A Trip Down Memory Lane: The Enduring Charm of PvZ
Have you ever wanted to travel back to 2009 and experience the games we were playing back then? Well, in that case I have a game for your delectation!
Jumping on the remake train, all thanks to Popcap Games and Electronic Arts is Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted – yes, pretty much the old game that I used to play on my phone.
But with an expensive uber console like the Xbox Series X, is a remake of Plants vs Zombies what the market is crying out for? I have fond memories of this from the first time around, and have played pretty much all of the PvZ games that have popped up since, so it feels like perfect timing to go back to the beginning and see how it has stood up to the test of time…
Peashooters and Perfection
Presentation first, and immediately upon starting the game the familiar music starts up. Even my son looked up from Destiny 2 to say “Are you playing Plants Vs Zombies?” before immediately downloading it for himself. The sound is familiar straight away, from the growls of the zombies to the pop of the peashooters, and this part of the remake is really well done.
However, the graphics are, with the best will in the world, fairly basic – a side on lawn/pool/rooftop with various squares on it to plant your plants in. From there we have the zombies who advance from right to left, with the ultimate goal of eating our brains. The graphics have had a tickle with the HD stick, and everything is suitably shiny and new, while still retaining the charm of the original game.There’s not a massive amount to say, to be honest, as it is the 16 year old game tarted up a bit.
Dr. Zomboss’s Onslaught
So, the story is next on the list of things to discuss, and here the news is also the same as always: we have an expanse of real estate that leads to our house. Our neighbour, Crazy Dave, has given us some plants to stick in the ground, and fortunately these particular plants appear to really hate zombies. I say fortunately because the zombies, under the leadership of the Evil Dr Zomboss, are intent on getting into the house. All that stands between us and them is a variety of offensive plants. And I don’t mean they smell bad!
Whether these plants generate sun, the currency in this game, or block the zombies path, or attack them straight out, the planning and implementation of a defence is the core of the gameplay – select the right plants, plant your garden and fend off the zombies. No pressure then!
The New Multiplayer Front
As anyone who has played one of these games before, the action is pretty much the same as before, but with a couple of new features that I mentioned above. Since I’ve spent a good deal of this review talking about how things are the same, I’ll begin with these differences. And they both share a common thread: they have brought multiplayer action to the world of Plants Vs Zombies. There is a co-op mode, where you and a friend share the planting; each player can pick four plants each, and they are responsible for planting their own plants. Of course, communicating with your partner is a good idea, as planning can make all the difference here.
The other multiplayer mode is versus, which sees your couch sitting buddy or family member take over the role of the zombies. In a strange touch, playing in a quick play mode gives you random plants to play with, including plants that you haven’t unlocked in the campaign yet. The first time I played, the game handed me a load of plants with a really high sun cost, so I got absolutely battered by my son. The second time, we swapped sides, and he discovered that if the plants manage to destroy some zombie targets (which I hadn’t even noticed) then the plants win.
Game Modes
The rest of the game modes are the old familiar ones.There is a campaign mode, where we step though the various levels, from backyard (day and night versions) all the way through to the rooftop levels. As we go, we unlock new plants to use, and through picking up coins from defeated zombies, we can buy extra bits and bobs from Crazy Dave’s shop – I’d recommend buying the extra seed slots as soon as you can, as more options on offense makes your life easier.
Using the right plant at the right time is vital, and once you have a decent setup going, it’s more a case of maintaining and reacting to emergencies, as while or offensive options do increase, so do the zombie types we have to face, from pole vault zombies who can jump over your first line of defense through to zombies in trash cans that act like a suit of armour. Good luck!
Progress through the campaign, and more options unlock, such as the mini games. These feature fan favourites such as wall-nut bowling, which is fun, and many others. There are other challenges to master as well, such a Rest in Peace mode, a roguelite version of the campaign – if you lose, it’s right back to the beginning for you! There is also Cloudy Day mode, where the Sunflowers you plant will cease to produce sun when the clouds roll in, making it even harder to survive.
Add in a series of concept sketches and histories of the characters in the Almanac, and this really is the ultimate version of Plants vs Zombies.
The Ultimate and Definitive PvZ Experience
In conclusion, Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is an absolutely spot-on remake of an old, fairly simple game. The new things that are added in make a big difference, and the inclusion of multiplayer modes are a lot of fun. But it is still the same game from 2009, deep down, and so I suppose your love, or hate, for the franchise, will dictate a purchase or not.
Important Links
The Original is Back – Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is OUT NOW – https://www.thexboxhub.com/the-original-is-back-plants-vs-zombies-replanted-is-out-now/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/plants-vs-zombies-replanted/9PGSDFM3JD85/0010
