Parents' Guide to Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville Complete Edition

If you're looking to take a break from Fortnite and Splatoon 2, but still want to satisfy your appetite for cartoonish third-person shooting, this game might be the answer. Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville Complete Edition doesn't offer a battle royale mode or any paint sloshing antics, but it's bursting with personality. From its colorful characters -- like the new disco roller skating Electric Slide zombies and the flame-spewing Snapdragon plants -- to its carefully constructed multiplayer maps and free-to-roam environments, which are full of text quips and goofy details sure to cause a giggle or two, there's little doubt that the pun-loving people at Popcap had fun putting this one together -- or that most players will enjoy searching out all of its little secrets and Easter eggs. Players that have the Switch version will also love the ability to take the game with them on the go, making progress offline as well, with gameplay that's just as solid as the other systems.

What will keep people playing for the long haul, though, is the action, which remains both accessible and habit-forming. Even rookies to the genre shouldn't have too much trouble working out how to play, thanks to tight, intuitive controls and a helpful heads-up display that shows exactly what your current character's abilities are, when they're ready, and how to use them. Plus, the huge roster of characters is surprisingly well balanced despite their vastly differing abilities, from the Night Cap's stealth tactics to the Space Cadet's lasers and flying saucer. There's always an effective counter to an enemy's advantage, it's just a matter of finding it. Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville hasn't altered its predecessors' formula enough to win over many new converts, but it's the most polished and fine-tuned entry in the series, which ought to please franchise fans plenty.