Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
Windows, PS4, Xbox One
Developer: PopCap Games
Background
It is quite interesting to think about how a simple iPhone game has become a gaming sensation! From very simple tower defense, touch-and-place mechanics of the original Plants vs. Zombies, to the full blown shooter glory of the newest installment to the franchise. Developed by PopCap Games, the growth and popularity of this series is undeniable with all ages and its bright characters and funny demeanor make it an obvious choice for any fan of non-conventional shooters. With 14 different classes of characters with at least 5 sub-classes within each gives plenty of options for a character that piques your interest. After playing the first Garden Warfare I was more than excited for this one and made sure to get it on launch day!
Gameplay
Kill or be killed. It’s as simple as could be. While this shooter has a fresh coat of paint and some funny gimmicks, it is still a shooter at heart. The game predominantly calls for the player to shoot and vanquish the other team or do so while completing other objectives such as procuring orbs from vanquished foes or escorting a bomb-toting Imp to one of the enemies key locations. The game adds on to the previous by making all game modes in the game solo-player capable and thus allowing for games played on your own terms. A simple yet much needed mechanic. Other than the addition of more things to do and more characters, the game maintains pretty much the same formula for gameplay as the last game. Each character has their own unique role to fill between their primary weapon and their abilities. It is very fun and colorful and just sucks you into it. One big change to GW2 is the inclusion of a semi-single player story in which you undergo specific tasks for both sides to help them achieve dominance. For the plants you are becoming and agent of L.E.A.F. who are a group of highly elite agents attempting to stop the zombies from taking over. However, from the zombie side you are attempting to impress Dr. Zomboss and become a Top Zombie. This allows for playing outside of the multiplayer experience which is something the game desperately needed.
Characters
What is that most people look for in a game? Whatever it is that they get to play as and control. Adding 3 new characters to each side alongside the previously established 4 veteran characters making for many new possibilities and roles to play. Some of the new characters include the epitome of front line foliage; the Citron. The Citron’s abilities lend best to him being right in the thick of the action, with an energy beam primary weapon and stun grenade and shield on the ability bar. He can even turn into a ball and roll away should things become too hairy. But the plants aren't the only ones getting back-up this time around! The zombies receive some heavy support in the form of their smallest soldier, the Imp.
While the Imp has the lowest health of all the units on either side, he is supported by his gravity grenade and his impkata ability that combine for some nasty damage output on the unfortunate plants that get to close. Thats not all either. Once he has had enough time to charge his final ability he is able to summon a giant mech that can lay waste to all vegetation who opposes him. Each Imp has a different mech they summon and allows for some quite varied gameplay options, especially the Z7 Imp, that brings a delightful taste of Mass Effect into the backyard! All in all, I am incredibly pleased with the character selection in the game and I have definitely fallen in love with the new system for leveling up characters. In the previous entry one had leveled up a class as a whole by completing specific challenges and eventually they became to specific and I wouldn’t even attempt them. I would just wait till I could skip them. Now in this game you level up each specific character separately and once they reach level 10 you can promote them from the stats room. While its cool to watch the stats room stack with upgraded characters, the only real perks to doing it are that you get a sweet cash bonus every time and you can keep leveling up your characters to get other character upgrades. That is pretty much the only reason for doing so. Aside from that characters are so much better in this game than in the prior installment.
Stages & Modes
All game modes from the previous installment make a comeback in this game and more. While standard modes like Team Vanquish, Gardens and Graveyards, and Gnome Bomb all make a comeback allowing for all the same fun hijinks experienced in the last outing. Along side the returning game modes there are also new ones such as a zombie version of Garden Ops known as Graveyard Ops, where zombies protect their tombstone from oncoming waves of plants and weeds.There is also an inverted version of Gardens and Graveyards, called Herbal Assault where zombies defend objectives from plants while they attempt to gain ground. While the stages in this game are much more varied and each unique, they are not as much fun as the stages in the previous game. It’s not to say they aren’t fun at all but they don’t quite seem to have the same heart as the previous ones. They are all worth playing however, as they are very different and are very entertaining.
Backyard Battleground
The new hub world of the sequel allows for many new opportunities and gameplay options. Here in this small neighborhood, both plants and zombies battle for supremacy. The backyard is filled with mini-games and missions for you to do; and it is literally stuffed to the brim with experience opportunities as there are zombies walking around everywhere and its a great place to complete challenges and collect some cash. If your looking for something to or get some practice in with a new character, right in the middle of the battleground is the flag of limitless power that when activated initiates a game of king of the hill where you must stay in control for as long as possible from increasingly aggressive waves of enemies, earning coins after ever wave. There are also many collectibles to be found in this world such as the Golden Gnomes which hold a large secret of their own which I will not spoil for you. There is also a friendly clam which asks for you to collect his 50 lost snow globes. I have found myself spending large amounts of time running around trying to find the snow globes and I am almost there. There are many things in the backyard that make it fun and enjoyable and it can also be enjoyed with a friend in both online and local co-op play.
Verdict: 7/10
While visually and mechanically this game is far superior to the previous installment, I find certain things are better in the previous game such as the stages. The stages while they may be more diverse they are not necessarily as fun. The characters are fun and diverse and each have a life of their own. The game features simple and easy to pick up gameplay. Definitely a game for all ages and one that anybody can find interest in. Whatever your role you like to play there is a character that fits that role for you!
