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EA adds a new battle mode to four-year-old ‘Plants vs Zombies 2’
Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time was pretty highly anticipated when it came out in 2013. The title got a couple expansions early on, but we really haven't heard much about the lane-based castle defense game since then. Now, however, it looks like publisher EA and developer PopCap have a completely new high-score comparing player-vs-player system called Battlez mode. If nothing else, this might give us all a reason to hop back into the four-year-old title and try something a little new.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 shambles its way to Android devices worldwide
After brief test runs in Australia and New Zealand, EA and PopCap have released Plants vs. Zombies 2 for Android users worldwide. The new version is virtually identical to the iOS game released this summer, letting players fend off the undead hordes on both phones and tablets. The biggest change (apart from the platform) is a switch from Apple's Game Center to Google Play Game Services for tracking achievements and leaderboards. As before, PvZ2 is free to download -- gamers only pay if they want a fast track to victory. If you're eager to plant some Bonk Choy on your Galaxy Note, you can grab the Android port through the source link. [Thanks, Scott]
Daily Update for August 20, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Plants vs Zombies 2: First look
Right now, my iPad is my enemy. On it is Plants vs Zombies 2 (free, or more realistically, "free, but you are an IAP target waiting to be plucked repeatedly"), just released last night and since about 11PM yesterday, well, let's just say sleep and work went by the wayside. It's a funny kind of upgrade. There are bits about it I'm disappointed with, but overall, it has charmed me. You don't purchase PvZ 2. It's a free download. Instead, the emphasis has transferred to in-app purchases, with hardcore upsells throughout the app. If Candy Crush is the great Satan of IAP abuse, PvZ 2 is certainly an acolyte. I'd much rather pay US$10 or $20 for a full app than constantly be treated as a mark. But this is the way the App Store works these days. Visuals are the first big change you notice in PvZ 2. The artwork has lost the glossy beauty from the original PvZ. It feels more like an embedded web game (is "Facebooky" a word?) than the original. The designs are flatter, less three-dimensional, and while certainly playable, it looks more basic overall. The gameplay, however, remains delightful. I love the storytelling (yes, even Crazy Dave), the challenges, the new tools and the overall epic. In this version of PvZ, you work your way through a quest through time to bring Crazy Dave back to the present, so he can eat more spicy tacos. No one ever said PvZ was Shakespeare. The game starts off with a hint of dinosaur bones beneath the turf, a suggestion of the overall theme, then quickly throws you back to ancient Egypt where you battle historic-style Zombies. If you're familiar with the original PvZ, all your skills and strategies still apply, but there are plenty of engaging and fun new twists. I'm looking forward to other historic venues as the game continues. Features like plant food (that zap your lawn defenders into overdrive) and power-ups (pinching the heads off zombies -- more fun than it sounds, flicking and zapping your zombies) offer intriguing interaction updates. New plants, new obstacles and a bunch of new challenges (archaeologist zombies with torches, dustdevil storm zombies) provide plenty of play fun. In the end, PvZ 2 transcends "more of the same." It's a fun and noteworthy update, one that I'd have been happy to pay a premium for if PopCap weren't so insistent on keeping its hand outstretched for IAPs. It would be a far better game if they converted it to simple pay-then-play, but I suspect their bottom line has taught them how today's App Store market can optimize revenue. I really liked it as I played it, but I do hope I can do so without ever using any IAPs. Should PopCap reconsider and offer a single-payment option that reconsiders this approach, I'll be in line with my credit card.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 hits the App Store
PopCap has released Plants vs. Zombies 2 on the App Store this morning. The game is the follow-up to the wildly popular action-strategy adventure Plants vs. Zombies. This time around, players pit wild plants against the undead throughout different time periods. From PopCap's website describing the sequel: Join Crazy Dave on a crazy adventure where you'll meet, greet and defeat legions of zombies from the dawn of time to the end of days. Amass an army of powerful new plants, super charge them with Plant Food and power up your defenses with amazing new ways to protect your brain. In addition to new plants, Plants vs. Zombies 2 features new zombies (including zombie chickens), new endless levels like Pyramid of Doom and Pirate's Booty, and new power ups. Plants vs. Zombies 2 is a free download and offers in-app purchases.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 launches worldwide on iOS, offers true free-to-play gaming
If you didn't get early access to Plants vs. Zombies 2 on iOS, now's your chance to play -- PopCap's backyard defense game has just launched worldwide on the App Store. The time travel-themed sequel significantly expands on the original with new plants, new zombies, between-round maps and touch-controlled power-ups. We've tried the game, and it's a welcome refinement of a mostly familiar experience. For some, though, the big change in PvZ2 may be its sheer accessibility. This is a genuinely free-to-play title -- you can see virtually everything it has to offer without paying a dime. In-app purchases are largely restricted to perks, such as coin packs. The developer doesn't yet have a schedule for PvZ2 releases on other platforms, but those who have at least one iOS device can engage in herbal warfare at the source link.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 gets delayed, now coming later this summer
I got to see Plants vs. Zombies 2 running at E3, and the game looked essentially done. That's why this news is so surprising. PopCap has tweeted that the title has been delayed from its July 18 launch to "sometime later on this summer." Note that it will still premiere on iOS. There could be several reasons for this. PopCap is part of EA, so perhaps the title must go through extra quality reviews, or maybe July 18 conflicts with something else in EA's lineup. It's also possible that PopCap wants to leverage other additions to the Plants vs. Zombies empire (the company is working on a cheeky third-person shooter based on the popular franchise). There are also some concerns from E3 about the game's freemium elements. Unlike the original game, Plants vs. Zombies 2 is free to play, but dependent on in-app purchases for revenue. So it's possible that PopCap is reconsidering, or at least tweaking, those elements. We won't know for sure until we see the game again, which will hopefully be soon. Plants vs. Zombies 2 (which is somewhat ironically titled "It's About Time") is now set to arrive later this summer.
EA/Chillingo's E3 2013 offerings: Plants vs Zombies 2, Fightback and more
Chillingo, unfortunately, wasn't mentioned at all during EA's press conference last week. I thought the big publisher would at least give a little nod to its extremely successful mobile publishing arm, but no such luck. I did, however, go and see the team gathered in their annual suite near the LA Convention Center, and got a nice look at their upcoming slate for the next few months. Here's a quick title-by-title rundown of what Chillingo and parent company EA were showing off. Plants vs. Zombies 2 This is technically not a Chillingo title, as it's being developed by Popcap and published by EA. But it was probably what will turn out to be the biggest title in the suite for sure. Plants vs. Zombies was a huge hit on mobile, and so Popcap is bringing it first to iOS later on this month. In addition to new plant types and lots of new stages, the title has a time traveling theme. Crazy Dave will take you and your plants back through time to fight zombies in Ancient Egypt, the Wild West, and the pirate-infested seas, with one more (probably a future) level coming soon after launch. This time around, the game is based on that series of worlds, so each world will have its own core levels, challenge levels, and then endless levels to play through. Levels are unlocked as you open them up with keys that you collect, and you'll need to earn a certain number of stars to open up "star gates" and move to the next world. Gameplay is as colorful and fun as ever in the very popular Plants vs. Zombies series, though there are a few new elements, like the ability to drag across the screen and pick up sunlight, rather than having to tap on each sun separately. There are also new touchscreen-based powerups to play with, and this is where the game's biggest issue comes in: It's a freemium title. The original Plants vs. Zombies was very much a premium game, in that you paid once and played forever. But Popcap has elected to go freemium with PvZ2, so it'll be free to download, and then various currencies and items will be available via in-app purchase. Popcap's reps were very clear to say that players would be able to see the whole game for free, and that's true, but even in my short playthrough, I saw no end of reminders that I could spend real money on in-game items. Powerups cost currency to use, which you can earn in-game, or you can spend real money on them if needed. And a special item called plant food provides your plants with a big boost, and can be collected from certain zombies or purchased directly. The jury's out on this one for now -- we'll have to wait and see if the changes bother Popcap's audience at all. Popcap believes there's more money to be made with a freemium scheme, and that's almost certainly true. But the freemium elements may turn off a sizable part of the audience that doesn't want to be continuously bothered for cash, and could taint the series' otherwise sterling reputation for quality. Plants vs. Zombies 2 is due out very soon. Fightback Fightback is a Chillingo-published title being developed by Ninja Theory, the talented folks behind the great Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and the recent DmC: Devil May Cry, both for traditional consoles. Fightback is a much simpler action game with an '80s feel, as you play a muscle-headed thug fighting through floor after floor of various towers, trying to save his oft-kidnapped sister. The game features a simple control scheme (tap to punch, swipe to kick or duck), and challenges the player to keep an attack combo going and defeat all of the baddies within a certain time limit. Fightback seems simple but fun -- one level takes place in an arcade, and the neon signage and fictional arcade cabinets add a nice bit of fun to the fisticuffs happening in the foreground. It too is a freemium title, and in addition to upgrading weapons and equipment, the hero can also get tattoos, which provide special buffs and abilities. Fightback should be an excellent but simple action title, and a nice entry into iOS for the veterans at Ninja Theory. It's set to arrive sometime this summer. Zya Zya is the product of a company called Music Mastermind, and it has already picked up 300,000 users courtesy of a PC-based beta last year. It's a music creation app, though while most music creation tools are buried under complicated UIs and science, Zya instead goes with cute characters and flashy graphics, and turns the process of creating and mixing a song into a game, of sorts. You start by choosing a series of music tracks (including a bass line and a rhythm section), either picking from the original pieces provided, or using licensed music from artists like Kelly Clarkson or Madonna. You can then add a melody, again from a licensed piece, or simply by singing your own into the iPad or iPhone's microphone. The game will then mix all of your tracks together (courtesy of a cute cartoony dog hitting a big green "Mix" button), and then reward you various points and achievements based on the mix you chose. You can then share that mix via YouTube or other social networks, with friends or online with the public. Zya seems like a great idea -- it combines some really impressive music creation and mixdown tools with cute characters and a very clear interface. There are only 20 licensed songs to start, but of course the company is ready to add more, if the app sees the popularity it needs. Zya will be out later this year, on iOS first, with an Android version to follow. Icycle Icycle was my favorite game at GDC this year, and we chatted with creator Reece Millidge just a while ago. The good news about Icycle is that it's just as beautiful, charming, and well-made as it was at GDC, and it's even closer to release (though obviously Chillingo is putting the time in to get it right). The bad news, however, is that some freemium elements are creeping into the gorgeous gameplay. Now, when your character dies, you're presented with a button to retry right from where you started, with a small cost of currency to pay (undoubtedly available via in-app purchase). There are also various boosts and other items buy, and unfortunately the menus for those items just appear garish and commercial when overlaid on the spectacular game itself. Icycle has to make money, of course, but it's a little depressing to see commerce invade what should really be held up as pure art. We'll have to see how that balance plays out -- it would be a shame for Chillingo to ruin such an excellent experience with a few overly crass sales pitches. Icycle is almost done, I'm told, and we should see it on the App Store soon. Ultima Forever Finally, Ultima Forever was on display yet again. I saw this in action at GDC for the first time, and it was and impressive retake on the old Ultima RPGs, made directly for iPhone. Unfortunately, it too suffers a little bit from the freemium focus that Chillingo has had lately, using a relatively annoying scheme of requiring keys of various qualities to do RPG-standard things like open chests and repair damaged equipment. Fortunately, senior producer Carrie Gouskos seems particularly sensitive to the freemium concerns, especially after what sounds like a very enlightening Canadian beta. She told me that she's very dedicated to not only making sure there's a free-to-play path through the game that's fun and rewarding, but has also been lowering prices lately, trying to get the in-app purchases to a place where they're both profitable (for Chillingo's sake), and tolerable (for the audience's). We'll be able to see the game soon -- it's set for a worldwide release sometime in July. Chillingo is one of my favorite publishers on the App Store -- the staff over there has made some terrific decisions in partnering up with quality developers, and all of these titles seem like great, well-polished experiences. Freemium is turning into a bad word with these titles, however, even when it doesn't have to be. We've seen in the past that audiences on iOS are more than willing to pay for high-quality experiences, and while the constant ask may make Chillingo more money in the end, it could sully the company's reputation, especially as there are more and more great experiences on the App Store that don't constantly pester for cash. Hopefully this company can find a good balance between profitable and fun, and keep publishing these great titles without having to cram them full of controversial freemium pitches.
Plants vs Zombies 2 exclusively on iOS at launch
Ever since Plants vs. Zombies 2 was first announced, I've been crossing my fingers that we wouldn't have to wait long for an iOS release. The original game was hugely successful on Apple's touchscreen devices, but of course it was first seen on PC, and then eventually made its way out to every other platform on the face of the Earth. It turns out, however, that I shouldn't have worried about the sequel at all. Not only is Plants vs. Zombies 2 coming to iOS, but it's coming to iOS first and exclusively for a limited time. You can read the whole press release below, but suffice it to say that when PvZ2 arrives on July 18, it'll be only on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and that's awesome. The game will also have some touchscreen-only features (that allow you to interact with the zombies directly, which sounds interesting), and EA is planning lots of extra content for the game going forward. The title will be free-to-play, though the press release also mentions some freemium item sales like plant food or other unlocks. That's a little bit worrying, considering how much trouble the Real Racing 3 freemium items caused when that game arrived, but this is Popcap we're talking about, so they'll do it right ... right? At any rate, we'll find out soon enough. The game is set for a preview at E3 next week, so stay tuned and if I see it there, you'll hear about it here. And then everyone will be able to jump in when the game finally arrives on July 18. Show full PR text POPCAP DETAILS PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES 2: SEQUEL TO ACCLAIMED ORIGINAL LAUNCHING WORLDWIDE ON JULY 18 Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time! Available Exclusively For iPhone, iPad and iPod touch At Launch SEATTLE, Washington – June 3, 2013 - PopCap Games, creator of some of the world's most beloved video game franchises and a division of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA), today provided additional details regarding Plants vs. Zombies™ 2. The highly anticipated sequel to Plants vs. Zombies, a fan favorite among players of all ages, Plants vs. Zombies 2 will be previewed by invitation only at E3 in Los Angeles next week and will launch worldwide on July 18 exclusively for iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch®. PopCap today also unveiled a trailer for Plants vs. Zombies 2, on its YouTube channel: (www.youtube.com/plantsvszombies). Designed from the ground up as a live service, the ever-expanding universe of Plants vs. Zombies 2 continues the epic struggle of plants defending your brainz against zombies from your backyard through the vast reaches of time, both past and future. New worlds with new levels, plants, zombies and new ways to play will be released on an ongoing basis. Leveraging the touch interface of Apple's popular mobile devices, Plants vs. Zombies 2 includes all-new touch-screen power-ups that enable players to "break the fourth wall" and interact with zombies directly, as well as via plant defenses. Also returning for the sequel is Crazy Dave, the addled neighbor who serves as a guide for players and shopkeeper for special plant upgrades and other tools and weapons. New touch-screen power-ups, plant food that supercharges plants, and novel new game mechanics that both help and hinder players' efforts to thwart the zombie hordes will enthrall existing fans and new players alike. Free to download, Plants vs. Zombies 2 will expand and extend the classic gameplay of the original and provide players with dozens of all-new levels, plants and zombies across multiple worlds at no cost. While the vast majority of the game will be entirely free to play (players can face every zombie and access every level in every world at no cost), Plants vs. Zombies 2 players will also be able to purchase upgrades and other in-game items. "It's about time!" said Allen Murray, Senior Producer for Plants vs. Zombies 2. "We're confident that players will see the love and attention we've put into this game. We've created wild new ways to experience the plants and zombies you know and love as well as packing the game with tons of completely new content, and we're still hard at work coming up with even more cool stuff that will keep Plants vs. Zombies 2 fresh and evolving in the months and years following launch."
Plants vs Zombies 2 coming next year
PopCap has made an announcement that will be music to the ears of flower-planting undead fighters everywhere: Plants vs. Zombies is getting a sequel, due in spring 2013. Unfortunately, no details have been announced yet; PopCap says that the game will have "new features, settings, and situations" but that's about it. That's probably not a problem, however, as fans will probably be happy with any new PvZ content they can play. Another thing that hasn't been announced yet is platforms. Traditionally, PopCap has launched its titles on PC first then, as it did with Plants vs Zombies, release them on other platforms such as iOS and gaming consoles. But Plants vs. Zombies has been a huge hit on mobile. PopCap, as part of EA, has also been increasingly focusing on mobile as a way to sell its mass-market casual games. So hopefully it won't be long before we see this title on iOS -- with luck it might be on release day.
