Plants vs. Zombies Full Review: Story, Game play, Graphics & More

Plants vs. Zombies Full Review: Story, Game play, Graphics & More

My first experience with Plants vs. Zombies on a phone was a rather casual one. I expected to spend only five minutes and when I tried it, I just started a level and before I knew it, I was saying, "Alright, one more level."

And this, without a doubt, is the best part about this game. As much as it may seem like a casual game to start off with, as soon as the zombies arrive in the various lanes and you need to make decisions about the plants you will use, the game gets extremely addictive.

I have played the game on a smartphone using its touch controls, and the first thing that struck me about the game was how well-suited the game felt for a mobile device. There was no need for complicated control schemes, an expensive gaming phone or an extensive tutorial. You simply had to tap the place where you wanted to put the plant and let your garden army take care of everything else.

But does Plants vs. Zombies hold up even now? Here is my complete mobile review of the game.

What is Plants vs. Zombies?

Plants vs. Zombies, or simply known as PVZ, is a tower-defense strategy game created by PopCap Games.

As for the premise, it is absolutely bizarre: you need to stop zombies from reaching your house by building a line of protection from various plants.

Unlike other games where a character needs to run around an area and shoot down enemies, here you have to protect yourself at home and fight off zombies with plants instead.

This makes the game incredibly strategical.

Some things you may consider while playing include:

Which plants do I use?

Where should I put the plants?

When do I spend my Sun?

What is the most dangerous zombie?

Should I keep my resources to build a better plant?

When is it safe to start building?

Story Review

The story is simple and this is what makes the game so special.

You become a homeowner that needs to defend your property from zombies that keep coming in waves. Your neighbor called Crazy Dave provides lots of humor and weird comments during the process.

The game changes the settings and the situation that you find yourself in instead of trying to create some kind of cinematic story.

You don't watch any lengthy videos or read many dialogs; all the story unfolds in the course of game play.

Humorous approach also ensures that the zombie theme doesn't become grim or frightening. Zombies in the game look like cartoons and the plants have ridiculous personalities.

This is an absolutely perfect example of mobile games since you can understand everything almost right away.

Game play

It is the gameplay which makes Plants vs. Zombies such an interesting game.

Usually, at the start of a level, you have an empty lawn. Then, zombies will come from the right and try to get to your house.

You have to prevent them from doing so.

Your lawn consists of several lanes and there you put plants.

Step 1: Sun Gathering

Sun is your primary source of energy.

In order to plant most of the plants, you need some Sun. Therefore, one of the first things you will learn about this game is not to use all your Sun immediately.

Sunflowers are particularly valuable as they can produce more Sun.

It is a frequent mistake of beginners to concentrate solely on attack plants.

I have done that myself. It's great fun to spread Peashooters all around but sometimes you just run out of Sun and have nothing to defend yourself with against the next wave.

Thus, the best way is to create a stable Sun economy first.

Step 2: Create Your Defense

When you have enough sun, you are able to put some defensive and attacking plants.

There are some plants which attack the zombies, while others slow them down, protect your other plants, create resources, or have special functions.

The interesting thing here is the fact that there is not a single plant which solves all problems.

You need to make certain combinations.

For instance, an ordinary attacking plant may cope with ordinary zombies, while a defensive plant will give you some additional time.

This additional time can mean a lot in hard waves.

Step 3: Pay Attention to All Lanes

One of the simplest mistakes which you can make is focusing on one lane and forgetting about another.

The game always makes you look at all lawn.

Sometimes a zombie may pop up in a lane where there was no threat several seconds ago. If you do not react immediately, it may get to your defenses before you have time to do something.

The game is quite fun when played on phones since you are able to tap everywhere.

Plants and Their Functions

I like the plant system a lot, which is one of the most interesting things about PVZ.

Every plant serves a special purpose, and understanding their purposes is more important than unlocking everything.

Sunflower

Sunflower is one of the most essential plants, as it provides Sun.

It doesn't kill zombies, but you won't be able to defend yourself properly without enough Sun.

Peashooter

Probably, the plant that almost all players will immediately recognize is Peashooter.

It deals simple ranged damage, so it is quite obvious.

It is not very complex, but reliable basic attacks can do wonders.

Wall-nut

Wall-nut was created with absorbing damage in mind.

It does not kill zombies fast, but it can stop them and let your attacking plants damage them.

This combination gives you the first lesson on importance of timing and positioning.

Potato Mine

Potato Mine is also an interesting choice of plants.

Unlike attacking continuously, you can prepare it and use it for dealing damage to the zombie once it arrives at it.

Importantly, you learn about the power of patience here.

You do not have to attack instantly.

Various Zombies Keep the Game Fresh

The game would get boring really fast if all zombies had similar attributes and behavior patterns.

Luckily for the players, there are various zombie types in PVZ.

There are some basic zombies.

And then there are others who are a little tough, quick, or come with objects that affect their defense.

This is where the strategy comes into play.

A good defense strategy that could have been very effective with the usual zombies may not be effective against the other ones.

Here, you will need to know what kind of an enemy you are dealing with.

Graphics Review

Plants vs. Zombies does not strive to appear lifelike, and that's an advantage for the game.

The graphics are colorful cartoons with caricature characters.

Both plants and zombies are easy to distinguish.

As for me, I appreciate the legibility of the game.

In strategy games, when played on the comparatively small screens of smartphones, clear images are important. You should be able to understand everything happening in front of your eyes without squinting and looking in details.

PVZ has succeeded here.

At the same time, the animation does not distract from the game process but adds entertainment to it.

When the zombie is hit by the plant, it does not seem to be a battle. Everything is funny and even amusing.

Controls for Mobile

The controls in mobile version are perhaps the best parts of the experience.

There is virtually nothing to memorize.

It's just a matter of tapping a plant and then the location where it should be placed.

Done.

There is no troublesome virtual joystick and no complicated button layout either.

I tested the game with touchscreen controls, and the simplicity of it makes this version particularly good for short playing sessions.

No matter whether you play from your home or during a short break you don't need to spend a few minutes trying to remember controls.

Sound and Music

The audio design of the game perfectly matches its style.

Instead of typical horror music about zombies there are cute sound effects matching cartoon-like graphics.

The sounds for attacks, movement of characters and other actions are easy to recognize.

The music is also part of the game's special character.

Several levels later you might recognize certain sounds without thinking about what's happening on screen.

It's not the type of soundtrack I would listen to by itself, but it perfectly matches the game.

Difficulty: Easy at First, Then Surprisingly Tough

The beginning is easy for newcomers.

The game slowly adds new mechanics instead of overwhelming you with them all at once.

That is essential because some tower-defense games tend to get too complicated if too many units and skills are added too soon.

PVZ usually lets you get accustomed to the basics.

However, don't be tricked by the cute design.

Some later levels can surprise you with their difficulty.

You might be forced to start the level over because you have chosen wrong plants or have spent too much Sun too soon.

I experienced this several times.

One of the most valuable lessons I've learned from this experience is that losing a level does not necessarily mean the level is tough.

Biggest Beginner Mistake

The mistake that I have made was that I tried to apply the same combination of plants for each level.

This is not quite successful.

The levels might require other strategies.

Sometimes, if one of the levels requires defeating a certain type of a zombie with a certain issue, then the best way is to change the combination of the plants instead of playing the game using one strategy over and over.

It is quite simple to do:

Play the level as usual.

Determine which zombie is giving you the most troubles.

Choose the plant that could solve this issue.

Replace the plant that is less effective.

Try the level once again.

Mind the sun and plant distribution.

I know, it seems pretty obvious, but it might help you a lot.

Some Advice for Beginners

If this is your first experience of playing Plants vs. Zombies, there are a couple of tips that I would like to provide.

Don't Forget About Sun Production

It is useless to have a lot of attacking plants if you cannot buy them back.

Do Not Occupy All Spaces Instantly

Having additional plants does not necessarily improve the protection level.

Often, leaving yourself some room to think about the strategy is much better than filling all spaces as quickly as possible.

Study the Zombie Behavior

When a new zombie shows up, try to understand what makes it special.

Knowledge about the enemy is sometimes more helpful than just raising your firepower.

Protect Your Important Plants

If any of your plants gives you something that you need to have, do not forget that zombies can destroy it.

Your defensive plants can give you precious moments.

Do Not Panic During a Major Attack

It was another lesson I learned.

When several zombies show up simultaneously, you tend to tap everything as fast as you can.

However, it may be wrong.

Take a second to analyze which lane needs your attention now.

Game Performance on Mobile Devices

The game Plants vs. Zombies does not require any top-end gaming smartphone to play.

Its fairly low game presentation makes it play nicely even on many standard mobile phones.

On a regular smartphone, the game plays well, and touchscreen controls are easy.

Of course, performance may differ from one device to another based on the operating system and the version of the game being played.

With older devices, having some space left and closing unnecessary programs might help performance while playing mobile games.

Does Plants vs. Zombies Work for Short Gaming Sessions?

Of course.

And here is why, in my opinion, PVZ fits the mobile environment so perfectly.

You don't have to allocate your whole evening to this game.

You just play a level, stop, and continue playing another day.

The design of such short gaming sessions makes it very convenient for those who cannot allocate time for massive world and long multiplayer games.

Still, the strategic element of the game is enough for those who would like to dig into it deeper.