Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (PC)

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Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare FINALLY released on PC this Tuesday.  I say finally because the console version Graev reviewed released months ago. Graev called the console version quote, “The BEST shooter I’ve played in years.” Now that I finally have a lot of experience playing on my platform of choice, I have to admit I completely agree with him.

PVZ:GW takes balance and mixes it with gratuitous and accessible fun. On the surface, PVZ:GW may look immature, but there’s remarkable depth to the strategies you can deploy when playing modes like Gardens & Graveyards where the plants have to defend their garden while the zombies try and invade.

I personally love the meta game of collecting the in-game coins in order to buy card packs. Card packs unlock new abilities, cosmetic accessories your characters can wear, and even new variants of the plants and zombies that can radically change how each plays.  The longer a match goes, the more coins you get.  Winning gives a decent bonus, but it’s more about simply playing the game to increase the volume of coins you earn.

How does the PC version compare?

I played the console version briefly (maybe 2 hours) and I have to say they didn’t just port the game.  If I didn’t know it existed on consoles I’d have no idea it launched on PC second. Match making is perfect, server performance is flawless (literally not a single issue in hours and hours of play), and I run the game on ultra and it looks phenomenal without a single hitch. I think it even uses Frostbite 3 engine and puts the way Battlefield looks to shame. Controls are flawless.

I have a few gripes.

  • Origin needs to add the ability to queue for matches with friends.  Right now we have to have Graev or I join a match and the other has to join off the friends list. Usually that means a wait because the server is usually full.
  • For the love of all that is undead please, please add an option to disable my microphone.  Every mic is hot ALWAYS by default.  I want a push to talk button, and I don’t want to literally have to toggle “mute all” constantly.

Seriously guys, if you like shooters–especially ones that can be a little wacky–you need to play Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.  Graev’s full review has a lot more details if you need them. Simply one of the best games I’ve played all year, and one of the best shooters I’ve ever played.  Easily a 9.5/10.

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  • Playing this and loving it. Definitely agree with those two gripes, the microphones unghhh.

    I don’t have many Origin friends since I don’t really use Origin. If anyone wants to add me please do, I’d love some more people to play with. My tag is Jenks44

  • Very fun game!!
    +1 to both gripes…
    Origin matchmaking is the same in Titanfall, and though I love that game I refuse to play it anymore because matchmaking is so infuriating.

  • I’m right there with you Jadawin. My recent horror story with EA support and Origin had me almost cancelling my PvZ:GW order, but I’m glad I didn’t. It’s really worth the annoyance of using Origin.

  • Ehm. This port is horrible. Clearly shows that this is just a pure console to PC port. No voice options, open mics all the way, no options to turn off your own mic anywhere nor other players’ before in the game and even when you mute the players it just leaves new joining players unmuted. Multiple issues with launching the game, freezing in the loading screen, joining multiplayer “You have lost the connection to the game session”, Origin issues with ppl not able to even download the game etc etc etc etc.

    Game itself is solid fun, but at the moment even I can’t join in anymore for some reasons as after multiple fixes etc it still just says “You have lost the connection to the game session” even though I can join my friends Garden Ops and he can join mine just fine. Have tried to troubleshoot this to the EA, but they just don’t give two f***s about anything as usual.