Wurm: Journey To The Center Of The Earth (Asmik 1991)

In the year 1999 some destructive Earth tremors and volcanoes cause havoc with the planet's surface prompting scientists to attempt learning the origin behind these forces. Vehicles are built to explore the depths of the planet but four of these never return. Now it's up to you to find these lost explorers and try to find out what caused their disappearance as well as what is causing the tremors.

WURM combines quite a few genres in a attempt to bring something new to the NES and a huge quest stands between you and the secrets of the center of the Earth. Traveling around in your VZR (the WURM) you have to fight against the inhabitants of the underworld in a variety of viewpoints. Not only do you have side scrolling and top town shooting sections but also a first person view boss battles and platform style adventure sections. All these are backed up by some entertaining cut-scenes that further the interesting storyline.

Your VZR have quite a few tricks it can employ to thwart the enemies and your crew is also on standby to offer some advice. With the ability to use tank, hover and aerial modes,  your VZR is well equipped for the missions ahead as long as you keep a eye on your shield and fuel levels. Shields recharge over time but fuel has to be collected by killing certain enemies. Enemies come at you thick and fast and only split second reflexes will save you. Enemies also have the annoying ability to constantly respawn so be on your guard at all times. The boss sections are unique because you take them on in a first person view battle. You can only scroll the screen left and right but you can move your target cursor all over the screen to take out their minions and focus on their weak spots. You also get the chance to talk to your crew to best determine how to kill the boss which is quite an interesting touch.

The platform sections put you on control of Moby, the female captain of the VZR. Although these levels are generally short they can be pretty tough and it's a good thing that you have a gun to take out enemies. You bullets are finite though so unless you want to kick your way across a level it's best to conserve them. You'll have to search for clues and keys to progress as well as find the missing members of the previous teams.
The graphics in the game are quite good especially considering how many different gaming styles are on offer. The platform sections feature large characters and some pretty detailed locations. The boss battles are also quite nice with huge creatures and cool effects. The shooting sections are nothing special and look pretty much like any other but still has some unique enemies and levels while the WURM is a unique and versatile craft. With twenty levels spread across five acts it's a good thing the game has a password feature and infinite continues.

The audio in the game isn't bad but there is nothing to make it outstanding or especially good. The tunes remain in the background and you'll be hard pressed to remember any of them once you've stopped playing. Sound effects are also basically nonexistent. The controls take some getting used to and there is a definite learning curve involved mastering them. The collision detection can be a bit shaky at times which can make things frustrating as well.

Although WURM is a unique and entertaining game it could also have been a bit better in some areas. The constantly onslaught of enemies are challenging but at times you can hardly dodge them. Some of the platform sections also get a bit tedious as you have to search maze like areas for the exit or clues. The ability to talk to crew members during a boss battle is a nice touch but their dialogue is limited and the soon repeat themselves.

While it's not quite a classic game it can still entertain and it's good to see companies try something new. It has some original touches that makes it worthwhile but some persistence (as well as patience) is required if you want to get the most out of it.

[7]