“Explosions are fun.” Worms 2: Armageddon is built on that simple premise along with one other: using worms as a catalyst toward reaching that exploding hilarity. While 2D strategy games may not be the most abundant genre available on Xbox Live Arcade, don’t let Worms’ lack of competition discourage you from giving Worms 2 a long look.

Gameplay:

If you’re new to the Worms series, you might wonder how much strategy a 2D game could require. The answer may surprise you, though, because Worms 2 is a lot deeper than you might think after just a cursory glance. As you pit your team of worms against an opposing team of worms, there are a number of factors to consider. Terrain plays an important part in the gameplay, of course, but gaining an elevation advantage and having a better angle are not the only important factors to consider. Fully destructible terrain comes into play, as well as wind resistance (or assistance), your arsenal of 39 different weapons and tools (my favorite being the Holy Hand Grenade, complete with its own Hallelujah Chorus), landmines, oil drums, and even weapon and health drops.

Attacking an enemy worm directly may not be as effective as knocking him into a nearby mine or simply poking him off of a cliff. Trajectory plays a huge factor, as well. Depending on the angle you shoot the worm from, he may be sent flying upward, speeding along the map, or just a few feet to the right. When you combine the multiple factors you have to consider with each turn, you’re left with a surprisingly complex strategy game.

Worms 2 has a nice selection of game modes. There is a 36 level campaign (though five must be purchased in the game’s shop using points you earn for completing games), a quick game option to dive head first into action, and a local game menu that allows you to create your own game with any rules you want. Games can be as simple as Deathmatch, or have more interesting rules like Fort (where players shoot over a gap of water at opposing castles) and Race (which is pretty self explanatory). Up to four teams of worms can go at it, and you can have anything from a free-for-all, to a 2-on-2, to even handicap games.

One very nice feature is the training mode, which will not only guide you through the basics with three quick tutorials, but will also allow you to practice on three different firing ranges. This is extremely helpful for anyone who wants to know how to use all of the items in the game before they head into a battle. Learning on the fly against the computer can be a painful experience, as the enemy worms are capable of hitting some truly insane shots with every weapon available.

The game has a slightly slower pace than the series’ first outing on Arcade, but that doesn’t change the gameplay at all. Everything handles fairly well; the controls are very simple and easy to use. The biggest hitch I noticed was a slight problem with the jumping. Your worms can hop forward (X) or do a high backflip (X, X), but I occasionally had trouble getting my worms to backflip. The trick seemed to be pressing the buttons together a little faster than most games train you to, so once you make the adjustment you’ll be fine.

Graphics:

If you like cartoons or cel shading, you’ll love Worms 2’s graphics. The worms, backgrounds, terrain, explosions, fire…everything is a bright, 2D treat for animation fans. The special effects are equally charming in their colorful simplicity, making the entire game very visually enjoyable. The worms themselves come with a ton of customization options, as well. On top of naming your worm team, you can give them hats, special gravestones, and even change their color. More hats and gravestones can be purchased in the game shop, along with more themes to play on.

Sound:

Worms 2 is a mixed bag as far as sound. The sound effects are solid, but the music feels incredibly out of place. It isn’t bad, it just sounds very heavy and foreboding for a game about cartoony, 2D worms shooting each other with explosives. The game feels much more lighthearted than it sounds, so even if a goofy Warner Bros. soundtrack isn’t in order, something without the gloomy overtones would be nice.

The worm voices, though, more than make up for the bizarre background music. There are a ton of voice sets for you to choose from, and all of them are hilarious. While my personal favorite is “Angry Scots,” you can choose from specific accents (American, English, Spanish, French) or anything as crazy as “Drill Sergeant,” “Double Oh Seven,” or “Movie Trailer.” The worms always have something funny to say regardless of what happens, and even when one of your worms bites the dust, chances are you’ll get a good chuckle out of it anyway.

Longevity:

In addition to the campaign and the custom games, Worms 2 has solid Xbox Live support with up to 4-player games in Player Matches, and more directly competitive 1-on-1 Ranked games.

Overall:

Between all of the solo gaming available, the tons of fun you can have on Xbox Live, and the potential for more of both with DLC, you’re looking at a great purchase for just 800 Microsoft Points ($10 / £6.80).