After getting familiar with the game's controls via an introductory sequence that only lasts a few minutes, we land in what is one of the major additions to Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2: The Garden Front. More concretely, it is a huge space acting as a hub and in which Plants and Zombies engage in a merciless struggle. Each of the two camps has its headquarters at each end of the map, and it is possible to switch from one clan to another at any time. But the most important thing about the Garden Front is that it gives PvZ GW 2 a single-player campaign that was sorely lacking in the first episode. Well, it's true that the scenario does not fly very high, but the intention of PopCap Games is nonetheless commendable. Basically, we are made to understand that the Zombies have finally taken over the Plants, and that they have decided to rename the city Zomburbia (ex-Suburbia). However, the Plants have not said their last word, and even if Dr. Zomboss and his henchmen aim to make the final assault, the hope that the grass will grow back remains. Whatever faction you belong to, you will have to complete a whole host of missions which, in reality, only take up the different modes designed for multiplayer games. And since we won't be able to call on the services of a friend – whether online or in split screen – we will have to make do with a rather efficient AI, especially when it comes to opponents who are far from being stupid. . Afterwards, we must admit that the single player campaign becomes repetitive once we have gone around the quests to complete. No doubt aware of this weakness, the developers have integrated alongside other treats for lonely souls, like the daily objectives to be completed or all the treasures hidden in the Front of the Garden. To open these famous chests, it will be necessary to accumulate a sufficient number of stars by taking up, precisely, the challenges offered each day.
Lucid about the poor content of Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare, PopCap Games has rolled up its sleeves to offer a much richer menu with Garden Warfare 2.
We could also mention the Power Flag located in the heart of the Garden Front, which allows you to trigger successive waves of enemies. The opportunity to fill your pockets with coins and then spend them at the sticker distributor. A system that is frustrating since it is impossible to know in advance the content of each pack. The price ranges from 2 to 500 coins, it all depends on the rarity and nature of the thumbnails. Obviously, the greater the amount invested, the greater the chances of getting your hands on almost unique thumbnails. Even though PvZ GW 75 strives to reward players correctly for each achievement, improving the skills of a Plant or a Zombie requires a lot of time. A free-to-play flavor that will certainly not be to everyone's taste, knowing that at no time have we crossed paths with micro-transactions. Perhaps their arrival is planned for later, Electronic Arts having proceeded in the same way for the first Garden Warfare. In the meantime, all Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 000 can be unlocked with the strength of the wrist, just to avoid accusations of imposture. As for the new character classes, there are six: three on the Plants side (Rose, Little Corn, Lemon) and three on the Zombies side (Super Cortex, Imp,). Contrary to what its name suggests, Lemon is actually a big orange full of vitamin C that absorbs damage rather well. Thanks to his energy shield, he can even corner opponents while blasting them with his laser beam. Well framed, it can hurt a lot. Rose, meanwhile, does not look like much at first but turns out to be a formidable vegetable witch. We are not going to go there by four paths: it is undoubtedly the most cracked character of the six new heads. Not only is she able to manipulate time with her time trap, but she can also turn Zombies into harmless goats. In short, everything to chain the frags at the speed of light.
FRESH AS A ROSE
Finally, there is P'tit corn which presents a fairly balanced profile and which does not require any special gift to take full advantage of it. This is especially true for its abilities that allow you to clean / protect an area without taking the lead. As for Zombies, our preference goes to Imp and his Mecha-Z. OK, he has a moldy physique and his life gauge is emptying at high speed. But besides that, his agility and speed make him a valuable ally for offensive strategies. You just have to see the damage he is able to inflict with Mecha-Z to understand that he is not a character to be taken lightly. Super Cortex, for its part, is slower than its friend but has the advantage of possessing considerable power. His straights pulverize any jaws in their path, which also goes for his potentially fatal kick if not careful. As for Captain Barbemort, it's the one that seemed the least attractive to us because of a range of attacks that weren't really interesting. Well, there is still a way to do something with his little parrot and his pseudo shotgun. Either way, whether you go for Plants or Zombies, there is room for elaborate tactics - even if the scales tip slightly in favor of Plants in terms of gameplay balance - to as much as the new arrivals perfectly fill the gaps identified in PvZ GW. For example, there wasn't really a Tank until now; a role now held by Citron. Everything fits perfectly, and we will not forget to point out that the characters of Plants vs. Garden Warfare Zombies can be imported without losing the level they were leveled to. This is what rewards those who never let go.
Either way, whether you go for Plants or Zombies, there is room for elaborate tactics - even if the scales tip slightly in favor of Plants in terms of gameplay balance - to as much as the new arrivals perfectly fill the gaps identified in PvZ GW.
Naturally, providing all these characters (a hundred counting the variants) would make no sense if the multiplayer did not follow. Again, PopCap Games has done the job with modes for up to 24 players online, with split-screen co-op (only on PS4 and Xbox One) also being an option. To talk about what's new, the "Plant Assault" mode somehow takes up the storyline of PvZ GW 2, since it is the Plants that must attack the Zombies by trying to destroy their lunar base, or by recovering the control of their homeland Suburbia. Special mention for the ending on the Lunar Base Z map which looks like nonsense – in the positive sense of the term – with Plants having to score baskets by pushing huge basketballs. There is also the "Graveyard Ops" mode which is based on the same formula as the "Garden Ops" of the first Garden Warfare, except that this time it will be a question of facing incessant waves of Plants ready to do anything to let the grass regain its rights. For the rest, Garden Warfare 2 is in the classic mode with "Dwarf Bomb", "Suburbination", "Gardens and Cemeteries" or even "Team Elimination". Minimal risk taking for maximum efficiency, all through 12 new cards and overflowing humor. Finally, easy to learn, the game is the equal of its predecessor in terms of graphics. We even see some additional visual details compared to the first opus, without this coming to weigh down the animation which remains fluid from start to finish. In short, PopCap Games did not miss it.
