In Worms: Open Warfare 2 you take control of a team of four Worms. The goal of the game is to defeat the opposing teams by reducing the health points of enemy Worms to zero without losing all of your worms first.
You can do this by using different types of weaponry and tools. You can also select victory dances for your worms and create your own race or fort maps using the level editor. Both versions have some exclusives, the DS version includes a bunch of great mini-games, while the PSP version allows players to select hats for their worms, has voice chat support, clan support, and messaging.
In addition to the classic Deathmatch mode, the game also includes new single and multiplayer modes such as Rope Race, Fort, Puzzle and Campaign modes that challenge players to use new strategies and teamwork to defeat their enemies.
System: DS, PSP
Genre: Strategy
Release dates: August 31st 2007 (EURO), September 4th 2007 (USA)
Players: 1-4 local and online (as well as local hot-seat mode)
Developer: Team17 & Two Tribes
Publisher: THQ
Origin: United Kingdom & The Netherlands
The new Firing Range allows you to test your weapons skills before battle. The turn-based strategy game includes 33 weapons with classics such as a Cluster Bomb, the Super Sheep, Concrete Donkey, and Holy Hand Grenade.
Out of those 33 weapons, 11 are new weapons, like the Bunker Buster, Buffalo of Lies, Boomerang, Electromagnet, and Lightning Strike. If you want, after testing, you can start a Quick Game right away and drop your Worms into the action.
The game single player has a campaign mode in which your worms battle in famous and not so famous historical settings. There is also a puzzle mode that involves using the logic of the Worms universe to solve increasingly cunning tests of mental agility with a limited arsenal. The Nintendo DS version also includes a special laboratory mode which includes a series of three mini-game modes that use the touch screen and microphone. While the laboratory gives the least hours of fun, the Blow (think Yoshi’s Touch & Go), Blast & Draw (think Kirby’s Canvas Curse) experiments are a really cool diversion from the Worms battles. Beating single player levels in any modes, gives you credits to buy items from The Shop of. This way you can unlock new customization skins, landscapes, weapons, and missions! There are even Achievements that can be earned and viewed.
Players can challenge others with Single-Card Play, Multi-Card Play or Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. These multiplayer battles use the wireless connection as you command your worms through clashes that take place in famous battles of the past, as well as fictional fights of the future. Battles include the Spanish Armada conquest in “Pirates!,” the frontlines of real war in “World War II” and laser shooting spaceships in “Space War!,” among others. Modes include classic deathmatch, fort mode (in which each team defends its own fort and tries to destroy its opponents’ forts), and a new jetpack/rope race mode.
Gamers that take these multiplayer battles online will be able to demonstrate their Worms combat prowess with daily updated stats and leaderboards on the official Worms website. Players will also enjoy the new, in-depth customization options including custom landscape and team flag editors in addition to modified speech (they’ve got the funniest accents!), skin color, gravestones, and victory dances for their self-named worm teams.
Watch the Worms: Open Warfare 2 launch trailer.
So what are the main features in Worms: Open Warfare 2?
* 6 all new landscapes allow the worms to battle it out through history’s most famous wars.
* 11 brand new weapons and utilities including electromagnet, boomerang, and bunker buster.
* Take on adversaries from around the world with the all new online (Wi–Fi connection on DS & Infrastruction mode on PSP) multiplayer or pass around the handheld device in Hot-Seat mode. All for up to 4 players.
* New single player modes including Puzzle mode and Campaign mode.
* New multi player modes including Race mode and Fort mode.
* Customize your Worms, personalize everything from worm colors and victory dances to team flags. Use the powerful custom level editor to design the ultimate battlefield.
* Use the touch screen and face buttons to select weapons.
* Exclusive DS mini–games using touchscreen and microphone.
See the different single player modes in Worms: Open Warfare 2.
See the different (online) multiplayer modes in Worms: Open Warfare 2.
In conclusion I have to admit I stopped playing Worms games on PC after 1999’s Armageddon, the others just felt samey to me. I got burned when I bought Worms 3D a few years ago and was warned last year’s Open Warfare sucked. Maybe you’re in the same boat, you always liked Worms, but the 2D games just didn’t pack a punch for you anymore. Well, I won’t keep you in suspense any longer, Open Warfare 2 returns the series to true form, adds really fun mini-games plus fresh new modes and the result is GLORIOUS WARFARE! 
The only thing I can think of that is missing are some of the older weapons, a sequel would definitely need more of those. So how much fun is Worms: Open Warfare 2 on a scale from 1 to 10?
FUN FACTOR – 9.0
The single player is amazing, the multiplayer is fantastic. Not only are there plenty of different gameplay modes in the game, the addition of three DS-tailored microphone and stylus puzzle modes are very unique. An incredibly fun game, like the Holy Hand Grenade’s choir would sing it: “Haaaaallelujah!”
Graphics – 8.0
The Worms are as cute as they are brutal. The colorful 2D character and level design is very stylized with a surprising amount of 3D showing up in the backgrounds, it makes for some great to look at maps. The way weapons or special events can re-arrange entire maps is also brilliant, I don’t think the explosion effects from the many weapons like the Holy Handgranade will ever get old. The in-game cinematics look beautiful and are hilarious in nature. Due to the size of the DS screens, the game’s vision radius is pretty small, so that does take some getting used to, but really, being up close mostly shows off lots of tiny details and simple charming animations.
Audio – 8.0
The sound bites of the Worms from many different countries are what the series is known for and this entry is no different. The quick witted dialog and funny accents will have you smiling and chuckling. The background music is catchy and cheerful.
Ingenuity – 9.0
The first time your game starts up, you’ll be presented with a handy tutorial mode to instantly make you familiar step-by-step with all the Worms & menu controls. And that’s all you’ll need in the heat of battle, aside from a brain to get yourself out of the unexpected “Oh sh*t!” situations. Keep in mind to use the Directional-Pad to look around in the levels during battle, it’ll save you a lot of hassle. For the rest of the game the stylus controls make perfect sense. Easily customizable battle options and fun mini-games are the icing on a delicious cake. Yes, I’m having cake and eating it too.
Replay Value – 8.5
The tiny cartridge is chock full of features, weapons and Worms. Enough to give five minutes of fun with a quick play or some puzzles, or alternatively countless hours of addictive turn-based battle action on the go. Fantastic integrated online support and the multiplayer battles will keep you coming back for more. I’ve been playing the game 15 minutes a day online & offline for three months now, so that’s over 22 hours and counting.
Warning: very addictive!