Game: Plants vs. Zombies
System: Vita (also PC, Mac, Xbox 360, PS3, DS)
Genre: Tower defense
Developer: PopCap Games
Release date: February 22, 2012
Pros: Great sense of humor, appropriate difficulty curve, good variety
Cons: Game can sometimes "play itself," repetitive at times
Plants vs. Zombies has been around since 2009, but it wasn't ported to Vita until 2012. And while it might not be different enough on Vita to warrant a purchase for current owners, those who have never played the game might want to invest in the portable version on Vita. It doesn't have some of the exclusive content featured on Xbox Live and Playstation Network, but the touchscreen controls and "Zombatar" make it an attractive proposition. No matter which version you get, however, you're guaranteed to have a great time.
Plants vs. Zombies is a tower defense game, meaning that the gameplay revolves around setting up defensive installments to halt waves of enemy forces. Sounds serious and complicated, right? Not with this game. PopCap created in Plants vs. Zombies a consumer-friendly product that looks, feels, and plays smoothly and intuitively. The art direction, with bouncy plants and absent-minded zombies, is playful and fun, and the gradual and forgiving difficulty curve makes the title accessible for players of all ages.
The goal of each level in Plants vs. Zombies is to grow and distribute plants to fend off a zombie invasion of the player's house. Sunshine serves as the energy source to grow plants, which range from peashooters and sunflowers, the latter of which generates additional sun energy, to explosive cherry bombs and some fungi that only appear at night. It's up to each player to determine where and when to place each plant so that the zombie horde is kept away from the brains (and the people attached to them) inside the house.
It's difficult to find fault with a smart, funny, great-looking title like Plants vs. Zombies. The only issues that arise during the game are some levels and missions that feel repetitive and the fact that once a strategy has been conceived and set in motion, the game sometimes goes into an autopilot of sorts. But, apart from those minor issues, the game is solid as a rock, or wall-nut (pictured below guarding the plants). When the main story mode is over, players can experiment with a host of mini-games and challenges, grow plants in a greenhouse, and create custom zombie creations in the "Zombatar" area.
Plants vs. Zombies isn't a great game, but it's a solidly-built title with an engaging sense of humor, some excellent art direction (which shines on the Vita's OLED screen), and a long list of challenging and rewarding levels, both in adventure mode and in the mini-game menu. Video game fans of different ages and skill levels should enjoy it, at home or on the go.
System: Vita (also PC, Mac, Xbox 360, PS3, DS)
Genre: Tower defense
Developer: PopCap Games
Release date: February 22, 2012
Pros: Great sense of humor, appropriate difficulty curve, good variety
Cons: Game can sometimes "play itself," repetitive at times
Plants vs. Zombies has been around since 2009, but it wasn't ported to Vita until 2012. And while it might not be different enough on Vita to warrant a purchase for current owners, those who have never played the game might want to invest in the portable version on Vita. It doesn't have some of the exclusive content featured on Xbox Live and Playstation Network, but the touchscreen controls and "Zombatar" make it an attractive proposition. No matter which version you get, however, you're guaranteed to have a great time.
Plants vs. Zombies is a tower defense game, meaning that the gameplay revolves around setting up defensive installments to halt waves of enemy forces. Sounds serious and complicated, right? Not with this game. PopCap created in Plants vs. Zombies a consumer-friendly product that looks, feels, and plays smoothly and intuitively. The art direction, with bouncy plants and absent-minded zombies, is playful and fun, and the gradual and forgiving difficulty curve makes the title accessible for players of all ages.
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| Players select and place each plant with touchscreen controls. |
The goal of each level in Plants vs. Zombies is to grow and distribute plants to fend off a zombie invasion of the player's house. Sunshine serves as the energy source to grow plants, which range from peashooters and sunflowers, the latter of which generates additional sun energy, to explosive cherry bombs and some fungi that only appear at night. It's up to each player to determine where and when to place each plant so that the zombie horde is kept away from the brains (and the people attached to them) inside the house.
It's difficult to find fault with a smart, funny, great-looking title like Plants vs. Zombies. The only issues that arise during the game are some levels and missions that feel repetitive and the fact that once a strategy has been conceived and set in motion, the game sometimes goes into an autopilot of sorts. But, apart from those minor issues, the game is solid as a rock, or wall-nut (pictured below guarding the plants). When the main story mode is over, players can experiment with a host of mini-games and challenges, grow plants in a greenhouse, and create custom zombie creations in the "Zombatar" area.
 |
| Some plants only appear at nighttime. |
Plants vs. Zombies isn't a great game, but it's a solidly-built title with an engaging sense of humor, some excellent art direction (which shines on the Vita's OLED screen), and a long list of challenging and rewarding levels, both in adventure mode and in the mini-game menu. Video game fans of different ages and skill levels should enjoy it, at home or on the go.
