The Plants and Zombies are back to fight their war! What once started as a mobile game evolved to an impressive third-person online shooter where Plants battle Zombies in order to achieve greatness. What’s new in Battle for Neighborville? Let’s find out!
Learn the ropes
If this is your first modern Plants vs. Zombies game, there’s a lot you’ll need to take into consideration as the game houses plenty of mechanics. At its core it’s an online shooter where you pick your favorite character, boost its stats by playing and become better and better at it. But, there’s a lot going on and you’ll need to learn the ropes first. In order to do so, you’ll start in your central HUB, a gorgeous looking area where you have to clear several tasks in order to understand everything the game has to offer. It’s far more than just an online shooter, there’s a solo mode and plenty other unlockables for you to enjoy. From this perspective, it’s a great idea to let you start in the central HUB as you’ll learn the basics of the game step by step. It’s here where you’ll pick your side, character, upgrades, and more. On top of that also comes the fact that this central area looks incredibly good so it’s always fun to just run around in it and have some fun. For newcomers, it’s the perfect way to adjust to the game while veteran players will blast through these tutorial tasks in no time.
A solo adventure
Although Plants Vs. Zombies is a multiplayer shooter, there’s also a solo adventure for those who are looking for some target practice. At first sight, it’s a great addition to the game, offering content for those who are looking for a less adrenaline-packed Plants Vs. Zombies fix, the major downside is that it’s not really a true adventure. There’s no real story or whatsoever and the characters you’ll meet quickly become rather irritating instead of helpful. The solo adventures can more be considered as a way to get to know your character a bit better. In story mode, you’ll clear a couple of missions, most of them revolving around taking down hordes of enemies, gain new experience and gather some unlockable bonuses. It’s not a bad mode but it’s a mode that could have been more fleshed out, to say the least. At this point, it’s a bit strange the team included a solo mode while the game clearly gravitates to online multiplayer sessions. Luckily, those are really fun to play!
Dominate the battle
Online battles form the beating heart of the game and are also the real reason why you should buy this one. Before you start, you can select one of the twenty playable characters, spread over two factions. Unlike its prequel, Battle for Neighborville traded in the character variations for completely new characters. This means you’ll no longer be able to pick character variations but have to find out which of the playable characters is the best fit for your style. Characters are still divided into three groups: attack, defense, and support. This means you’ll have to experiment with them for a short time to find out which one is the best for you. It’s like a hero shooter lite but the mechanics are in place for a fun experience.
Sticking to one of the characters will also benefit you in the long run, the more you play, the better the character’s level becomes, resulting in small boosts and new unlockables. It’s thanks to this system that the game encourages you to continue playing, each time you level up, you’ll get a little better on the battlefield. This easily results in a feeling of ‘Let’s play just one more’. This game is extremely easy to learn but if you want to get really good at it, you’ll have to invest some of your time, meaning it’s pretty hard to master. At its core, this is a very decent multiplayer game, housing several fun modes to discover and try to become the best player while you’re at it. Clearly, it’s aimed at the younger audience who shies away from brutal multiplayer games but to be honest, it’s a game that can be enjoyed by a lot of gamers. Don’t let the cartoony look fool you, there’s depth and a learning cave in Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville and once you discover those, you’ll easily get hooked.
Conclusion:
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville is a fun game for those looking for an adrenilne-pumped fast-action third-person shooter. It’s clearly aimed at multiplayer and thanks to its modes and characters, you’ll have a lot of fun while playing. Just don’t expect the same level of quality than the more mature multiplayer games but if that doesn’t bother you, it’s certainly a fun purchase!
