Worms Revolution Extreme

I've played a lot of Worms in my life. From the humble beginnings of the original PC release to the ultra-bloated haphazardous releases of the modern age, the Worms franchise has had more incarnations than you've had games consoles.

Worms Revolution Extreme is a re-release of last year's "back to its roots" launch, but this time for PS Vita.

If you're currently asking, "What the heck is Worms?", then this game is for you. Conversely, if you're sick to death of hearing about the umpteenth release, you'd best steer clear.

Over a series of randomly generated levels, you're asked to wiggle around as a team of worms, using bazookas, grenades, and so on to kill the opposing worms in turn-based 2D fashion.

It's a neat, simple concept, and one that has carried the franchise for nearly two decades. Watching worms explode all over the place and fall in the drink is hilarious, and some of the sillier weapons, such as the Holy Hand Grenade, are always a good for a laugh.

Worms Revolution Extreme piles on the content with force -especially if you're a single player. There are multiple modes to hack away at, including a mixture of classic Worms action against AIs and more puzzle-orientated levels.

The puzzle levels in particular will be interesting to Worms veterans. These involve such tasks as carefully considering how to use the provided weapons to reach a specific spot on the map, or kill enemies around you under seemingly-impossible circumstances.

The controls are solid, and the camera mapped to the right analogue stick works wonders. The additional touchscreen menu selection for the PS Vita works like a dream, too, in particular for selecting weapons mid-play.

Throw in the customisation options, including the recently explored Classes system - which lets you give different stats and abilities to your team - and there's plenty of content to enjoy here.

Of course, online is where Worms really shines, and Worms Revolution Extreme is ready and willing to rekindle this wi-fi-based romance with numerous forms of online multiplayer.The leaderboards are a great addition too.

But there are graphical issues. The framerate is constantly dropping below the level you'd expect of a PS Vita game, while the menu system feels unresponsive at best.

Meanwhile, the 3D visuals have ugly edges that are clearly visible throughout play. And the lengthy loading times are often a nuisance - especially when you're looking to quickly reload a single-player mission or puzzle.

And, of course, there's the same issue that has overshadowed the Worms series for years - you can't quite shake the feeling that you've just paid money for something you've already bought.

Sure, Worms Revolution Extreme has some new features, like the class system and the throwaway Treasure Mode - but the core gameplay has barely changed since the days of Worms 2.

So here's the deal: if you've played Worms before but you're desperate for a handheld version, this will do. If you've never played Worms before, this is a reasonable place to start. But if you've played Worms before and you're hoping for the revolution promised in the title of this game, you'll be sorely disappointed.