Plants vs. Zombies: Xbox Windows Phone Review

As a critic, it's rare that I can unequivocally say that a game is the very best game in its genre. And so many titles exercise different things well, and they commonly have their minuses also. It's even more uncommon for a game to transcend its ain genre and become something that appeals to pretty much everybody. That'south why Plants vs. Zombies is such an astonishing game. Not merely is it hands-downward the all-time tower defense game on Windows Telephone, it as well tweaks belfry defense conventions and brings and then much content that even tower defense naysayers will find a lot to relish.

What exactly is tower defense? It's a type of real-time strategy game. Players build stationary towers which shoot at enemies every bit they try to reach the role player'south base. To put that in Plants vs. Zombies terms, zombies attack the gamer's thou, striving to get inside the house and eat the tasty brains inside. Weaponized plants with faces and personalities take the place of mechanical towers. In case it wasn't immediately obvious, this game is loaded with amuse and humor.

Watch out for spud mines equally yous caput by the break for our full review.

Tweak tweak!

Silliness, aside, Plants vs. Zombies does several things in the game play section that differentiate it from its peers. First off, the levels in most other tower defence games similar geoDefense contain circuitous, winding pathways for enemies to travel. In PvZ, the path is incredibly simple: zombies approach from the right and travel in a straight line to the thespian's base of operations on the left. The field (i.east.yard) is divided into v singled-out lanes. Zombies tin can't change lanes, nor do most plants affect lanes other than their own. Every x levels in the 50-stage Take chances Mode changes the environment slightly, adding a pool to the center lanes of the yard, taking identify at night, or moving the fight to an angled rooftop, just the right-to-left, distinct lane setup never changes.

Succulent sunlight

Resources management also works differently in Plants vs. Zombies. Since the 'towers' are plants, they're naturally fueled by sunlight. This is acquired either from the balls of sunlight that intermittently autumn into the yard or by planting sunlight-producing Sunflowers and Lord's day-shrooms. Balls of solar energy disappear after a few seconds, and so players need to actively choice them up (past borer) throughout the course of each level. This creates an active dynamic lacking in some other strategy titles – you're always grabbing for sunlight (and somewhen, money). Come up dark-time, dominicus becomes even more than precious since it can merely be caused from power-producing plants.

Fighting flora

Much similar the sunlight that fuels them, PvZ'southward titular plants march to the beat out of a different drum. At the first of Adventure manner, just defenseless merely essential Sunflowers and simple Peashooters can be planted. As the game progresses, defensive vegetation like Wallnuts and single-use offensive plants such every bit Squashes and Jalapeños enter the fray. The game bestows new plants every few levels, serving both to advantage players for their progress and to gradually teach them how to employ new tools against the zombie hordes. Flora and other unlockables can also be purchased from the offbeat vendor, Crazy Dave.

All told, a staggering 49 different plants make up PvZ's arsenal. Compare that to other belfry defense games that only have 5, maybe x kinds of turrets! Clearly variety is on PvZ'due south side. With and so many weapons and defenses to choose from, some will become favorites while others rarely run across the light of day. Regardless, the sheer volume of strategic options on-hand is incredibly empowering.

Upgrades

Plants vs. Zombies does tower upgrades differently as well. Only certain plants can be upgraded - under the proper weather. Outset the upgraded plant must be unlocked and assigned to the plants the role player wants to bring into a level. Upgrades can but exist planted over the type of plant they replace. Yous never really need these upgrades during Hazard mode; they mostly instill multifariousness to subsequent play-throughs. Yet upgrades like the Gloom-Shroom, which fires zombie-killing fumes all around it, can brand harder levels and mini-games much easier.

Likewise, zombies!

Where there are plants, at that place must too be zombies. Information technology'southward the natural balance of things. 26 types of zombies threaten to munch players' brains. Most have unique appearances, while some are just the standard zombie sprite wearing buckets and road cones for armor or carrying screen doors for protection. Others tin tunnel under players' defenses, float over them with balloons, or ice over a lane with a Zombony machine. They're all surprisingly lovable and you near feel bad for them as they get their heads shot off. Information technology's no surprise that licensed action figures, figurines, and costly dolls are available for purchase.

Mini-game bonanza

Everything else aside, mini-games are truly Plants' most standout characteristic. Initially they pop up in place of standard Adventure mode levels, keeping things fresh. Later on, the More Means to Play option on the championship screen opens up. A total of 19 mini-games can be unlocked:

Zombotany, Wall-Nut Bowling, Slot Machine, It'southward Raining Seeds, Beghouled, Invisi-Ghoul, Seeing Stars, Beghouled Twist, Big Trouble Little Zombie, Portal Gainsay, Column Similar You Come across 'Em, Bobsled Bonanza, Zombie Nimble Zombie Quick, Whack a Zombie, Terminal Stand up, Zombotany ii, Wall-Nut Bowling two, Pogo Party, Dr. Zomboss's Revenge

In addition to those ane-offs, the more challenging I, Zombie and Vase Billow both accept multiple levels, countless versions, and their own leaderboards.

Mini-games range from elementary and fun (Wall-Nut Bowling, Whack a Zombie) to inspired (Beghouled, a zombiefied version of PopCap's own Bejeweled) to hair-pulling (Endless I, Zombie and Vase Billow). These bite-sized activities make up literally half of the game.

Zen: intergalactic gardener

Merely look, there's more! Before Adventure way is washed, players will unlock a Zen garden of their very ain. Hither plants purchased from Crazy Dave or randomly constitute during gameplay tin be arranged and tended without the fear of zombie interference that we all live with every day. Crazy Dave sells all sorts of stuff for the Zen garden, including fertilizer and a tape player to help the plants grow and extra environments for nocturnal and aquatic vegetation.

Is there a signal to gardening besides just messing around? Sure, well-tended plants drib coins and jewels for the player (or the purchasable helper snail) to selection upwardly, and fully-grown, shining plants tin exist sold for large coin. Since garden plants are randomly awarded in other game modes and the shop sells lots of things for the garden, this style becomes a metagame that ties everything else together... Or you can just ignore it and stick to Take chances and Mini-games.

I fell in love with a girl at the art show

'Coincidental' games oft get the short cease of the artistic stick, but non so with Plants vs. Zombies. Plants and zombies akin consist of sharp, well-animated sprites. Combined with the colorful backgrounds, PvZ becomes one of the best-looking 2nd games on Windows Phone. The merely hitch: in rare instances when the screen is chock full of enemies and projectiles, the game slows down just a scrap. These minor frame charge per unit drops are infrequent and don't detract from the experience.

Even the title screen and menus display a artistic flair. Just await at the in-game Achievement list: it'due south housed within a deep grave. Scrolling down the grave reveals skeletal characters from other PopCap games and somewhen… allow'south just say the grave is as deep as it gets. The friends Leaderboards expanse is just as brilliant. Sure, information technology keeps track of high scores from the Endless I, Zombie and Countless Vase Billow minigames. Just the total number of zombies killed is represented by a huge stack of zombies sticking out of a trash can. The more y'all kill, the higher the stack gets. Plus, friends' positions are marked on the stack too. It'south a clever implementation of a characteristic that most games relegate to afterthought status.

I would be remiss if I forgot to mention Laura Shigihara's vivid soundtrack. Suffice it to say that PvZ's tunes fit the game perfectly and volition nigh certainly become stuck in your head.  The music video that plays during the ending (every bit a YouTube video in the Windows Phone version) is hilarious and catchy. Oh, and similar all PopCap games, the sound furnishings (and silly voice samples for zombies and Crazy Dave) flawlessly enhance the game play.

Achievements

Plants vs. Zombies' eighteen Achievements volition take some time to acquire. Information technology's a vast game, after all. Several are completely optional challenges, like completing a daytime level with only nighttime plants. The merely truly challenging Achievements are for reaching specific waves in Countless Vase Breaker and I, Zombie. Both mini-games will challenge even seasoned PvZ vets like myself, likely requiring several hours of attempts to complete. They never stop beingness fun though, and you'll earn plenty of money and garden plants in the attempt. For extra help, check out my friend Yip Yoo'southward guide over at Xbox360Achievements.org.

Overall Impression

As far as I'm concerned, Plants vs. Zombies is the all-time game on Windows Phone. Fifty-fifty after completing the PC version within and out, I still had a nail playing the nearly-identical mobile version on the become. Thanks to the insane amount of things the game gives gamers to do, the replay value is tremendous. Even the Adventure Style warrants a second play-through equally the game pre-select three seeds for each level, mixing up the strategic options and calculation a bit of claiming. Whether or non you're into tower defense games, Plants vs. Zombies is a title that every Windows Phone gamer should experience.

• Plants vs. Zombies - Windows Phone 7 and 8 - 82 MB - $4.99 - Shop Link

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