Developer: PopCap Games
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One (Reviewed)
Genre: Third-person shooter
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Plants versus zombies is a popular real-time strategy game that is available on mobile devices. Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville is the first-person interpretation of the plants versus zombies series. It takes you out of the real-time strategy world, and places you front and four centres in the world of plants versus zombies. It adopts the classic 3rd person multiplayer shooter format but in the form of Plants versus Zombies. You have several modes at your disposal such as team battle, team deathmatch and capture the flag to name just a few. I think you can get the gist. There is a slight twist on the shooter format each character has their own unique abilities and power-ups which gives the game another facet compared to ultra-realistic shooters. It’s a shooter but in good fun that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
A real emphasis of the game is the incorporation of the plants and zombies world into this third-person shooter. In terms of visuals, it really fleshes out the look and the feel in a 3D world of Plants vs Zombie. Graphically the game is vibrant and really pops, there is a really clever use of colour to make the game feel like inhabiting the world of Plants versus Zombies. They have managed to transition from the small factor mobile games to a standard game. It includes all the sense of humour of a plants versus zombies game, rude bizarre and just generally a bit out there. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously and the emphasis on a fun experience throughout. There is also quite a good use of the characters and game design, the power-up and character transition while using a power-up is quite satisfying. This power-up transition translates from the 2D characters in the mobile games.
The mix of various characters requires a team to have a mix of skills and characters to actually work as a team to win, it’s not all about having just combat character types, you will also need medics, defend and support classes too. An example of some character design would the peashooter who shots peas but has powerful special attack types too and this varies for each plant or zombie you choose.
The main emphasis of the game is a really fun multiplayer online experience but using the well-known and familiar world of plants versus zombies. It reminds me of team fortress two in many ways it has a really cartoony feel, similar games types in terms of the third person elements with an emphasis on team composition to actually have a fighting chance. Overall the game is enjoyable and if you need to a Plants versus Zombie fix, then this will hit the spot.
Overall: 7/10
Enjoys more than the odd game, long time gamer, somewhat a technologist and everything else in between.
Also enjoys a good solid game of FIFA online. Currently PS4, XBOX 360 and STEAM.
