PvZ: Garden Warfare 2

The criminally slept on Garden Warfare is getting a sequel!

There is a very comprehensive list of all the features over at neogaf, so all thanks to ElzarTheBam as I'm copy pasta-ing his post from there to here:

ElzarTheBam wrote:

Price: $60 as opposed to the original being $40 (Although the original at launch had far less content).

Comes out at the same time on XB/PS4/PC

Out in the spring 2016 timeframe

Key points

All DLC content to be made avaible free
Can play any mode in split screen (as opposed to one in the original game)
Can play any mode solo against AI bots

12 new Maps
Over 100 variant characters (40 being new)
Can transfer unlocked PvZ1 characters ( not all, but most, I assume licencing issues with Cheetos and Aquafresh being the ones that can't transfer)
14 classes
New 24 player Herbal Assault mode
Garden Ops as Zombies this time,named graveyards ops, but garden ops also returns
Sticker packs returns
Will be available in a standard and delux edition (delux edition gives you 3 characters, one being random and some coins to get started)

Maps

Zomboss Factory, this level features warps that take you to a different areas in the level.
Time Travel Park, this level also features warps, but instead they take you to different time periods instead!
Also teased were a snow themed level, and a level set on the moon featuring zero gravity.
Generally, maps in the sequel are going to be larger with more areas to explore.

Characters

The game will have 40 new characters/variants, and with the ability to bring in most GW1 characters, over a 100 is promised.
14 Classes overall (6 being new).

Modes

All modes can be played solo against AI, in split screen, or online.
Graveyards ops, Garden ops from the first game but in reverse, with plants attacking. Seems very similar and instead of plant pots you enable different type of turrets around the levels.
24 player herbal assault, unsure what this is right now, person really hoping for Rush.
Gardens and Graveyards returns.
Garden Ops returns.

ElzarTheBam wrote:

Update October 2015

How many new classes are there?

Six new character classes will lead the fight for Zomburbia - joining the original 8 to make 14 character classes in total, over 100 playable characters, including variants.

Will we see character variants from the first Garden Warfare in Garden Warfare 2?

Yes, almost all the character variants from the original Garden Warfare will return. The only exception being the four promotional characters: Berry Shooter, Citrus Cactus, Chester Chomper and Dr. Chester. There will also be new variants of the classes from the first Garden Warfare.

How does progression work?

Each of the 100+ character variants has their own progression. Now you can explore and play with a variety of characters and level them up along the way.

Custom games are in! Some option being tuning capture time, low gravity, and setting cooldowns for abilities.

These videos are from the past few months, but it shows a couple of the new maps and characters.

And some footage of the new Graveyard Ops mode and the new zombie characters:

I'm honestly more excited about this game than I am for Star Wars Battlefront. I enjoyed the SW:BF beta, but the lack of distinct classes and class variants, coupled with the $50 season pass really cooled me on it.

nel e nel wrote:

I'm honestly more excited about this game than I am for Star Wars Battlefront. I enjoyed the SW:BF beta, but the lack of distinct classes and class variants, coupled with the $50 season pass really cooled me on it.

No doubt whatsoever for me; Battlefront felt like a generic shooter with a phenomenally great license. Gameplay-wise, there was nothing special about it. PvZ was incredibly fun and unique, and I'm not only going to buy it the day it comes out, but I'm going to buy it twice; I have two Xbones, and I wound up buying the original twice so my kids could play it together. The game is just solid in every possible way.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:
nel e nel wrote:

I'm honestly more excited about this game than I am for Star Wars Battlefront. I enjoyed the SW:BF beta, but the lack of distinct classes and class variants, coupled with the $50 season pass really cooled me on it.

No doubt whatsoever for me; Battlefront felt like a generic shooter with a phenomenally great license. Gameplay-wise, there was nothing special about it. PvZ was incredibly fun and unique, and I'm not only going to buy it the day it comes out, but I'm going to buy it twice; I have two Xbones, and I wound up buying the original twice so my kids could play it together. The game is just solid in every possible way.

Keep in mind that PvZ:GW2 will now feature split-screen co-op for ALL modes, not just Garden/Graveyard Ops.

I'm so close to preordering this. Sadly, Canada gets the shaft yet again: this is an $80 game here. At least it's not a $70 season pass like Battlefront?

Open beta starts tomorrow, 1/14. Beta trailer:

Yes, my son and I are quite looking forward to this beta!

J.C. wrote:

I'm so close to preordering this. Sadly, Canada gets the shaft yet again: this is an $80 game here. At least it's not a $70 season pass like Battlefront?

I believe they've said that they will continue the All DLC Is Free model established for the first game.

Also, you will need to go to the link below to redeem a code/download for the beta tomorrow:

http://www.pvzgw2.com/news/how-to-jo...

I just finished Uncharted 3 the other day, so I'm currently in between games, ergo this is pretty much all I'm planning on playing this weekend. Hit me up on PS4 if you want to play.

Wow, do they need to work on class balancing; a row of those oranges with their shields up can simply dominate the Gardens and Graveyards equivalent, and it seems like the defenders have the advantage regardless. I played 8-10 matches, and never once got to the end; it's a much more indoor-themed series of maps, and those lead themselves to creating really significant choke points unlike the first game.

I like the new classes, but my enthusiasm is somewhat dampened; in Turf War, it's those oranges as defenders that seemed the killer class, and, in Suburbination, the imp's mech wouldn't get funneled into a choke point and would just run around annihilating everything. I'm going to assume balancing is one of the first acts of the post-beta development process.

Played a couple hours with my son last night and we had a blast. I haven't noticed any issues with class balance, but then again I don't pay much attention to that kind of thing so there certainly could be issues. I just wish they'd add a Mute All, but other than that the game is as fun as I'd hoped.

To me at least, it seems like each of the new characters has at least one ability that is overpowered either defensively or offensively, while the returning characters don't seem as effective in their intended roles as they used to be.

Bump for release day; only twelve posts for what should be one of the most anticipated games of the year? YOU ARE DEAD TO ME, GWJ.

Or not. People need to give this game a chance, the first one was amazingly good.

I enjoyed the first game but wasn't planning on getting this one, but did on a whim this morning anyway because I was bored on my day off I lack self control.

I put in a few hours and enjoyed it, though. At first blush there seems to be a downright obscene amount of things to do and unlock.

Yup hoping to get my copy from Amazon this evening, my son and I are eager to dive in.

For those playing on PS4, I've put together a community called "Brainy Gamers with Seedy Jobs" in the hopes that we might be able to set up game nights or something. [My PSN: mariosmaker]
Didn't get to play much today, but what I did play was great! I'm really glad that all my unlocked PvZ GW1 characters were transferable, the pharaoh sunflower (My preferred plant of the day) is a great mix of sniping and rear guard healing that didn't work too well in GW1, that seemed to be a much better fit here.

I had a good time playing last night; it seemed like they managed to address most of the class balance issues, and the Imp and Orange in particular had been nerfed down to an appropriate level instead of being the God Mode they were in the beta. The Rose is the one that seems really overpowered at the moment, there were a lot of people using it last night.

Definitely having fun so far.

Any idea if all the customization that you didn't unlock in the first game, if they are available to unlock in the 2nd game?

whispa wrote:

Any idea if all the customization that you didn't unlock in the first game, if they are available to unlock in the 2nd game?

Characters came over, but customization items do not.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:
whispa wrote:

Any idea if all the customization that you didn't unlock in the first game, if they are available to unlock in the 2nd game?

Characters came over, but customization items do not.

I see. If you didn't unlock them all, are they available in 2 to unlock?

whispa wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:
whispa wrote:

Any idea if all the customization that you didn't unlock in the first game, if they are available to unlock in the 2nd game?

Characters came over, but customization items do not.

I see. If you didn't unlock them all, are they available in 2 to unlock?

I'm guessing they're all entirely new; I got a huge bundle of coins as a reward for my level in the first game and bought a bunch of packs, and I didn't recognize any of the items.

Thanks for the info!

Played around a bit last night and of course the game is a blast. There is just so much to do and so many characters it's tough to even choose sometimes. Unlocked an Imp variant - the SHRImp and even his robot power is different, this bigass shrimpbot drops down and me and my son are just "What??! LOL" Everything about this game is just overflowing with character and humor.

I was going to hold off on this, but now I'm kind of wanting to not do that. Decisions.

So who else is playing on PSN here? Please feel free to add me! I got some stuff to take care of this weekend and this past weeks been super hectic but after this I should be putting a lot of nights into this

Eldon_of_Azure wrote:

For those playing on PS4, I've put together a community called "Brainy Gamers with Seedy Jobs" in the hopes that we might be able to set up game nights or something. [My PSN: mariosmaker]
Didn't get to play much today, but what I did play was great! I'm really glad that all my unlocked PvZ GW1 characters were transferable, the pharaoh sunflower (My preferred plant of the day) is a great mix of sniping and rear guard healing that didn't work too well in GW1, that seemed to be a much better fit here.

Sorry I skimmed too fast! I will join this tonight!

Anyone playing on Xbox One? I have the 10 hour trial on EA access and have been having fun but I don't have anyone to play with. My wife and I tried the split screen but it doesn't work in the trial version. Xbox Live: yasumi39

Giving this a break until they patch Rose and tweak her a bit. Too many people abusing her at moment.

whispa wrote:

Giving this a break until they patch Rose and tweak her a bit. Too many people abusing her at moment.

Yeah, I've completely given up on Turf War, because half the plants are always Rose and it's not worth the bother. I tend to find the other modes not as overbalanced, just because there aren't the natural choke points in the more free-flowing modes. They upped the rewards for those modes plus the horde mode, so it's not like the first GW where Gardens and Graveyards was the only thing anybody ever seemed to play.

The Rose is so blatantly overpowered I'm not sure how they missed it in internal testing. She seemed a bit underpowered in the beta, but there's such a huge flip to the other side it's patently ridiculous.

Edit: They're already announcing pending balance changes with the Rose, plus other content. Good deal, if after a week they're already planning an update they're definitely listening. Sounds like a "return to Suburbia", which I means a few more quests in single-player mode (which are silly, but still a nice distraction).

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

The Rose is so blatantly overpowered I'm not sure how they missed it in internal testing. She seemed a bit underpowered in the beta, but there's such a huge flip to the other side it's patently ridiculous.

I felt like Rose was overpowered in the beta as well, there just weren't as many people playing as her so it wasn't as apparent.

Late comer to this fantastic game. But oh does that little tinge set in right quick regarding grinding for coins to unlock the characters.
Funny but I am having a hard time finding a zombie I gel with while most of the plants are fun.
The pea shooter is great and I saw video of someone who had already unlocked the sniper pea that I really want to play.
The citron is very strong and cool so I can't wait to see what some on the variants are.
The rose is okay and I have unlocked the fire rose but still just okay for me.
Fire seems to make everything better but the biggest change was the bbq cob. I did not like the normal version but I love the fire(bbq) version.
The sun flower was pretty cool from the getgo. I do no like the pharaoh flower but now that I am more familiar with the game, I may give it another chance. The fire flower I thought I would like more but it is kind of a wash with the stock sun flower.
I think the cactus has potential but I think I will look forward to testing out the variants before I pass judgment on it.
As for zombies, the imp seems the only one that is fun.
The feel of the primary weapons of most are not good, in contrast to the plants.
The soldier feels good but like many other zombies has a flawed mechanic in that it eats up ammo too fast.
The super zombie has a neat beam weapon akin to the citron but wil give me really bad carpal tunnel and tunnel vision because you have to hold right click(zoom) to use it.
Many of the other zombies are difficult to make out how effective the main weapon is or what their effective range is. And the frustrating thing is when I play solo multiplayer (don't ask but yes that is not a typo) I seem to get sniped a lot by this purple shooting AI zombie. It isn't the pink beam of the super zombie, I think it is either a pirate or soldier.