Echo Studios gives us their newest title, “Hellworm.” Release today on the Play store, it provides a fresh take on an old classic. I won’t be the only cat on the block to draw the comparison between Hellworm and Snake. The parallels are there, but for the most part that’s where the similarities stop.
Hellworm is played in a vertical orientation, and the titular worm is guided by taps. You want to avoid objects and projecting cliffs while attempting to consume the diamonds. As you progress you’ll move faster and things get more complicated. Some of the small touches are much appreciated such as a white line showing your previous record or the healthy variation of color customization options for your worm.
One option I would have liked to have seen would be a constant pressure guidance system where the worm followed your touch, maybe an in-menu toggle. There were a few too many occasions where my vision was obscured by having to tap ahead of the snake, and not being able to see exactly what I was hitting.
The game is free to download and play, with in-game ads and IAP. The ads were few and far between, and could all be immediately closed. The IAP is a 4-tier system, with options ranging from removing ads to unlocking a new skin. That is the only skin that can be purchased, the rest are unlocked with the diamonds you eat while navigating the game. I did also see one pop up asking if I wanted to watch a short video for some diamonds, which doesn’t seem like a bad trade. The game is miserly with them and the cost of worm add-ons is quite high.
All things accounted for it’s a well-executed game with good polish. Some titchy controls and the early onset monotony were the only real drawbacks I experienced, but if you’re a fan of the endless runner or just want to try something simple, consider Hellworm.
