Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2
- May 16, 2022
- PopCap
- 26h median play time
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is a comedy shooter game that offers various play styles including single-player, co-op, and multiplayer. The Backyard Battleground serves as your personal playground to customize characters, accept quests, and access different game modes. Team up with friends in co-op or challenge them in AI-powered wave-based battles, with the option to switch teams for even more multiplayer fun.
Reviews
- story272 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally viewed as enjoyable but somewhat short and repetitive, with many players appreciating the humorous and whimsical elements woven into the quests. While the single-player missions and character interactions are fun, some reviewers noted that the overall narrative lacks depth and can feel uninspired at times. Despite these criticisms, the game offers a variety of quests and side missions that enhance the experience, making it a solid choice for both solo and multiplayer gameplay.
“This game has so much to love about it, an amazing and humorous story, and there is simply so much to do.”
“The single-player content is absolutely wonderful as well, I love the whole side-story of the gnomes.”
“A legendary game with cool gameplay, a lot of interesting things and, most importantly, a storyline in single player, I like it very much.”
“The story missions are meh and the game can feel slow sometimes but it's still enjoyable.”
“If you're looking for story, wrong game.”
“It's amusing and enjoyable to play, but I get bored quickly since there isn't really any story to keep me engaged, it's more of a time-killer for me.”
- gameplay271 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2" is widely praised for its fun, engaging mechanics and vibrant graphics, offering a mix of competitive multiplayer and cooperative modes that cater to both casual and veteran players. While some users note balancing issues with character abilities and occasional repetitiveness, the overall experience is described as addictive and enjoyable, with a variety of characters and gameplay options that keep matches fresh and exciting. Despite some criticisms regarding matchmaking and the presence of hackers, many players find the gameplay to be a standout feature that enhances the game's charm and replayability.
“While there are some balancing issues with characters and abilities that are either extremely overpowered or absolutely worthless, this is an extremely fun game that I wish got more attention, with a fun solo campaign and addicting multiplayer gameplay.”
“The gameplay is truly immersive; I think it will win Game of the Year.”
“With its vibrant graphics, engaging gameplay, and a wealth of content to explore, this game offers an enjoyable experience for players of all ages.”
“Garden Warfare 1 is stable but the inactivity makes it boring, and BFN is the most accessible, but the most broken from a gameplay standpoint.”
“You spawn in and immediately die, awful, impossible to aim, hackers, and lots of other crappy game mechanics, and therefore to conclude how awful this game is I must say that selling this game for $30 is absolutely insane!”
“This game takes longer to load into a match than it takes to play a match and the gameplay isn't interesting enough for me to keep coming back to it.”
- humor232 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2" is widely praised, with players highlighting its charming characters, witty banter, and silly gameplay mechanics that elicit laughter. Many reviews note the game's cartoonish graphics and comedic elements, such as funny character designs and amusing sound effects, contributing to an overall lighthearted and enjoyable experience. While some players mention minor issues like glitches, the game's humor remains a standout feature that enhances its appeal to both casual and dedicated gamers.
“Packed with action, hilarious characters and a loyal community, Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is an absolute riot of a game.”
“The game's vibrant, cartoonish graphics bring every battle to life with an explosion of color and humor.”
“Whether it's the playful banter between plants and zombies or the humorous taunts and emotes, there's no shortage of laughs to be had.”
- graphics204 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant, cartoonish style and charming personality, which enhance the overall gameplay experience. Many players note that the visuals remain impressive even years after the game's release, although some express concerns about performance on lower-end systems, particularly those with integrated graphics. Overall, the art style and graphical quality contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout title in the genre.
“The graphics are insane and the gameplay is phenomenal.”
“The game’s vibrant, cartoonish graphics bring every battle to life with an explosion of color and humor.”
“One of the standout features of Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 is its vibrant and visually stunning graphics.”
“Don't get it if you have an Intel graphics card; the game literally doesn't work.”
“The game is unplayable on Windows if you don't have the right graphics.”
“This game is downright horrible; every low-end PC can't play, and even if you're in the middle, you'll struggle to start. Whenever you start the game, your controls won't work, and EA has yet to fix this.”
- grinding82 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
The game is widely regarded as extremely grindy, often requiring hundreds of hours to unlock characters and achieve maximum rank, which can be both tedious and repetitive. While many players find enjoyment in the grinding process and appreciate the strong character options available, others express frustration over the time investment needed, particularly for new players facing veteran opponents. Overall, the grinding aspect is a significant part of the experience, appealing to those who enjoy it but potentially deterring those who prefer a more streamlined gameplay approach.
“There are a ton of options here from PvE to PvP or grinding to no grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grindy (60 - 100 hours)”
“PVP is also completely dead besides veteran players who have the strongest stuff in the game, which takes hundreds of hours of mindless grinding to get on top of random luck, making it very unfair to new players.”
“There's nothing likeable about this game, it's all of the same, very repetitive, quite grindy and you're gonna find yourself doing the same repetitive thing over and over since the beginning.”
“However, this game is extremely grindy; it can take well over 50 hours to get a single legendary character and there are modes that you can no longer play so you can no longer get all achievements.”
- music50 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its whimsical and engaging soundtrack, which enhances the overall charm and atmosphere. Players appreciate the variety of musical styles, from delightful jingles to epic battle themes, and many consider it a standout feature that complements the game's lighthearted tone. Overall, the soundtrack is described as memorable and enjoyable, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“And all of that on top of a lovely soundtrack of funny analogue instruments and orchestra on the plant side, and drunken chanting and rocking on the zombie side.”
“The whimsical soundtrack complements the lighthearted atmosphere, enhancing the game's overall appeal.”
“From the delightful jingles in the backyard to the epic music that accompanies intense battles, the audio elements contribute significantly to the game's overall charm.”
“Music and sounds are serviceable, nothing notable or terrible on either side of the spectrum.”
“This is a good game by all means, but the amount of exploiters is insane; try to get in a public lobby of turf takeover and you'll be blasted by incredibly loud music, and get frozen in one place, unable to exit the game, with the only way of exiting being task manager.”
“The mechanics are great, the soundtrack is amazing but sadly you either play the PvE or play with bots.”
- replayability48 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with a vast array of content, character variants, and multiplayer modes that keep players engaged for hundreds of hours. Users highlight the fun and distinct gameplay across different classes, as well as the satisfying progression system that encourages repeated play. Overall, it is regarded as one of the most replayable shooters available, offering both solo and cooperative experiences that remain enjoyable over time.
“It has so much content and replayability; it's honestly crazy.”
“The game has insane replay value, making it still relevant 7 years later.”
“A stellar multiplayer class shooter that has staggering amounts of replay value just due to the sheer amount of content in this game.”
“Was hoping for a better co-op experience but instead it really only provides 1 horde game mode for plants and zombies which are not exactly that replayable.”
“It still feels like you should be getting way more resources for those sticker packs after going through stuff in the game, but the collection factor of all the characters and cosmetics is what gives this game its charm and replayability over other stereotypical shooters.”
“There are hundreds of hours of replayability with the character variants, unlockables, and secret areas.”
- monetization38 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 26 % negative mentions
The monetization in this game primarily revolves around microtransactions, including loot boxes and cosmetic purchases, which some players find intrusive while others appreciate the ability to earn items through regular gameplay. Although there are concerns about pay-to-win elements and a predatory monetization system, many reviews note that the game offers a balanced approach, allowing for enjoyable progression without mandatory spending. Overall, while microtransactions are present, they are not seen as overwhelmingly detrimental to the game's experience.
“The inclusion of microtransactions doesn't feel intrusive, and the progression system remains rewarding for players who choose not to spend additional money.”
“Despite being published by EA, there really aren't any predatory microtransactions, which is nice.”
“A work of genius that still functions, has a lot of replayability, and doesn't have that many microtransactions!”
“In general, it's the same generic shooter that offers cosmetics through in-game purchases (loot boxes) that you've seen 1000 times before.”
“There's a pretty heavy incentive for microtransactions--your progression is tied to them, too--and the multiplayer's ridden with hackers, but if you don't mind playing against bots there's hours of fun here.”
“So to see it reduced to another basic multiplayer shooter (with in-game purchases if you want to see the content the game has to offer without spending hundreds of hours - thanks EA!) is a bit sad.”
- stability34 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with numerous reports of glitches, bugs, and server issues, including frequent crashes and the presence of hackers. While some players find humor and charm in the glitches, many express frustration over the lack of updates and fixes from the developers. Overall, the game's performance is inconsistent, with some users enjoying it despite its flaws, while others deem it unplayable.
“It still holds up visually and runs great.”
“Very fun, no glitches that are bad for gameplay. I cannot find a better game; I honestly doubt I will find better.”
“Performance: shortly put, this game runs great on Steam Deck.”
“The servers are often buggy, lobbies are full of hackers and cheaters, and it takes months to unlock Torchwood and Hovergoat due to their laziness.”
“This game is full of glitches that EA won't fix, yet they continue to sell it.”
“Frequent crashes, very buggy.”
- optimization24 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting smooth performance on lower-end systems, while others have experienced significant drops in frame rates and increased loading times, particularly after the introduction of the EA anti-cheat system. Many users noted that the anti-cheat update negatively impacted performance across various platforms, including Windows and Steam Deck, leading to frustration among players. Overall, while some players enjoy solid performance, others find the game unoptimized and plagued by issues that detract from the experience.
“🟢 Well optimized.”
“Game performance is solid - no crashes.”
“Performance: shortly put, this game runs great on Steam Deck.”
“I absolutely love this game, but the latest update that added the EA anti-cheat optimized the game so badly that I went from an average of 50 FPS to 24 frames per second.”
“The new anti-cheat also didn't solve the problem it needed to solve to begin with and lowered performance by a considerable amount.”
“Edit: after the anti-cheat got released, Steam Deck players can't play the game anymore. The game has performance problems (it runs with less FPS than before), it takes longer to load, and the best part is that the anti-cheat doesn't work.”
- emotional14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players who describe it as a heartfelt masterpiece that evokes nostalgia and powerful memories, often bringing them to tears. Many express a deep connection to the game, recalling joyful experiences and the impact it has had on their lives, while also noting the emotional weight of its storytelling and artistic design. Overall, it resonates strongly with players, making them feel both empowered and reflective about their gaming journey.
“Such an impactful heartfelt line, from such an artistic heartfelt masterpiece, GOTY 2025.”
“It makes me emotional thinking about all the fun memories I had playing this absolute masterpiece of a game.”
“This game has brought me to tears several times, and that is why it is winning the heartwarming and emotional awards respectively from me.”
- character development6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by imaginative and endearing character designs that enhance its personality, complemented by a variety of customization options and witty dialogue. Players appreciate the balance of humor and creativity, which contributes to a vibrant and engaging experience. Overall, the character designs and their unique traits significantly enrich the gameplay.
“From the quirky character designs to the witty dialogue, the game brims with personality at every turn.”
“The character designs, both on the plant and zombie factions, are imaginative and endearing.”
“There is just so much I love about this game, the variants, the game modes, character design, the fact it doesn't take itself too seriously and so, so much more.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a whimsical soundtrack and delightful interactions, creating a lighthearted and engaging experience. Players appreciate the clever dialogue and pop culture references, which contribute to a unique and nostalgic ambiance that enhances the overall appeal.
“The whimsical soundtrack complements the lighthearted atmosphere, enhancing the game's overall appeal.”
“The whimsical interactions between the characters, the witty dialogue, and the clever pop culture references create an atmosphere that's as delightful as it is engaging.”
“The unique atmosphere is fully filled with fun, bringing a strange sense of nostalgia mixed with new emotions.”