Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is a third-person shooter that's part of the famous Plants vs Zombies tower defense series. The game uses the same characters, evolving them into beautiful 3D graphic representations, but in the end, is a bit limited in terms of number of maps and game modes.

Multiplayer shooting and hordes of undead

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is a shooter played exclusively as an online multiplayer on PC and Xbox 360, as well as with a local mode on Xbox One. There are two basic game modes, Garden Ops and Multiplayer, where you can play as either zombies, or plants.

Garden Ops mode is more similar to the original game, where the objective is to destroy hordes of zombies. Playing co-op multiplayer with up to 4 people, the game is a shooter mixed with tower defense in which you have to protect your station from attacks by the undead. Similar to the iOS and Android versions, part of your success depends on which plants you use to shoot with. 

Multiplayer Mode takes the form of a classic shooter, offering two different games: Gardens & Graveyards and Team Vanquish. Both games are played by two teams of 12 on 12. In the first, plants have to defend a number of locations scattered across the map; in the second, the winner is the team that manages to kill 50 opponents first.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare has four classes of plants and just as many zombies as we saw in the original. Each character has special skills, which are well-balanced, and has three unlockable special moves as they level up in the game.

From the main menu, you can access the section of the store where, unlike in the mobile game, you don't have to spend real money. Here, you can buy special abilities for various classes and upgrade your character.

Classic shooter with simplified controls

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare revives the classic mechanics of the shooter using the same commands, although in doing so, simplifies them. Characters can walk (not run) or jump, shoot, use one of the three special moves, and resurrect fallen comrades (especially useful in Team Vanquish mode).

Fantastic setting

One of the reasons why you might find yourself playing and replaying Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare are the environments, character animation, and the colors of the game. 

The cartoon-style graphics, combined with the friendliness of the Pixar characters and their various special moves, gives a really nice and unique touch to Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.

Captivating, although limited

In the dark and terrify world of historic or post-apocalyptic zombie shooters, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare: offers a unique angle, recreating the cheerful atmosphere of its successful mobile title and adapting it to perfection, adding a touch of originality to a rather monotonous genre. 

The flaws of Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare are in the disappointing range of game modes and maps which, although well done, will quickly bore fans of the genre. EA, however, has promised an early release of free DLC for Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, with new maps and game modes.