Plants Vs. Zombies Replanted Review – Botanical Warfare

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I’ve been wanting to replay Plants vs. Zombies for a long time, and now that I’ve had the chance on my PS5, I can say that Replanted is a fantastic remake. It perfectly captures the feeling of the original game and brought back a lot of great memories. It’s also a well-done port to consoles, running smoothly, and the transition from keyboard and mouse controls has been handled effectively.

If you haven’t played it before, the game is based on a simple idea: you’re trapped inside your house during a zombie apocalypse. The zombies are after your brains, and it’s your job to protect your home using only a variety of unusual plants. You’ll get seeds from the Doom and Gloom Company, and each one grows into a plant with special abilities to help you defend against the zombie horde. It sounds easy, but it’s a real challenge!

Plants are your main way to protect yourself from zombies, and luckily, they’re effective! The Pea Shooter fires peas to stop zombies from getting closer. You collect Sun, which you need to buy more plants – it appears randomly, or you can grow Sunflowers to get more. After each level, you’ll unlock new plants with different abilities, but be aware that new and tougher zombies will also appear as you progress.

This tower defense game is still incredibly engaging, even after being out for years. Its addictive quality comes from the strategic gameplay – you have to carefully plan your defenses for each level, considering the types of enemies coming your way, and then manage your resources to survive each wave of zombies.

The game is visually appealing, with a fantastic soundtrack to match. The zombies themselves are amusing, often leaving notes that highlight their silliness and explain why they’re so eager to get at your brains! Luckily, you can get help from Crazy Dave, who runs a shop where you can buy upgrades and tools to help you fight them off.

This tower defense game is still surprisingly addictive, even after being popular for years.

The updated graphics in Replanted look great, staying true to the original game’s style while really making the colors stand out on a 4K screen. Even with lots of action – plants, zombies, and flying produce – the game ran smoothly without any slowdown on my standard PS5. Considering it’s a port, Replanted does an excellent job, but as a remaster, it could have offered more substantial improvements over the original.

My biggest issue with Replanted is that Dave’s prices are still really high. Coins, which you need for his shop, are given out slowly throughout the game. Because upgrades cost so much, it would have been better if the game didn’t require so much repetitive gameplay just to earn coins – it would have made the experience more enjoyable.

Getting extra seed slots—which let you bring more plants into battle—is incredibly expensive, costing a huge 20,000 coins. I wasn’t able to save up enough, even after finishing the main story and playing quite a few of the minigames and survival modes.

“The zombies are quite a funny bunch, leaving you with notes that showcase their lack of brains,”

Dave adds some fun new elements to the game with puzzles and minigames. For example, you can knock down zombies using Wall-nuts, like a bowling game, or use a slot machine to get random plants to help defend your yard. These minigames and puzzles are enjoyable and offer a break from the usual gameplay.

The main game is actually quite dynamic. Soon, zombies will begin attacking at night, forcing you to switch to plants that don’t need sunlight. Then, they’ll invade your backyard and even try to reach you through your swimming pool, where aquatic plants are your best defense. And don’t forget the roof – you’ll need plants that can launch attacks from above to stop the zombies coming from that direction.

Although generally not too hard, Plants vs. Zombies has moments where zombies relentlessly attack, eventually breaking through your defenses and ‘eating’ your brains. These challenging levels feel especially frustrating when your carefully grown plants fail to protect you. The zombies constantly try new tactics – using ladders, driving trucks, and even bringing back defeated zombies – which makes the game very fun and engaging as you progress.

I really like how this game feels and plays – it’s one of the most original tower defense games I’ve seen.

I encountered a few minor issues, like not being able to collect plants during the Raining Seeds bonus level, but these were rare and could likely be resolved with a future update.

Okay, so beyond the main story, there are tons of puzzles and little games to play. But honestly, I’m really enjoying the survival mode! You just fight wave after wave of zombies, and it’s cool because you can change up your weapons and gear between each one. It’s a blast building a solid defense and watching it work. Then there’s this ‘RIP’ mode which is intense. You replay the whole story, but if you get taken down by a zombie, you have to start completely over from the beginning! It adds a whole new level of pressure, but it’s a fun challenge.

The Zen Garden is a relaxing feature where you can grow plants that occasionally give you coins. However, expensive items like fertilizer slowed me down, so I ended up skipping it. It’s a good option if you want to take a break from fighting zombies, though.

“The game’s art style is a delight, as is the soundtrack and audio.”

You can also bring a friend to play with, either working together or competing against each other. Even if you don’t need help fighting off the zombies, playing versus mode with friends is a great way to have fun. You’ll get to choose to play as either the plants or the zombies, which keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging!

With lots of different ways to play the core game, Plants vs. Zombies Replanted is a really fun choice if you’re looking for a relaxed gaming experience on your console. I especially like how the game looks and feels, and it stands out as one of the more original tower defense games available.

This game is easy to recommend! It immediately grabs your attention with its great pace and different ways to play, and it stays fun even after you finish the main story and see the credits roll—all set to a really catchy tune. Whether you’re new to the series or a longtime fan looking for a bit of nostalgia, Plants Vs. Zombies Replanted will keep you happily playing for hours.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

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2025-10-23 16:42