Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2: Deluxe Edition

Peashooters, zombies, and a treadmill make more sense together than I expected, because there’s always something moving and the game doesn’t ask you to sit through a long story before you get to it. I’d start with the less frantic modes, though, because trying to line up a shot while your hands bounce is its own little boss fight.

Gameplay

The shooting is the reason I’d keep coming back. You pick a plant or zombie with a different feel, and then you’re running around firing at the other team or trying to hold an objective, so the match stays busy without making you learn a complicated set of rules first. Peashooter is a nice place to start because you can send shots toward the general area of a problem and still feel useful. Precision is for people with steadier thumbs than mine.

There’s enough variety in the characters to make switching sides feel like more than a costume change. Chomper gets up close, Sunflower can support teammates, and the zombies have characters like All Star and Super Brainz who play in a very different way. I like that the game lets you try those approaches without turning each one into a whole separate thing to study. Some characters will suit you immediately, and some will feel like a job you took because the uniform looked good.

The Backyard Battleground gives you space to poke around, take on quests, and get used to the chaos before you commit to a match. I think that’s a useful way in, especially if you’re playing while exercising and don’t want the first few minutes to feel like trying to read a map while jogging. There are little tasks and things to find, though, and I’d keep those for a warmup or an easier pace rather than expecting the hub to keep you focused for a whole workout.

Once you get into the team modes, the action is usually the good kind of distracting. Turf Takeover has you fighting over a changing objective, while Team Vanquish is more direct, and I’d pick based on whether you want a clear place to go or just want to keep moving and shooting. Garden and Graveyard Ops gives you waves of enemies to deal with, which sounds like a comfortable choice when you don’t want to think about a human opponent trying to outplay you. I don’t know how long I’d spend in the hub once I knew the characters I liked, but I’d be happy to use it as a little breathing room between matches.

The Deluxe Edition’s Z7 Imp and its mech add a fun extra character to try, but I wouldn’t buy this edition expecting that one addition to change the whole game. It’s still the same bright, silly team shooter underneath, and that’s plenty. The plants and zombies are ridiculous in a way that mostly makes me smile, even when a match turns into several people firing at the same patch of grass.

Category Score: 3 out of 3

Treadmill and Bike Compatibility

A bike sounds a little easier here, mostly because aiming while your whole upper body is bouncing on a treadmill can get annoying fast. The game works with a controller, which is what you want, but aiming still asks for steady thumb movement and quick turns when someone comes at you from the side. I’d lower the difficulty of the workout before I blamed the controller.

I’d start with Garden and Graveyard Ops or a less competitive match, then see how well aiming feels at your usual pace. In a wave mode, the enemies come to you, and there’s less pressure to make one perfect decision before another player gets there first. I’d probably avoid intense objective matches when I’m already running hard, because watching the point move while trying to find the person shooting at you can turn into a lot of thumb gymnastics.

There’s room to change characters if one style is making your workout harder than it needs to be. A character that can contribute without needing perfect aim might be a better fit than one whose whole appeal is getting close to an enemy and timing an attack. I don’t know why I’d choose a mode that asks for exact aim when the game has options that let me spend more time moving around and less time squinting at the screen. But I can see the appeal of getting better at it.

On a bike, I’d be more willing to play the faster modes, since I can keep my hands steadier and turn without feeling like every step is nudging the camera. On a treadmill, I’d keep the speed comfortable and give myself permission to skip a match if the aiming starts making me tense. It should be exercise with a game, not a small argument between your thumbs and your legs.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Computer Requirements

The minimum graphics cards are old enough that this doesn’t look like a game that demands a recent gaming PC, though I’d check that your graphics hardware can meet the listed Radeon HD 7730 or GeForce GT 640 minimum. You’ll also need an internet connection and 40 GB of storage, so the download may take more planning than the graphics. Leave room on the drive.

Category Score: 3 out of 3

Conclusion and Score

This is an easy one to suggest if you want a colorful shooter that keeps your attention and gives you a few different ways to play. I’d pick a wave mode for a treadmill, keep the workout pace comfortable, and save the more competitive matches for when my aim feels steady.

Overall Score: 2.67 out of 3