Given that I own a BlackBerry, I don’t do a lot of mobile gaming so I won’t have too long of a preamble before we get to what the critics think of Plants vs. Zombies 2. This is the sequel to the popular tower defense game and isn’t the third-person shooter that was previewed at E3. But good news for PvZ fans: Critics love this game and still love this franchise.

GameZebo (100%): Plants vs. Zombies 2 is everything you could have wanted, or expected, from the sequel to one of the greatest casual games of all time. It’s safe to say this one was well worth the wait, and then so much more.

Game Informer (93%): Plants vs. Zombies 2 gives serious strategy players and casual mobile gamers a lot to love. The new plants, zombies, and powers make it feel like a full-featured sequel, and the whole package comes with an amazing price tag (i.e. free)… When one of my biggest complaints about the game is that I got a cramp from holding my iPad for too long, it’s clear that Plants vs. Zombies 2 is just as addictive as the original.

Edge Magazine (90%): PVZ2 shows that PopCap is still the educated gamer’s favourite casual gaming company. This is a remarkable sequel, one that takes its predecessor not as a template, but a jumping-off point. And for all the justifiable concern about its chosen business model, its implementation of the free-to-play model prizes players’ hearts above the contents of their wallets.

IGN (87%):  It’s an excellent – if overly safe – sequel, and as beautifully presented as it is absorbing to play.

National Post (80%): On the one hand, Plants vs. Zombies 2 is all kinds of fun. The action is as compelling as ever, and the new plants, zombies, rail mechanics, and various mini-games only make things better. On the other, its aggressive strategy to make players spend money within the game is a bummer.