Plants vs. Zombies Adventures (Video Game Review)

Popcap Games' Plants vs. Zombies Adventures is a game that manages to deliver fun for the whole family while staying true to its roots along the way. Fans of the series will experience fun new twists and turns with the game's road trip scenario which has helped keep the title fresh and entertaining. Players will be able to depart from their home base in order to partake in dozens of new stages and environments while being guided by Crazy Dave.

The basic structure for Plants vs. Zombies Adventures is simple being that zombies come from all directions and you are tasked with setting up various plants to try to keep them from reaching your home or RV. There are two types of plants: offensive (ex. peashooter) and defensive (ex. walnut). Players will need to maximize their strategy by upgrading their defense with new plants and weapons which is done through sunflowers to collect sunlight. Players will be able to travel away from home and go on road trips but the same formula still applies.

 Plants vs. Zombies Adventures adds new plants and zombies to the family, and you will love the Beeshooter and Barrel Zombie. The Beeshooter fires deadly homing bees at any zombie that comes into it's path while the Barrel Zombie has a tough outer shell and gets a little crazy once he is stripped down to his skimpies. The beautiful art style gives the series a refreshing new design while maintaining the look and feel of the original. As you progress through the game, you will unlock new plants and weapons to add to your arsenal like the asparagus missile.

Zombies now come at your plants from all four directions which makes the game a little more challenging and changes your strategic methods for planting. Free-to-play elements have been flawlessly incorporated into the game and plants are a little more scarce this time around. You will need to grow your batch of defenders at your home and then use them wisely throughout game battles. If you use too many then you will suffer going into the next level which will cost you heavily in game currency. Almost like all the other games on Facebook, Plants vs. Zombies Adventures gives you a virtual plot of land that you can customize to your needs and wants. Players can add buildings that will generate a steady income over time or even grow their own zombie-killin' plants.

Plants vs. Zombies Adventures does suffer from annoying wait times with some ranging from a few minutes to an hour. Also, the fact that players can purchase gems by using real-money currency to then buy extra plants in the middle of the game or buy Zombucks or coins takes out all of the challenge. The biggest change in Plants vs. Zombies Adventures is indeed the fact that plants are in limited supply and once you deplete yours then you will need to grow more on your farm. A few impatient gamers, however, will find the need to just skip over the wait and purchase what they need to move the game along. The biggest downfall of the game is the wait-to-play structure but this can be diminished to an extent through proper planning. Gamers who take the time to regularly attend their garden will have the resources on hand when they need them, and thankfully, the basic plants such as peashooters and sunflowers take the least amount of time to grow.

Plants vs. Zombies Adventures feels like a completely different game but maintains the same addicting qualities that you loved from the original. Social elements have been added into the game but aren't forced onto you like most games on Facebook. Adventures offers up a great way to waste a little time with its short levels and entertaining gameplay. Players will find that it gives them a PvZ fix while they wait for Plants vs. Zombies 2 to release. Plants vs. Zombies Adventures is a well-envisioned and great adaptation of the game and is worth logging into Facebook to play!

Plants vs. Zombies Adventures is now available for free on Facebook with microtransactions. Plants vs. Zombies Adventures is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and contains minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Plants vs. Zombies Adventures website.

Game Features:

Single Player

New combat mechanics and power-ups

Unearth 10 new zombies, 11 new plants and 12 new road trap maps

Send hordes of zombies to your friends on Facebook

Climb the leaderboards

Game Information:
Developer: Popcap Games
Publisher: Popcap Games
Platforms: Online/Browser (reviewed)
Release Date: May 20, 2013

Score: 7 out of 10