The wacky Plants vs Zombie themed shooter is back with a sequel that introduces new characters and plenty of single player content for those that don't want to solely focus on the multiplayer scene. Game design wise most of the core features have remained the same with the game set just a...

New plants and game modes – More single player

Too much grinding to level up your variants

Under the cheery looks is a surprisingly gripping shooter; one that, second time round, offers a healthier spread of modes and an addictive breadcrumb trail of hero progression.

Visual design fizzes with wit and warmth; Addictive drip-feed of heroes and unlocks; New classes open up fun tactical options; Added modes give both armies more to do

Lacks the satisfying precision of most shooters; Story mode is more of a glorified tutorial

I would attack the flying shrimp robot with my shoulder-mounted freeze ray, but a pirate just set me on fire and now I need to find a sunflower so I don't die before my team destroys the giant boot battering our castle gate. In other words, Plants vs.

Incredible mechanical diversity and creativity; New characters make both teams feel more balanced and complete; Hub world adds narrative context and fun hidden extras

Single-player missions feel empty and repetitive; Earning upgrades and unlocking characters takes far too long

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is a sequel to a game I didn't expect to like in the first place. When it was announced back in 2013, the original Garden Warfare seemed like a monstrosity, taking the accessible, goofy charm of casual-friendly developer PopCap's overhead strategy game Plants vs.

Lettuce Fight

EA's purchase of PopCap games, developers of the Plants vs Zombies series, heralded a move towards AAA console titles with the first Garden Warfare game receiving critical praise for its unique game modes and applying the IP successfully from a mobile game to a third person shooter back in 2014.

Spectacular soundtrack; Smart level design; Satisfying controls

Little evolution from predecessor; Offline offerings could be more robust

Since Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (2014 ) was a shooter with no single-player mode, it was a game I had zero interest in. Now that the follow-up has the feature, and I've played it, I'm still not sure it's for me, but maybe my twelve-year-old self would have dug it.

Crisp; richly-detailed visuals; A lot of options

No memorable characters or levels; Tags

PopCap Games ' Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is the game that everyone hoped the original would be. The original game, which was a timed exclusive for Microsoft's Xbox One, is literally half the game the new one is.

Pealectronic Arts.

Great fun; Full of things to see and do; Turf Takeover is fantastic

Internet connection required; even for single player; Single player missions are mainly re-purposed multiplayer content; Rose is completely overpowered

Two years ago Popcap surprised players with a fresh but unexpected take on the Plants vs Zombies franchise with Garden Warfare. This month, the plans and zombies return, and in a much bigger scale than before. Narratively Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is pretty simple to understand.