[Review] – Plants Versus Zombies

[Gamercide]

Plants Versus Zombies

Developed by:  Popcap Games

Published by:  Popcap Games

Players: 1-2 (Local Only)

Rated E10 (Everyone 10+) by the ESRB

The Breakdown

The zombies, they’re coming…to your Xbox.  One of the best takes on the tower defense genre has come to Xbox Live Arcade.  Do reworked controls, new game types, and extremely polished graphics make this a worthwhile addition to your Arcade game collection?  Read on to find out.

View the full review on the front page

[ThermoNukePanda]

Great review Spawn!!! *claps*

I only have ONE minor question, and it's only because I play a lot of RTS games on the console and aren't sure if you do/have too. One of your sentences right in the first paragraph puzzles me.

"Moving the “cursor box” around to catch sun to plant your defenses just feels natural. Changing plant units with the bumpers and even the holding of “X” to use the shovel all work really well. A lot of RTS games could take a cue from Popcap and tune their controls in a similar way."

I'm not sure what it means really. What RTS games don't have a cursor that you move around, let alone use either the X or the A button to make a selection or something? The comparison just feels a little lost on me I guess so maybe you could explain what you meant?

[spawn622]

I was actually rereading the review as you replied. I started working on it at work on Thursday and finished it up this morning. I had 2 different ideas in mind and they didn't match up. Hazards of writing at different intervals. It's updated.

[ThermoNukePanda]

Hey it's not a problem dude. I was just slightly confused by the statement is all due to my experiences with console RTS games (I've played 99% of the ones currently released). It just seemed like the statement didn't really fit. Hope you know I wasn't knocking the review or anything because you did a great job man and I hope to see more from you in the future!

And yeah, I totally can relate to the "writing at different intervals" thingy. it happens to me too.

[ThermoNukePanda]

I re-read the correction and I still don't really understand the comparison, but that's cool. You can keep it. Big huggy bunches!!!!

[spawn622]

I re-read the correction and I still don't really understand the comparison, but that's cool. You can keep it. Big huggy bunches!!!!

Try the demo and you'll see what I mean. I've played numerous RTS games on consoles and the controls just don't feel right.

[Super Kev]

I can't stop playing this game .. it's worse addiction than Peggle.

[ThermoNukePanda]

Try the demo and you'll see what I mean. I've played numerous RTS games on consoles and the controls just don't feel right.

Oh, trust me, I'm not saying the controls don't "feel right" for most of them but I just thought it was weird to compare the controls for a tower defense point & click game to a complicated RTS. Sure they're both strategy games but they're very seperate. It'd be like me saying that Call of Duty should take cues from Geometry Wars cause they're both shooters! . I wasn't knocking your review though so I really hope I didn't come across snarky or anything!

Aaaaaaand, I still say Universe At War had some of the best controls for a console RTS. Supreme Commander 2 is also good, although no ability to create groups kind of sucks.

I'mma going to check out the demo when I get out of work.

[Dateranoth]

Good review! I haven't even played this for PC yet. Maybe I should try it out.

[spawn622]

Why can't one genre of games learn from another? The precision and ease of controls from this game can easily be put to use in an RTS on the consoles. Besides, I see PvZ as blurring the lines between RTS and Tower Defense. Hell, is Tower Defense really even a genre?

[ThermoNukePanda]

You make a valid point Mr Spawn, although I don't see how they can make the controls in a console RTS any simpler. They tried that with Halo Wars, which was like the Fisher Price of RTS games and true RTS fans thought it was TOO simple. RTS kids are a hard crowd to please, which is why I was saying to ignore most of my comments. LoL

You did a good job.

Besides, now-a-days they are blurring the lines between genres more and more. Example? Monday Night Combat.

And yes, I view Tower Defense as a seperate "genre".

[Elite Effect (Jon)]

Good review. I play the hell out of this on my Laptop. I may need to grab a MS point card and get it for my Xbox, it will hold me over until Reach at the very least.

[Koolaye]

I can't stop playing this game .. it's worse addiction than Peggle.

Same here!! I don't know why it holds my attention since I have an attention span of a fish. Definitely worth the money!

[Tyranitar]

This game is awesome. I have the Steam version, and have done nearly everything now, except grow the Tree of Wisdom and try Survival Endless mode. It's definitely very addictive.