Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare transplants the popular characters and weapons from the casual franchise into a first-person shooter.

Pros

Hectic multiplayer action: Surprisingly, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare holds its own as an entertaining shooter. Up to 24 players can engage in battle. Matches are competitive yet comical, thanks to the colorful, cartoony nature of the game.

Class diversity: In Team Fortress style, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare offers basic disciplines to fit the most common styles of team-based shooters. The flower team has the standard peashooter class and healing class, while the zombies have units like engineers with the ability to attack with drones. It's a wacky combination that plays like familiar shooters, but with a fresh look that stays true to the franchise's roots.

Classic tribute: In addition to the main death-match mechanics, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare recreates the mobile game's tower-defense experience in 3D. You can set up flower pots around designated areas and cover firing support from a first-person perspective that instantly feels familiar if you've played the original mobile game.

Cons

Requires online connectivity: Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare requires online connectivity at all times. Though this is becoming a trend, there's no strong reason to make an Internet connection mandatory, especially in light of the local multiplayer and solo mode options that come with Garden Ops.

Bottom Line

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is a game that surpasses expectations by combining two genres with a strong franchise. The game feels polished, and though it doesn't have the depth and over-the-top production of a game like Call of Duty, it stands out with the casual, approachable mechanics of a familiar series. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is a solid break for those looking for something different.