WORMS RUMBLE

No more turns – real-time wormfare comes to PS5

At a glance this is Worms as you know it, in its classic 2D perspective. But look at the large mall map and you’ll notice everyone is wiggling around at once. In Rumble, turn-based play goes out the window, and instead you have real-time chaos with up to 32 individual worm players.

Deathmatch mode provides a fairly traditional Worms experience, one in which you’re trying to score kills by blasting your fellow meat tubes to the gates of heaven. Fan-favourite weapons return, from the likes of the bazooka to the Holy Hand Grenade. Because it’s played in real time, worms can jump out of the way of attacks, so you need to be an extragood shot to take them down. You can even use the classic baseball bat to return some explosives to sender. The interweaving nature of the mall map means there are plenty of sight lines you can use to get the drop on enemies, or alternate paths to avoid skirmishes as you hunt for better weapons.

Rumble also has its own take on Battle Royale in its Last Worm Standing and Last Squad Standing modes. Those fit the Worms formula better than you’d think, and the straightforward nature of the side-on gameplay means matches feel quick, breezy, and easy to understand. To fit the format, the worms are more mobile than ever, with wall jumps allowing you to navigate easily all the way from the subway trains in the tunnels to the rooftops of the mall above. Jetpacks and grapple guns give you extra manoeuvrability too.

WORLD PARTY

It’s a strong way to celebrate 25 years of our favourite pink soldiers. Arriving on PS5 as well as PS4, it’s the first Worms game to hit 4K, as well as the first to feature crossplay. Not only can PS4 and PS5 players wage war together, but PC players can get into the mix as well, meaning finding and joining games should go smoothly.

Rumble is a game that’s certain to stick around, and will boast the likes of daily challenges and seasonal events. Plenty of costumes have been showcased, alongside emotes and other customisation features so your worm can look the belle of the battlefield.

“WORMS ARE MORE MOBILE THAN EVER, WITH WALL JUMPS ALLOWING YOU TO NAVIGATE EASILY.”

Having this many players adds a new type of chaos to Worms, though stage destruction has taken a back seat to accommodate them.

Above Navigating the stages can be dangerous too, so make sure you always have a solid retreat option.