Plants vs Zombies: Replanted Review

Tower defence games are not my cup of tea, but I can attest to the fact that I played Clash Royale religiously as a child. While I am not by any means an expert in the whole tower defence and strategy genre, I do understand the core mechanics behind these games.

EA's Plants vs. Zombies has been a major player in the tower defence genre since its release. From what I remember, the Plants vs. Zombies series is regarded as the game that reinvented the modern tower defence genre across all platforms. The game has been ported to almost all platforms, including PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and mobile. I remember being introduced to the game through my friends and the Windows app store, which was the only way to get apps for Nokia smartphones back in the day.

Although I had never played Plants vs. Zombies before, recently, I got the opportunity to try out the remastered version of PopCap's first game, titled Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted. After trying out the game for around 3 hours, I can honestly say that Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is a well-rounded, fun tower defence game which doesn't take itself too seriously.

Off the bat, Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is visually pleasing with a friendly tone that makes it easy to ignore the fact that you are fighting off hordes of zombies with the help of your plants.

EA

The adventure mode is a casual way to enjoy Plant vs. Zombies: Replanted.

As I never played the original game beforehand, I checked out its gameplay on YouTube to see what improvements were made or how different everything looked. From my observation, I'll give props to PopCap Games and the Lost Pixels for making the game look visually crisp, making colours pop while making it stand out as a modern title.

The game's performance was quite good considering the whole debacle with the AI upscaling. I encountered almost no bugs on my entire playthrough, and the visuals looked completely normal to me. The AI upscaling didn't feel off to me; rather, it gave the game a hybrid modern-retro look. The game looked like something I would have played on a handheld gaming device during my childhood.

The core game mechanics of the game are still the same. The whole game revolves around planting plants to stop zombies from reaching the house, so there is not much the developers can change. The main element of the game is the sun, which allows players to place their plants and strategise how to use them against the zombies.

EA

Play the Night Adventure mode for added challenge in Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted.

You can also buy upgrades and items from your neighbour, Crazy Dave. There is a variety of plants at your disposal, so you can use them to stop zombies in any way you want.

As you begin playing the game, you are slowly introduced to all game mechanics in a friendly manner, which makes it easy for most players to grasp how the whole tower defence mechanic works. Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted has a rather easy learning curve; the only way to become better and faster in the game is by simply practising the game regularly. It doesn't require too much effort to get your head into the game.

The game has different modes that cater to different player groups. For beginner players, I think the Adventure mode is a good starting point. In this mode, you will be slowly introduced to all plant types and how to use them to your advantage. On the contrary, the Vasebreaker and Survival modes are catered towards veteran players who like the challenge. Both of these game modes feature endless hordes with increasing difficulty.

EA

Fancy some Zombie bowling in Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted?

Now moving to its pricing, do I think it's worth it at full price? No. At almost 1/4th of the price, you can opt for the Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition on Steam, which comes in around $4.99. I don't think the visual overhaul makes the game worthy of the $19.99 price tag.

Final Thoughts

As my first time playing a game from the Plants vs. Zombies series, I will say that Plants vs. Zombies Replanted is a congenial and homey effort at modernising a classic title. The game is visually soothing with a retro feeling. While the gameplay is fairly simple, the game has endless potential if you are a fan of tower defence titles.

Overall, I think Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted will fulfil your dosage of tower defence itch. For long-time fans of the series, the new HD graphics overhaul might be a game-changer, but for new players, you can opt for the classic title for a lower cost and not miss out on any action the game has to offer.