It is the multiplayer, though, that made up the bulk of the first game, and is what most likely will get players hooked and ready to jump into Garden Warfare 2. Rest assured that multiplayer is not only still great, but manages to be even better thanks to the inclusion of new ways to play. This is largely due to new modes and six new characters that add a considerable amount of variety to the class-based combat.

All of the classes from the first game return; sniping Cactus, healing Zombie Scientist, infantry Pea Shooter, and the rest of the basic military roles are ready for combat. Meanwhile, new characters – Imp, Captain Deadbeard, Super Brains, Citron, Rose, and Kernel Corn – join the fray, providing play styles that add an extra dose of zaniness.

Rose uses mystical abilities to transform enemies into goats or hoist them in the air while stripping them of their powers. Kernel Korn is a ballistics expert who uses air strikes, missiles, and over-the-top shooting maneuvers. Super Brains is a classic super hero – plasma punches, shoots beams from his hands, jumps really high, and has one seriously powerful flying kick.

Picking the perfect team combination in order to dominate out in the field now yields a bit more depth. Do you stock up on healers and pick some brutes to help you charge through? Do you use the new magical abilities and supplement those with ranged forces? Do you just choose all chompers and see who can eat the most people? There are a ton of options, and it’s possible to make them all work as you move together as a team.

You can also enjoy the content without an internet connection, as every mode can be played solo against AI. Players will still earn experience and coins to spend towards their collection, and there are even Crazy Settings such as no gravity and super speed to amp up encounters. Never barred from a single part of the experience, players are put first in all aspects.

As you can probably tell by now, Garden Warfare 2 has a lot of good going for it. The studio has taken the great foundation laid out by the previous game and built something magnificent upon it. Not to mention, with free content updates planned for the future, it’s only going to get bigger. PopCap Games didn’t just recapture their old thunder, they magnified it to Zeus-like proportions.  The quirky series from three years ago has managed to become a masterclass example in value.

Score: 5/5