Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 successfully does everything that a proper video game sequel should: keeping the best parts of the last release while moving the whole series forward. A title that has no business being as fun as it is, PvZGW2 may just be the feature-rich third person shooter that you’ve been hoping to play for years now.
Developed by PopCap Games (Bejeweled, Peggle, Plants vs. Zombies) and published by Electronic Arts, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is a third-person shooter / tower defense hybrid that marries the personality of the Plants vs Zombies world with the modes and intense gameplay found in popular FPS games like the Battlefield series. As much as I enjoyed the first Garden Warfare game, there are so many improvements and upgrades in the sequel that it makes the original feel like an alpha-build of the game it came to be. Think of the way you felt when playing Borderlands 2 as compared to Borderlands, and that’s the jump you’ll be making when loading up PvZGW2.
Any loyal Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare fans will be happy to know that all of their favorite classes are back for this go-around, complete with skill tweaks and character model improvements. As far as newcomers go, plants can now fight alongside Kernal Corn, Rose, and Citron, whereas the zombies have called up Super Brainz, Captain Deadbeard, and The Imp. Though customization pieces and weapon skins don’t transfer over to PvZGW2, there are so many items to collect and personalize your characters with that you’ll be happy to do so for some time to come. As a reward for those who played the original Garden Warfare, special character pieces and skins can also be unlocked based on your previous rank.
No matter how many friends you have to play with online, there’s something for everyone to do in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2. Rather than a mere handful of menus this time around, online multiplayer matches including Graveyard Ops, Team Vanquish, and Gardens and Graveyards (among others) can be accessed through a lively open world hub known as the Backyard Battleground. There, you can invite up to three friends to battle with or against the opposition as you queue up for a huge 24-player match. Should your work or school schedule make it difficult to play online when your buddies are, there’s no need to fret as every mode in the game can be played solo. Local two-player split screen co-op is also available for those into that whole old school, in-person socialization thing.
Even with all of that said, I can totally understand why anyone would be apprehensive to play a game that looks as cute and colorful as Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 does. To be perfectly honest, it took my friends nearly a year to convince me to pick up the first Garden Warfare. It’s a difficult sell to tell your friends playing The Division or Call of Duty that this game filled with sunflower nurses and pirate zombies is as “hardcore” as the gritty games they’re playing, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you let the art style and accessibility keep you away. While it’s easy to learn the basics of Garden Warfare 2, trust me- there’s enough content here (and more FREE content to come) that makes the experience one you won’t want to pass us.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam.