So it’s the end of the year again, and that means that now is the time that I, instead of playing new games for review or compiling various other collections of lexemes and such, sit and play everything that I’ve missed throughout the year in hopes of being able to look at year-ends awards from an honest and informed perspective. This year I came across a delightfully click-tastic little gem of a game from the developers of what would probably be my videogame nemesis, Peggle. (Yes, I think Peggle is awful.) This time, though, PopCap has done something right, and has delivered to us the excellent Plants vs. Zombies.
"So what is Eddie writing right now? Is this a review?" You might be asking yourselves questions like these right now, but I can assure you that this is not a review at all, but a look at one man’s virgin experience with a seven-month-old game that just about everyone was already well-versed in, and an utter reversal of opinion over the course of a single fervent hour of gaming (probably less, considering the time I paused the game).
I have obviously been aware of PvZ for some time, but only yesterday did I actually try my hand at the game, and the following is my excited, reactionary, AIM conversation with fellow GN director Ryan Maffit.
This should be fun (offensive language and poor writing advisory in effect)…
[23:38] Eddie: i have to record a short clip tomorrow
[23:38] Eddie: about the year’s most overrated game
[23:38] Eddie: and i’m stumped
[23:38] Eddie: i wish i played Killzone 2
[23:39] Ryan: he
[23:41] Eddie: ok, time to look at gamerankings
[23:41] Eddie: sort by 2009
[23:41] Eddie: best to worst
[23:45] Eddie: AWWW shit… Plants vs Zombies…
[23:45] Ryan: haha
[23:45] Eddie: 89%
[23:45] Ryan: that was a good 1 too
[23:45] Eddie: i bet i think it’s overrated
[23:45] Ryan: :P
[23:45] Eddie: jeeze, i hope i do, anyway
[23:45] Ryan: haha
[23:45] Eddie: or i’ll have no answer
[23:45] Ryan: its good I have it on my steam
[23:46] Eddie: now that batman is awesome
[23:46] Eddie: :-/
[23:46] Ryan: :P
[23:46] Ryan: ha
[23:55] Eddie: ok, so can i judge PvZ by the online demo?
[23:55] Ryan: link?
[23:56] Eddie: http:/www.popcap.com/games/free/pvz
[23:56] Ryan: the actual game
[23:56] Eddie: this shit is boring
[23:57] Ryan: has a lot more stuff
[23:57] Ryan: haha
[23:57] Ryan: I think it starts off real slow
[23:57] Ryan: but it gets tricky
[23:57] Ryan: well in terms of similarity to the actual game
[23:57] Ryan: this is pretty spot on for the first level
[23:57] Ryan: lol
[23:58] Eddie: well this IS PopCap
[23:58] Eddie: it’s the real game
[23:58] Eddie: just online
[23:58] Ryan: haha
[23:58] Ryan: even down to the music its the same :P
[23:58] Eddie: and it’s a bunch of clicking
[23:58] Eddie: and dumb
[23:58] Ryan: ><
[23:59] Eddie: i mean, Peggle Deluxe got an Xbox 360 release this year
[23:59] Eddie: but that’s an old game
[23:59] Ryan: true
[23:59] Eddie: otherwise it would be my pick
[23:59] Eddie: i think Peggle is the most overrated game of all time
[23:59] Eddie: haha
[23:59] Eddie: maybe i’ll say that
[23:59] Ryan: haha
[00:00] Eddie: PvZ is far better than Peggle
[00:01] Ryan: ya
[00:01] Ryan: haha
[00:04] Eddie: i’m actually enjoying it now
[00:04] Ryan: :P
[00:04] Ryan: Ya
[00:04] Ryan: first 3-4 levels are mad boring
[00:04] Eddie: if a zombie touches a plant does the plant die?
[00:05] Ryan: no
[00:05] Ryan: it starts attacking it
[00:05] Ryan: then it eats it
[00:05] Ryan: haha
[00:05] Eddie: ok
[00:05] Eddie: not so fast
[00:05] Eddie: but yes
[00:05] Ryan: takes a lil while
[00:08] Eddie: oooh a shovel
[00:08] Ryan: haha
[00:08] Ryan: ya u get power ups and shit
[00:09] Eddie: oh cool
[00:09] Eddie: bowling level
[00:09] Ryan: haha
[00:11] Eddie: ooooh
[00:11] Eddie: a squash
[00:12] Ryan: :P
[00:13] Eddie: i’m using that shit IMMEDIATELY
[00:13] Ryan: lmao
[00:13] Eddie: YES!
[00:13] Eddie: THWOMP
[00:13] Ryan: :P
[00:15] Eddie: wtf
[00:15] Eddie: a high-jumping zombie!
[00:15] Ryan: LOL
[00:15] Ryan: yup
[00:16] Ryan: told ya it takes strategy
[00:16] Ryan: haha
[00:17] Eddie: i think i left way too much space for sunflowers that time
[00:17] Eddie: i LOOOOOOVE sunflizzles
[00:17] Eddie: i Love SUN. I love lamp
[00:17] Ryan: haha
[00:17] Eddie: i’m getting a THOUSAND text messages right now
[00:17] Eddie: wtf
[00:18] Ryan: :S
[00:18] Eddie: i just got 4 in 4 seconds from 4 people
[00:19] Ryan: nice
[00:21] Eddie: oh shit
[00:21] Eddie: The Hero of Time
[00:21] Eddie: is in a tab
[00:21] Eddie: you sent me that link ages ago
[00:21] Ryan: lmao
[00:21] Eddie: and i clicked it
[00:21] Ryan: yes
[00:21] Ryan: haha
[00:21] Eddie: and now it’s still here
[00:21] Ryan: yup
[00:21] Ryan: haha
[00:21] Ryan: its like
[00:21] Ryan: a full movie
[00:21] Ryan: haha
[00:21] Eddie: that was so long ago
[00:21] Eddie: when i first heard about it
[00:21] Ryan: haha
[00:21] Ryan: ya
[00:22] Eddie: did you watch it?
[00:22] Eddie: i probably will tonight
[00:22] Eddie: but wait…. first i have to fucking blast undead with snow peas
[00:22] Ryan: hehe
[00:29] Eddie: awww sheeeeeiiit
[00:29] Eddie: piranha plant
[00:29] Ryan: :P
[00:29] Eddie: oh
[00:29] Eddie: i can only have 6 to choose from
[00:29] Eddie: cool
[00:30] Eddie: "LET’S ROCK"
[00:32] Ryan: :P
[00:32] Ryan: hehe
[00:35] Eddie: ooooh
[00:35] Eddie: the rePEAter
[00:35] Eddie: 2 peas at a time
[00:35] Eddie: win
[00:35] Eddie: i fucking love this
[00:35] Eddie: haha
[00:35] Eddie: why am i still playing?
[00:35] Eddie: i thought it was a demo
[00:35] Eddie: this is a healthy ass demo
[00:42] Eddie: haha
[00:42] Eddie: damn
[00:43] Eddie: FUCKED them up
[00:43] Eddie: MY LAWN IS INVINCIBLE!!!!!
[00:43] Eddie: i have 2 full columns of sunflowers
[00:43] Eddie: then one of snow peas
[00:43] Eddie: then one of sunflowers
[00:43] Eddie: then TWO of rePEAters
[00:44] Eddie: CRUSHING FOES
[00:59] Ryan: LOL
[01:00] Eddie: holy balls
[01:00] Ryan: the full game gets crazier
[01:00] Ryan: haha
[01:00] Eddie: those little yellow fuckers are POWERFUL sun-spreaders
[01:00] Ryan: lmao
[01:00] Eddie: the shroomies
[01:00] Ryan: Yes
[01:00] Eddie: YEESSSS
[01:00] Ryan: haha
[01:00] Eddie: i just had about 6759865q8965248 sun
[01:00] Eddie: and 6 rows of super shooting shit
[01:01] Ryan: :P
[01:01] Ryan: and u thought it was an overrated game pshh
[01:01] Ryan: haha
[01:04] Eddie: i can’t stop
[01:04] Ryan: ya it’s a good game
[01:09] Eddie: DAMN
[01:10] Eddie: excellent
[01:10] Eddie: the demo’s over
[01:10] Eddie: and i think imay post this chat session in my column
[01:10] Eddie: haha
[01:10] Ryan: haha
[01:10] Ryan: lmao :P
I really enjoyed that. Go try out Plants vs. Zombies here.
