REVIEW : Worm Jazz (PC)
When it gets to video game titles, none are quite as obvious as Worm Jazz. In this game, you work as a worm and listen to jazz music. Ok, maybe there’s a bit more to it than that, but that’s the concept.
It’s a mystery game where you slither around the stage collecting food and blowing up walls to progress towards the golden apple. You have to map your route precisely because if you get extremely big you’ll get stuck, and there are different things to consider later in the game too like wormholes which teleport you throughout the level. It’s an uncomplicated game, but it gets your brain running overtime in some levels as you juggle having to work out where the bombs need to be, how large your worm needs to be and which order you require to do stuff.
It’s pretty simple to draw similarities between this and the many adaptations of Snake. Controlling the worm is very comparable and most players will be familiar with the idea right off the bat. However, it’s got some new ideas too. Picking up bombs and figuring out how to get them in the right spot is the main hurdle in most of the levels I played, and discovering out how to make your way through the level is usually an exciting conundrum. There’s not much difference, but getting all 3 stars for collecting everything on a level is fascinating and enjoyable enough for what it is.
Some levels feel a bit too much like trial-and-error, where you’re just throwing solutions at the wall to see what sticks. It can be hard to plan and it’s easy to make mistakes, but thankfully you can undo any or all of your moves at any time. This lessens the disappointment with particularly tough levels and lets you try several solutions without much consequence. Without it, this play would presumably be a bit too disturbing, as one incorrect move can make levels unbeatable. The undo feature complements the laid-back, chill vibe of the game. It relieves potential difficulty and lets you play at your own pace which is very welcome.
As far as the graphics and music go, there isn’t enough to talk about. You have 3 distinct areas where levels take place, and they each have their jazz track in the background. They’re gentle enough tunes. The visuals are fine too – nothing to write home about but it’s not super messy to look at either.
Overall the presentation is very basic. The simple aesthetic suits the relatively simple gameplay but more could have been done to differentiate each level. Only a few of the levels have memorable layouts and once you’ve got all three stars by collecting everything in them you’ve got no reason to return. Only having 3 backgrounds is a bit disappointing, and the play would have been a bit more interesting if the levels were more unique from a visual viewpoint.
The most strange thing about Worm Jazz for me is the lack of sound options. There’s no way to adjust the volume of the music compared to the sound effects, so you’ve really got soothing jazz and loud noises going off at the same time and you can’t change how loud things are. For a game that’s best played on a quiet night to relax and work out fun puzzles, this is a strange choice and appears like an oversight. You can turn the sound effects off completely, but I would have liked to be able to change it myself. I prefer my smooth jazz to be free of blasts but to each their own.
Customisation is in but it’s restricted to a few unlockable hats, which isn’t very interesting at all. You can choose different levels to pursue so if you get stuck on one you won’t be at a total roadblock, which is nice. However, I didn’t feel very constrained to play for long sittings – this doesn’t appear like a puzzle game you’ll get addicted to like some of the best in the genre.
