Death Worm

The say size isn't everything, but that only applies if you aren't a massive, carnivorous, desert-dwelling hell-worm that needs a steady diet of camels, civilians, ambulances, and jaguars to survive. Oh... sorry, did I say hell-worm? I meant to say Death Worm! Play Creek's surprise hit 2007 indie download gnaws its way into your browser with 15 levels, 30 different enemies, achievements, and a whole lotta explosions. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Turns out steering a Death Worm is only slightly more complicated than riding a bike; use the [arrow] keys to maneuver and build up momentum, popping up out of the ground to snatch your unwary prey, and burrow down deep within the earth to reach even higher when you burst out next. While your foes start off small-time the ante is quickly upped as everything from tigers to soldiers to helicopters and detonators roll out to put an end to your feasting. Which would be discouraging if not for the fact that you're a Death Worm, and can upgrade your abilities between levels and even gather power ups to let you put on a burst of speed or spit freakin' fireballs. (Still not as freaky as Goblin Sharks, though.) To pass each stage you'll need to meet the requirements, usually "eat some dudes" and "eat even more dudes".

Once you've mastered the controls, you're golden. Death Worm isn't actually that difficult, apart from a few frustrating levels where you're required to devour a certain amount of enemies without taking damage (and the count resets if you do). It's actually fairly easy to coast along beneath the surface and peek just the top of your head up to snack on some poor sap, then duck back down before anyone else can react. Of course, that's if yer yella. Death Worm's real entertainment shines when you rocket out of the ground and rack up big combos for higher scores, sending limbs flying and causing helicopters to careen out of control into a pack of terrified tigers. Compared to its original release, Death Worm has undergone a significant visual upgrade, but still retains that fast-paced monster worm action that captured the hearts of men and women everywhere.

Sometimes you want complex strategy or a deeply moving story that changes your personal outlook; Death Worm has neither, but it does have the ability to swallow you whole, so maybe you shouldn't tell it that. For awesome arcade action, Death Worm satisfies.

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