After a rather long period of ‘testing’ in the NZ AppStore (one whole month!) Plants vs. Zombies 2 finally launches in the rest of the world.This sequel offers more of everything you’ve seen in the original and we have been having fun with it ever since its early release. Playing it intensively is not just fun; it is mandatory in order to advance in the game. Since it has gone freemium, certain new rules -such as revisiting levels to take on missions- have been applied and none of these are intrusive. In fact, missions really add to the abundance of content available and cast heaps of fun on an already successful formula. Above all, playing for free offers more challenges and fun than unlocking ‘premium’ content with real money.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 is available now as a universal download for free. Get it in the AppStore
Consequently, our advice is to never spend one Dollar in the game. You heard that right: Plants vs. Zombies 2 is more fun without paying.
Beyond the classic
To start with, there’s the classic Plants vs. Zombies gameplay, where you aid the undead in decomposing with a wide variety of plants and repel them from your front door. Then there are the mini games, including a form of speed-memory. Added to the main plants are special power-ups, which enable you to flick zombies in the air, squish them by pinching or fry the brainless with lightning bolts. Some of these power-ups remind of the iOS game Zombie Smash and using these godly tools of destruction is fully optional. It’s also a lot of fun and they certainly help overcome hordes of zombies as a last resort, but do cost a considerable amount of in-game coins. Luckily, in-game money never really gets sparse.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 is huge. Levels are scattered among three worlds, all very different in style and appearance. Crossing a map in these worlds shows just how extended a region is: besides instantly accessible levels, there are several side paths and extra levels unlocked by collecting stars and keys. Each world offers challenges and several new plants to discover, making it very interesting to cover as much ground as possible.
The wrap (up)
The story of Plants vs. Zombies 2 is completely nuts, seeing that it revolves around Crazy Dave and his shenanigans. Dave wants to relive a special moment with a taco and ends up in Egyptian times, thanks to a time machine called Penny. Along the way, there’s Yetis to hunt, plants to discover and Egyptian, Pirate and Western-themed lawns to protect. After completing the first eleven levels, backtracking is required to collect the stars that fuel a special Stargate leading to other eras. Plants vs. Zombies 2, like its predecessor, is still all about the strategic placement of fire-breathing, butter-throwing and essentially ass-kicking plants. Every round is as satisfying as the last one and the amount of missions will keep you playing until empty batteries instigate a forced break.
Since the original game invaded computers and mobiles all over the world (back in 2009), PopCap has become a household name. With Plants vs. Zombies 2 they nailed it again, with excellent gameplay, cartoonesque cutscenes and tons of levels that never bore. The freemium aspect is hardly noticeable, as you plow through tens of levels without feeling forced to pay up. Requests to revisit levels (in order to gain more stars) are happily obliged and result in more enjoyable moments. For real fans the game is an immense treat, for newcomers it may just be their most addictive experience on a mobile device this year.
