Earthworm Jim 2

Review

by Joe Ottoson

Earthworm Jim's problems seem to never end. He has found a powerful suit that grants his otherwise feeble worm body the abilities to battle evil aliens and carry cows around. The downside is that the suit is the reason the aliens are hunting him down in the first place. In true superhero fashion, Jim doesn't mind being a lightning rod for evil. Not so long as he can retrieve that hot princess that just agreed to marry him, at least.

The mighty worm's return comes with the basics of worm-to-alien combat that you grew to expect from the first game. Jim can swing from branches using his wormy self as a whip, he has a powerful gun with loads of optional attachments he can find lying around, and he can run, parachute, and jump with the best of them. The side-scrolling action is broken up with plenty of new twists and stages that have little to do with the one preceding it, which helps to keep the game fresh and action packed with the sense of dark humor you expect from a Shiny product.

Jim will have to straddle rockets, juggle puppies, blast his way though tons of dirt, double as a salamander working its way through an intestine, and even avoid the dangers of a stove during breakfast time. The changes in pace are welcome, though the frequently changing tempo can be frustrating as it gets harder to fall into a rhythm as you advance further into the game.

Jim's mighty shoulders are just as sparkly white as ever. The sprite-driven graphics are bright, vibrant, and they offer up an amazing amount of humor and personality both in the blatant sight gags and in the more subtle nuances of the animation present in the characters. There are some interesting uses of transparencies early on as well, but the rest of the game seems largely devoted to smooth animation and jokes instead of special hardware tricks. In all, there's an amazing level of detail, and it all contributes to your gaming experience in an overwhelmingly positive manner.

Nothing spells out trouble like a hand pistol that belches fire and produces a thundering machine gun sound every time it's fired. The sound effects are great in this game, and are every bit as humorous as the action on screen. The music covers a diverse range as well. One moment you'll be listening to Moonlight Sonata, the next you'll be listening to rock or simple children's tunes. The range is disparate, but it all manages to fit together despite the drastically differing pace of some of the tunes and the moods they were intended to evoke.

Earthworm Jim 2 comes together in a tight little bundle that's packed with humor at every turn. Even better, it looks and sounds pretty. Couple that with solid character control and a challenging but rarely unfair level structure, and you have a game that will not only hold your interest long enough for you to finish it, but one that will keep you coming back for more.