Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth delivers a multifaceted gameplay experience that shifts seamlessly between side-scrolling, top-down vertical scrolling, first-person shooting, and classic platforming. Each mode is introduced early, giving players ample opportunity to master the VZR’s Tank Mode, Hover Mode, and Aerial Mode before diving into the more tense monster encounters and on-foot exploration. The diversity keeps the pacing brisk and prevents the game from ever feeling monotonous.

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The side-scrolling Tank Mode emphasizes precision and strategic use of your drill to clear obstacles, while the Hover Mode forces you to carefully manage a constantly draining fuel bar as you dodge enemies and hazards. Switching to Aerial Mode trades that drill for a bouncy laser, encouraging players to think three-dimensionally about ricochets and cover. The seamless transitions between forms reward those who learn how to adapt quickly to changing combat and traversal scenarios.

First-person monster battles add an unexpected layer of depth. Here, you juggle aiming, weapon selection, and the “Possibility” meter—an intriguing mechanic representing your chance to defeat a creature once its weak point is studied. You can talk to your AI crewmates to raise this meter or engage monsters directly, blending shooting reflexes with strategy. These segments break up the vehicle sequences and give the narrative stakes a palpable sense of danger.

When Captain Moby ventures out of the VZR, the tone shifts to exploration and puzzle-solving. The platforming sections are built around labyrinthine corridors, locked doors, and key items, offering a deliberate change of pace. Moby’s limited kit—jump, pistol, and karate kick—forces careful planning rather than button-mashing, and the ammo and life bars heighten every doorway’s tension.

Overall, the gameplay in Wurm is an ambitious collage of genres. While some players may find the constant mode-switching challenging to master, those who embrace its learning curve will appreciate the sense of progression and variety. The game continuously introduces new abilities and weapons unlocked by crystals, incentivizing exploration and giving a satisfying sense of growth over the five levels.

Graphics

Graphically, Wurm takes full advantage of late-90s hardware to render richly detailed subterranean environments. The cavern walls are adorned with striations, glowing fungi, and shifting shadows that evoke a genuine feeling of descending deeper into the earth. Sprites for both organic and mechanical enemies are surprisingly well-animated, with fluid movement that makes combat feel alive.

The VZR’s three modes each have distinct visual identities. Tank Mode sports heavy treads and angular plating, while Hover Mode adds glowing thrusters beneath a sleeker hull. Aerial Mode transforms the VZR into a streamlined jet, complete with wingtip thrusters. These visual cues are not only aesthetic but serve as immediate feedback on which mode you’re in, which is critical during high-intensity encounters.

Captain Moby’s on-foot sprite work is equally impressive. Her walk and jump animations are smooth, and her kick and pistol shots have crisp, impactful frames. Background tiles in the platforming levels are cleverly reused without feeling repetitive, thanks to variations in color palette and layout. Small details—like dripping water, steam vents, and pulsing crystals—add layers of atmosphere.

First-person monster battle sequences lean more functional than flashy, but they maintain the game’s overall aesthetic with imposing creature designs and dramatic camera shakes. Menus, HUD elements, and cutscene text boxes are cleanly designed, ensuring that important information—life bars, fuel gauges, weapon icons—remains legible even in the heat of battle.

While some backgrounds can feel a bit static compared to modern standards, Wurm’s graphical presentation remains charmingly immersive. It strikes a balance between moody ambience and practical clarity, ensuring that players always know where they stand—even when the screen is filled with sparks and debris.

Story

Wurm’s narrative premise is rooted in a classic sci-fi setup: global catastrophes spur humanity to look inward—literally—to save itself. The disappearance of the first four Wurms adds a layer of mystery from the outset, and assigning Captain Moby—a veteran who has personally lost loved ones on earlier missions—raises the emotional stakes. This backstory is drip-fed through in-game dialogue and brief cutscenes, weaving personal drama into the larger world crisis.

Each of the five levels represents a deeper layer of the underworld, and recovering a crystal at the end of each stage offers both a gameplay reward and a narrative clue. As players amass these crystals, they learn more about the strange energy sources pulsing beneath the earth’s crust—and the forces responsible for the surface’s increasing instability. This gradual revelation keeps players invested in both the action and the underlying mystery.

Character interactions are concise but effective. Conversations with crewmates during first-person battles or over comms provide personality and occasional humor, lightening the tension without undermining the sense of peril. Moby herself is stoic but not silent; her determination to solve the mystery and rescue her crew comes through in her actions and occasional voiced lines.

While the game doesn’t boast lengthy cinematics or sprawling dialogue trees, its tight narrative suits the on-rails progression from level to level. The feeling of descending into an unknown world, with each crystal revealing new threats and technologies, drives the player forward. Story segments are well-paced, ensuring that the plot never stalls between intense gameplay moments.

Ultimately, Wurm strikes a satisfying balance between personal drama, high-stakes exploration, and sci-fi intrigue. It may not rival contemporary cinematic epics in scale, but its focused storytelling and motivated protagonist deliver a memorable journey beneath the earth’s surface.

Overall Experience

Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth offers a uniquely varied and challenging experience that stands out in the late-90s catalog. Its willingness to blend side-scrolling combat, vertical shoot ’em up action, first-person monster duels, and platform exploration demonstrates creative ambition—and for the most part, it pulls off each transition smoothly.

Players who appreciate a steady learning curve will feel rewarded by the incremental introduction of new forms, weapons, and crystals. Fuel management in Hover Mode, the Possibility meter in monster battles, and the limited ammo on Moby’s missions all contribute to a sense of resource-driven tension, preventing the game from feeling like a mindless run ’n’ gun.

The game’s length is moderate—roughly five core levels—yet each offers substantial exploration. Hidden passages, secret rooms, and optional power-ups encourage thorough play and replay value. The relatively compact structure means you’re unlikely to get bogged down in filler, and each level culminates in a satisfying mini-climax.

Difficulty can spike in certain sequences—particularly when fuel runs low or when a platforming segment follows a tough monster fight—but the game’s save-or-password system is forgiving enough to let you retry without frustration. Newer players might need an adjustment period for the varied mechanics, but once the VZR’s modes click, the experience feels rewarding and cohesive.

For gamers seeking a retro adventure that fuses multiple genres into one subterranean odyssey, Wurm delivers. Its thematic consistency, engaging mechanics, and atmospheric visuals combine into a journey that’s as memorable for its gameplay variety as for its narrative drive.

Retro Replay Score

7.2/10