The Worms franchise has more or less stayed the same across its 25-year history, so it was due a shake-up. Worms Rumble is an offshoot that ditches the strategic turn-based gameplay in favour of more immediate, real-time action. Fans may well wrinkle their noses at this, but honestly, it works better than you might think.

Up to 32 players can join Deathmatch, Last Squad Standing, or Last Worm Standing, the latter two akin to battle royale. After customising your squirmy character, you'll quickly be dropped into a game thanks to speedy matchmaking, and will have to survive in intricate 2D maps. Worms move faster and have a rolling "sprint" to evade damage, but they retain some of that familiar floatiness in the air. There are lots of useful hidden passages, though wriggling into them is the only time the controls feel a little imprecise.

The action itself works well, however. Aiming with the right stick, you'll use some classic weaponry (bazooka, sheep, banana bombs) and some new ones (sentry launcher, rocket shield, hammerhead) in tight environments. You'll spawn with a basic firearm but coloured crates contain more powerful guns, as well as healing and shielding items. All the weapons are fun to use, especially with great support of DualSense's triggers, though balancing isn't quite right yet. Some guns will get you much further than others.

Completing matches earns you XP, and as you level up your character and each weapon, you'll unlock more cosmetics. It's a very simple structure, but the game is fun and frantic enough to keep you hooked. With just 10 weapons and three maps, it feels a little barebones at launch, although this will undoubtedly be supported over time. What's here is a great start, and well worth checking out for some simple multiplayer mishaps.

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