A wise gamer's first glance at the boxshot would give rise to the impression that this is a whimsical game, and the use of anthropomorphic invertebrates - despite the jarring contradiction between the aforementioned adjective and noun - would also suggest to such a person that this game was not to be taken seriously.
Yet, a silly and inane game may just be what one needed at the time. This game certainly delivered in catering to this particular demand.
The premise was hardly a Pulitzer-winner - far from it - and perhaps even seemed idiotic, considering the ineptitude of the game's protagonists-cum-antagonists as was depicted in the game's poorly designed and barely informative cutscenes. The game certainly did not enlighten the player on what was to be done in the game.
Fortunately, after getting the gist of the game and learning of the controls needed to direct the boneless masses that are the combatants in this game around and aim and fire their assortment of weapons, the player would then discover the true shine of this game.
At the time, the comical and light-hearted graphic design and style of the game just make it difficult for competing players to feel any considerable animosity towards each other - at least to this reviewer and long ago friends. The explosions, ballistic rattles, zings of lasers and, of course, the flight of certain farm animals rigged with bombs were genuinely amusing to watch and listen to. The weapons in the game were certainly a glee to utilize.
However, the biggest pulling factor of this game is its functional and accessible multiplayer. Where other PC games of the time required more than one PC for functional multiplayer sessions, made poor use of the keyboard layout or have turn-by-turn gameplay that was just too slow to maintain the fun factor, Worms hit the right balance when it comes to having multiple players using a single PC. Watching an opponents' combatants getting drilled into the dirt was fun; watching his/her face wince is even more fun.
Of course, the game did have issues. The developers of Worms apparently had no concept of gameplay balance, and some of the weapons in the game were clearly overpowered and game-ending, if not outright game-wrecking. Moreover, the Worms moved too slowly, dragging the length of games in which players may prefer watching explosions and more amusing animations to jilted shuffling that reminds players of the absolute improbability of annelids achieving sapience, much less toting weapons.
There were also issues in controlling the projectile trajectory of some of the times, resulting in friendly fire more often than not. Furthermore, deformation of the battlefield often resulted in problems both in moving trapped combatants away from whatever impeded them and using their weapons without hitting an obstacle that is too near. These problems indubitably rendered them sitting ducks for more and more punishment that just cannot be countered/retaliated.
Worms was certainly not a perfect game. However, one cannot deny its contribution to the games industry, in terms of designing games that are fun, accessible and have great multiplayer features.