Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare Review

If you are a fan of the mobile tower defense series Plants Vs Zombies then doubt you have heard about the game I am reviewing today. Plants Vs Zombies Garden Warfare is a spin-off created by developers Popcap Games and published by Electronic Arts. This is a significant title as it is the series debut on home consoles. However before you push this off as just another 2D linear experience hear me out as that is far from that. No this is not your standard tower defense PVZ gameplay this is in fact a third person online shooter. Now before you leave please just read the rest of this review you may be surprised what you learn.

The gameplay in Garden Warfare is a solid departure from what has come before to say they least. Taking the comfort of a mobile centered tower defense game to the big screen along with 3D visuals and third person shooter mechanics was a big risk that Popcap games were willing to take. Luckily in my opinion the team behind this game have succeeded in what they set out to do and they have done it with style.

Now if you have played other third person shooters such as Gears Of War  then you pretty much know what is in store for you with this game. However what this game lacks and let’s be honest doesn’t compared to GOW is a cover system. Instead you get a mix of GOW third person shooter mechanics and mix in Battlefields class based warfare. Each class has its own perks and advantages e.g Sunflower can heal friendly players. The controls are very tight and fluid easy to learn for newcomers but more difficult to master adding a little bit of depth and challenge welcomed to the mix. What this does for the gameplay is brilliant it actually encourages players to work as a team to accomplish goals and to win matches together. Now needless to say I and a lot of other gamers absolutely adore Co-Op play and this game does an awesome job of embracing the team play and removing the individual from the equation.

Now we get down to what the game offers up in multiplayer opportunities. You get nine different game modes each with their own fun to be had and some with less exciting aspects. My favorite mode was Gardens and Graveyards which reminded me a lot of Nazi Zombies in the COD franchise and I love Zombies. You and a team of 3 friends must defend different points from zombies incursion until the timer runs out and you score a point. While it is much more simplistic than what Nazi Zombies offers there is still a lot of fun to be had.

The best part of this game though is their choice to include 2 player local split screen Co-Op play. In a time where couch play is considered a thing of the past its lovely to come across a developer who is willing to put the time and effort into providing a couch Co-Op gaming experience even if it is not in as much demand as it was 10 years ago. Overall the multiplayer is very substantial and fun and will hold your attention for quite a while. If you want a game you and your buddies can just chill out and have a lot of fun with this is the title for you.

Overall Plants Vs Zombies Garden Warfare was a surprise hit to me. With a good mix of fun multiplayer opportunities nice cartoony art design and a simple to learn control scheme that will take you hours to master this is a good purchase. It just goes to show if a development team is willing to take the risk and to put the effort in to ensure the game work properly, is easy to get into and also is a lot of fun to play that any series can take on new life in a cool form. You can pick Garden Warfare up for £20-30 and trust me it is well worth the admission fee.

REVIEW CODE: A complimentary Microsoft Xbox One code was provided to Brash Games for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to editor@brashgames.co.uk.