well received, traditionally Worms games have been 2D cartoon styled.

Worms Armageddon is the flagship in the series, having first released in 1999. I had it for the Dreamcast back then.

As with prior Worms games, you take an army of Worms, ready for battle, and duke it out against your opponent(s) until the last Worm, or Worms are left standing within your team. You want those to be your Worms of course.

Worms Armageddon had a well kitted out arsenal, graphics like we had not seen before and that same addictive gameplay.

This Anniversary Edition has overhauled the original title for today’s consoles – as well as including the feature of playing originals on a virtual handheld in the game’s features menu.

There’s also a history section with interactive videos coursed throughout a timeline.

Worms Armageddon has always been a favourite of mine in the series – and if you haven’t picked up any Worms before start with this Anniversary Edition.

But I did warn you, it is infectious.

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Blasphemous II is about as much of a direct sequel as anyone can expect.

Developer The Game Kitchen was onto a good thing when Blasphemous released in 2019, featuring dreary, beautiful artwork inspired by the Santa Semana and gothic Catholicism and fast-paced, soulslike 2D hack and slash combat.

And they have not deviated much from what saw them success. Like the most traditional follow-up, nearly every aspect of this game has been expanded, refined and improved. But for those looking for something more, Blasphemous II might fall short.

Core to any 2D metroidvania-esque platformer, especially one as tough as Blasphemous II, is your weaponry. Up from the one sword from the first game, in Blasphemous II you now have access to three weapons – a heavy flail, a pair of lightweight rapiers, and a more balanced large knife.

You choose one to start the game with, and the others are discovered in areas of the game’s map, set in an environment where they will be most effective. Each weapon has their own specific benefits and drawbacks in combat, with unique skill upgrade paths that you slowly unlock over the game.

In addition, each weapon has unique capabilities to unlock traversal options. The flail can ring bells to instantiate temporary platforms, the knife can slice through certain parts of walls if used from a great height, and the rapiers can use a dash into mirrors to teleport across a room. This gives you a great sense of progress in drip-feeding you new ways to move, and there are many opportunities for backtracking to access previously-inaccessible upgrades and shortcuts. Once you make your way deeper into the game, in rooms requiring tricky platforming skills you’ll even be asked to use multiple weapons in one hit. This can take some getting used to, and you’ll need some quick reflexes to make it through.

Bosses too are best approached with a specific weapon, though there’s nothing stopping you from trying with any of them if you prefer their style. Unfortunately I did find that most of the skills became too complicated to use effectively in these high-stakes, fast-moving encounters, and it was often easier just to chip away at enemies with basic attacks and dodges.

Speaking of enemies, while there are a much greater overall variety of enemies over the course of the game, each area does have a relatively limited set of goons to get through. Those priests carrying candelabras (which themselves are very similar to enemies from the first game) were particularly annoying. And you’ll see the same mini bosses sprinkled throughout the game, which can grow tiring. I was also not a fan of the forced combat arenas, which felt like the developers trying to squeeze out a bit longer on playtimes without having to actually create any new content.

The feature I disliked the most though, was how Blasphemous II punished failure. See, you have two bars, one health and one roughly equating to mana. Each time you die, your mana bar gets decreased, and can only be restored after paying exorbitant amounts of rate in game cash to an NPC in a particular location.

This disincentives engaging with the more difficult fights of the game, and when you are stuck on a boss it’s simply frustrating to lose access to some of your skills and fighting capabilities. This is just another reason why the basic attack combos were my go to technique throughout the game.

The atmosphere and sense of mystique that pervades Blasphemous II, just as it did for Blasphemous, really is second to none. I was constantly amazed at the detailed pixel art that was astonishingly animated. It’s still as gruesome, captivating and twisted as it ever was.

And the platforming can be good too. But the overall package left me a bit disinterested. This was probably due to a feeling that I wasn’t able to engage deeply in the game’s various combat mechanics, or perhaps that it wasn’t worth my time learning to do so, so the thing that is the focus of Blasphemous II – hack and slash combat, felt rote after a few hours.

That said, this may be entirely me. There is certainly scope in the game itself to play with a more complex, perhaps effective combat style than what I ended up with. In which case, I dare say your time with the game will be far more engaging. If you loved the first game, for example, there will be plenty here that you’ll be excited about. And the world, setting and new traversal options are all there to explore. In many ways, it’s a meaty upgrade from the first game. And in the end, more Blasphemous is never a bad thing, even if the whole package didn’t quite make the impact on me I wish it did.

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Team17 has today announced the launch of Worms WMD: Mobilize on Android and iOS devices, a mobile-optimised version of the 2016 classic turn-based action strategy game.

On its initial release, Worms WMD reinvigorated the beloved series with the introduction of vehicles that allowed the battlefield to be dominated with tanks, mobile armoured walkers, and helicopters. The game also saw the return of classic weapons and items from the series, such as the ninja rope.

Available directly from the Play Store and App Store, Worms WMD: Mobilize includes enhanced mobile functionality that enables game invites through popular messaging systems like WhatsApp and Facebook, and an enlarged user interface.

Running up to 60 frames per second, Worms WMD: Mobilize features vehicles from the original game including the tank and mech, along with 50 weapons, and a single-player mode consisting of 10 training missions and 20 campaign missions, each with three additional objectives for repeat play.

Both online and local multiplayer is available, with up to four teams of four Worms available in local play, and two teams of four Worms online. Customisation of the Worms WMD: Mobilize experience includes over 100 hats, more than 40 different sound banks, 15 victory dances, and over 30 varieties of gravestones. The game can also be played either with on-screen virtual controls or through a Bluetooth-enabled controller.

Worms WMD: Mobilize is available directly from the Play Store and App Store.

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Team17 and Sengi Games have announced the development of The Serpent Rogue, a potion-crafting roguelike releasing on all platforms.

As a corrupting force known as Morbus – The Serpent Rogue – threatens to overwhelm a medieval realm, a mysterious character called The Warden heads out on an adventure to confront and destroy it, and restore balance to the natural world around them.

A demo for The Serpent Rogue hinting at the experience that awaits players next year is now available on Steam.

The Serpent Rogue features an engaging mix of crafting and experimentation, as The Warden discovers new potions and recipes that change – or even create – situations to their advantage.

The Warden’s actions also have consequences for the ecosystem, from dreaded Reapers devouring too many pets left in a single location, to ghouls attracted to the unburied going on to attack everything standing in their way.

The wonders of alchemy even extend to therianthropy and shapeshifting, allowing The Warden to transform into any creature, and allow any creature to be transformed into another – including The Warden! Combined, the breadth of options to evolve through the game opens up a wealth of potential strategies and tactics to overcome the darkness of Morbus.

The Serpent Rogue will be releasing on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2022.

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3D Clouds and Team 17 invite players to hit the high seas with the pirate ship combat / trading game King of Seas.

There’s something about unloading your cannons into the hull of an enemy ship.

Sid Meier’s Pirates! introduced me to ship-to-ship combat, a mechanic refined in the Assassin’s Creed games and defined by Rare’s Sea of Thieves. King of Seas takes a more retro top-down approach, but it is charming, nevertheless.

Players take on the role of Luky or Marylou, a freshly minted pirate who is also the rightful heir to the throne. Taken in by the pirates, players’ chosen character is taught the tricks of the trade and sent out to make their fortune, all the while trying to find out who was responsible for their father’s death.

The story progresses via conversations between your character and the denizens of the Kingdom of Seas. I did find a lot of these interactions, beyond the useful tutorial missions, to be rather superfluous and skippable.

King of Seas has a nice look that does seem to be a bit borrowed from Sea of Thieves. The cartoonish look does suit the story, though. Whilst you can zoom right in on the action, I found myself seldom doing so. Most of the time, you’ll want to be zoomed out to see what’s going on.

The game is mission-based, with the story progression via the main questline. These start as a series of tutorials before allowing players a free run of the game world. Some of the main missions can be a challenge and may require players to take on a few side quests to level up and gain the weaponry and armour required to progress.

The missions range from supplying a character at a certain port with a specific quantity of a cargo type or escorting other ships to destroying another vessel.

Players start with a basic sloop, a reasonable crew, and basic armaments. The ship and crew can be upgraded to increase its effectiveness.

New ships can be purchased that are more powerful and can carry more cargo.

The ship’s controls are very simple; unfurling the sails allows for half and speed, which is also affected by wind direction. Turn arcs depend on the ship’s speed, very important in combat when you want to line up your cannons for a broadside hit.

The combat is where King of Seas shines.

Ships have a number of port and starboard cannons, depending on ship type. These can fire cannonballs, to take out the hull, or shot, to take out the sails.

Some crew members have special abilities and you can also mount optional weaponry, i.e. a front-facing flame thrower.

The upgrade path and menus are a bit cumbersome. I found that the radial dial that you use to select item types to be very sensitive. It’s probably OK on PC with a mouse, but a nuisance with a controller. Progression is very slow, as fun as it is.

I felt that the game been artificially drawn out a bit.

The game gives players a huge procedurally generated map to play on. There’s a full day/night cycle and weather effects.

The map is dotted with islands and ports.

Other ships are sailing around ferrying cargo and treasure, ripe for plundering. There are also Royal Navy ships and pirate hunters itching for a fight. It’s a very dynamic world and it’s not unusual to come across two AI ships engaged in battle.

As well as enemy ships, hostile fortifications and sea creatures are also a threat.

At the start of the game, the map only shows the King’s Fortress and the pirate port of Eagle’s Den.

Weather stations dotted around the map have cartographers that, for a fee, will add local islands and ports to the map.

When docked at a port, players can visit several vendors and services. This is where players can purchase ship upgrades, do some trading and take on side quests. Docking at a port also saves the game.

The carpenter can repair your ship and supply upgraded parts and crew. Ship items surplus to requirements can also be sold.

Banks can be used to store items and cargo. Items deposited at one bank can be recovered at banks in other ports. The market allows players to buy and sell cargo. Ports will specialise in some items but require others. Buying low and selling high is a good way to make gold as you traverse the map.

The market also sells repair kits for fixing damage to the ship whilst at sea.

Taverns are where replacement crew members can be hired (assumedly to replace those killed during skirmishes) and side quests obtained. Players can take on up to ten side quests.

Apart from quests, the best way to gain experience and money is, of course, by being a pirate.

There’s a lot of fun to be had by exploring and carrying out acts of piracy on unsuspecting ships laden with goodies. Loot can also be found floating on the ocean as well as in treasure hoards on the various islands.

King of Seas is a fun distraction that overs a surprising amount of gameplay for what are very simple game mechanics. The menus and upgrades are a bit of a mess and the story is for the most part superfluous.

But it is still a good game, especially if you like pirate games!

The post King of Seas (Xbox One / Series X) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Team17 and Black Matter have today announced that online strategic first-person shooter, Hell Let Loose.

Set during World War II, in addition to the nine key Western Front battles available right now in Early Access (including the D-Day beach landings at Utah and Omaha, Carentan, and Foy) Hell Let Loose’s release onto PC next month will introduce Russian forces and two new large urban maps set in the Eastern Front: Kursk and Stalingrad.

Hell Let Loose delivers an authentic reenactment of the large-scale chaos of war, where individuals are cogs working together to turn the tide of battle.

As the fight unfolds, the two sides work to secure crucial supply chains for resources, capture sectors across the map that influences the outcome of the fight, sweep across battlefields in armoured tanks, or disable defenses with artillery bombardment.

Strategic gameplay and communication is critical to winning a battle; both sides are split into 10 squads of five players, each squad led by an officer who reports to a single commander who ultimately develops the path to victory – or takes responsibility for bloody defeat.

Hell Let Loose, will launch on Steam for PC on 27th of July 2021, with a release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S to follow later in 2021.

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Independent Italian developer 3DClouds and global independent games label, Team17, are thrilled to announce a new publishing deal for the highly anticipated, pirate-themed action RPG, King of Seas.

The publishing deal between 3D Clouds and Team17 will provide additional resources for the team to work on enhancing the gameplay quality as well as implement further languages into the game, including German, French, Spanish, and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese, ensuring the final game delivers the best gaming experience for the players.

“We’re really pleased to be able to come on board with 3D Clouds and help launch King of Seas,” said Chris Coates, Head of Studio’s, Team17. “The game is already hotly anticipated, and we’re really eager to help enhance it for PC and consoles ready for launch later this spring.”

“3D Clouds have created a very exciting game in King of Seas,” said Chris Coates, Head of Studios at Team17. “We are delighted to open up our studio resources here at Team17 to help further enhance what is already a hotly anticipated game and look forward to launching on PC & Consoles later this spring.”

“We are extremely happy and proud about this collaboration with Team17,” said Francesco Bruschi, CEO, 3DClouds. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for 3DClouds and, especially, for King of Seas, which will reach new levels of quality and an even wider audience. We look to the future with renewed optimism, confident that we can continue to work with Team17 for a long period of time.”

Fans can now start to pre-order this swashbuckling adventure on their preferred platform from the official store pages – PC via Steam and Microsoft Store with the Nintendo eShop and PlayStation Store following soon.

The action-packed seafaring adventure is scheduled to release in May 2021 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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Team17 and Studio Koba have revealed the international games label is joining forces to publish the Spanish studio’s debut title, Narita Boy.

The side-scrolling mystical techno-tale, which will release this spring on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One – including on release day with Xbox Game Pass for PC and Console – is a heart-felt love story to the 1980s, featuring a narrative-driven adventure that takes players to a game inside a game, battling powerful bosses and overcoming puzzles in order to uncover the secrets of the Digital Kingdom and – ultimately – its creator.

Narita Boy puts players in the shoes of the eponymous digital warrior chosen to wield the Techno-Sword, a legendary weapon capable of defeating fearsome foes in melee or from afar as it instantly transforms into a shotgun or devastating laser beam.

By using this new weapon and with the help of the Motherboard, the spiritual leader of the Digital Kingdom, players will face corrupted enemies and hulking bosses to save the electronic synthwave world from the invading Stallions, a group of rogue code bent on forced rule and subjugation.

During the journey, players will also explore the memories of the creator that reveals his story, from his early years in Japan, to his creation of – and connection with – the Digital Kingdom.

Narita Boy came to the attention of Team17’s indie games label following Studio Koba’s successful Kickstarter campaign that saw over 5,000 people back the game, leading to it smashing stretch goals.

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Incoming!

Team17 is today announcing a bumper airdrop of Worms Rumble news, confirming a PlayStation / PC crossplay beta from the 6th of November 2020, and a full release for the strategic real-time action game on PlayStation 5, PlayStation4, and PC in December 2020.

The latest instalment in the multi-award-winning franchise, Worms Rumble features fast-paced, relentless skirmishes for up to 32 players per match across a variety of modes including Solo Deathmatch and Last Worm Standing.

The second map coming to Worms Rumble at launch, Portal Park, is also being revealed now. An arena featuring a fantastical portal that can change the environment in dramatic ways, Portal Park also includes underground traintracks that provide rapid transit to other parks of the map. The announcement of Portal Park follows on from the reveal of Missile Mall in the summer, which takes place in a huge, sprawling shopping mall complete with ballistic missile. Fan favourite gadgets, including Grapple Guns and the Jet Pack are also making a return ready for players to traverse the maps and get the edge over the competition.

Kevin Carthew, Creative Director, Team17, said: “Revealing the release timing of Worms Rumble is a very special moment for the development team, and we’re thrilled that it’s only a matter of weeks away. We’re very excited to see players take to the arenas, and it’s fantastic that through the PlayStation 4 / PC crossplay open beta next month we can give you a taste of what’s to come in December. It’s even more special considering we’re celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the series in days after the beta, with Team17’s own 30th Anniversary coming up on the 7th of December 2020.”

Access to a plethora of exclusive cosmetic items, including; an outfit, beanie, skin pattern, baseball bat skin, player banner, and challenge title, is now available through pre-orders on Steam. The ‘New Challenger’ bonus pack will provide PC players with the option to further finetune their Worms Rumble look as they fight for victory. Further cosmetic items will be available and unlocked as players progress through the ranks, including different hats and glasses, bringing a wide variety of customisation options so each Worm can be fashionably unique in the arena.

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Videogames Mental Health Charity, Seven Squared and independent developer and games label, Team17 today announced the launch of a new Worms ‘Incoming!’ T-shirt available exclusively through Seven Squared’s website with 100 percent of profits going to Safe In Our World.

Officially launched in 2019 on World Mental Health Day, Safe In Our World is an accredited charity supported by industry luminaries, veterans and ambassadors across the world. Its mission is to create an online destination where people can seek help, gain access to resources and information, and discover stories from real people within and surrounding the games industry.

Simon Kay of Seven Squared / AT New Media said, “One in every four people around the world is affected by mental health issues, and we passionately believe in Safe In Our World’s mission to help anyone among our gaming community in need of support and understanding. We’re thrilled to see those same values are shared by Team17, and we appreciate backup from the iconic Worms franchise – a true gaming classic, established in 1995. It says so on the shirt!”

Max Everingham of Team17 said, “Raising awareness of mental health issues is fundamentally important for companies and individuals alike, and at Team17 we want to do our part. The opportunity to team up with Seven Squared and assist Safe In Our World’s mission is one we wanted to support, which is why we chose to provide them with our most iconic franchise.”

The Worms ‘Incoming!’ tee is available now for £19.99 through Seven Squared, with all profits going to Safe In Our World’s campaign to raise mental health awareness in the games industry and among gamers around the world.

To purchase the new T-shirt before they are all gone, visit the official website.

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