I think it's hard to call it grinding when you're not forced to replay any level, unless you lose of course. The challenges use the same level design, but the conditions change, so I don't consider that grinding out the same levels. Though it's easy to understand the complaint, there are a lot of stars to earn, and there is plenty of repetition in level design.
Wait - are you saying all of the plants in the cash shop are not unlockable in the game without paying money? Ever? I did some more searching and I found this Kotaku article: http://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/08/tips-for-playing-plants-vs-zombies-2-without-paying/ "For one, most of those plants (all but one) can be unlocked through normal play. If you pay for one before encountering during the games natural progression, youll never notice nice of PopCap to spare us that embarrassment so youll just have to take my word for it. Ill tell you what if you complete every level in the game and dont have all of the plants save one, then you can drop some cash." That is saying that every plant in the cash shop except for one is unlockable through normal game play. Are they completely wrong?
Enjoying the game very much. I didn't expect them to come up with new twists and was actually surprised (well, to be honest, levels are pretty much repetitive, but, still, nice game overall). No iAP needed so far (cleared first world, all stars gained, working on pirate day 3). No grinding needed really, just had to complete everything. Would love to be able to get the Jalapenos for free though, but the other plants works well anyway. Loving Bonk Choy!
When a person chooses to debate a neutral position I have to wonder. I'm not sure what you failed to follow or how you found my post dishonest, but pulling words from the dictionary and replying in an overly verbose pseudo intellectual manner doesn't really add value or change anything. It was merely a reiteration of the post you took exception to. I actually think it does have everything to do with accepting other people's points of view, everyone's gauge on how acceptable grinding is or at what point something is considered to be a grind is totally up to them. The same goes for the issue of IAP itself, what you will try to prove as being factually correct someone else will try do from the opposite side of the argument. The person that writes the most will eventually 'win' when the other party finally gives up, but nothing will have changed. As I started with - "what's the point?", especially over something so trivial. Just accept some people won't agree with you and won't have the same experience.
I would have to disagree that it isnt grinding as the conditions really do not change the strategy for a particular level all that much if at all. More often than not it feels like playing the same level, the same way, 3 additional times because I need X stars to get to the next world. This wasnt exactly horrible, just a bit tedious, and had I been able to replay some of the bonus levels instead for stars it would have kept things more fresh. I could see if future worlds added had a lot higher star requirements to unlock this would be a lot more of an issue, as it is it is just a small annoyance.
Good point, it's probably the weakest part of the game. Though I still don't mind it too much, since each challenge is presented as an individual level, even if it branches off an existing level.
From everything I've read the plants that you unlock for cash (snow pea, Torchwood, Jalepeno, imitator, power lily, squash) you cannot unlock through normal gameplay. Cash only. Though there are a ton of plants included for free.
But then I've read several places that you can unlock all but one plant in the cash shop through regular play of the game.... So I'm not sure which is correct.
This game is too easy, want the winning tactic? Place double sunflower, place mine for 1st zombie, place 2nd double sunflower, place 2nd mine for 2nd zombie, use the freeze plant to delay zombies while your 2 double sunflowers rack up loads of sun, use the corn/butter throwing plant to slow zombies...unbeatable, but boring. Admittedly the only way to keep the game fresh for me is to intentionally not use this tactic and try other plants out even though there's more chance of losing it makes it more fun and engaging. Albeit the additional challenge from some of the extra star levels do add some depth like limiting sun and not planting on specific areas but for all the stock levels the above tactic wins out all the time.
This game is truly awesome. I didn't expect the game to be as good as the original. 5 stars is definately spot on for this game!
Good lord, don't be so rampagingly insecure. Your posts have been dishonest simply because they've had nothing to do with the discussion at hand, and because you've chosen to deliberately misrepresent the positions and arguments within the thread on more than one occasion. If you don't like being called out for doing this, the solution is to stop doing it. Not really. As was noted earlier, the idea you have that the "truth" of a situation must necessarily lie somewhere between two opposing viewpoints is incorrect, but your idea that all viewpoints must always have equal merit regardless of what they are is a basic logical fallacy you seem to get caught out by again and again. This isn't a situation where both viewpoints are equally valid. There have been binary blanket claims made, e.g. either the IAP is necessary to complete the game or it isn't. If it isn't necessary, then claiming that it is would be incorrect: ignorance at best, deliberate deceit at worst. If it is demonstrated that it is possible to complete the game without using IAP, then that is an established objective fact that can no longer be argued against. For it to be false that the game can be 100% starred without the use of IAP, it would literally have to be impossible for anybody to achieve this, but we already know that this is not the case. Anybody trying to continue to claim that the IAP is mandatory in this regard would be wrong, end of story; it's not a matter of opinions, subjectivity or "accepting viewpoints", simply because we know that claim to be untrue. Somebody not being able to personally complete the game without forking out real money wouldn't change that; the fact would remain that the game can indeed be completed without using IAP. I don't know why these concepts seem to elude you. Nobody's been saying people don't have different experiences, perceptions or skill levels in fact, I've clearly addressed this multiple times, which you would have known if you'd actually read my posts before hurriedly hitting the quote button. That said, you may have missed the fact that the thread has returned to talking about the actual game. You have yet to actually contribute anything relevant or constructive about the game in this thread, so I have to wonder exactly what compels you to hang around posting nothing but hollow sniping soundbites at games and posters you clearly dislike?
Sounds like you're referencing the early interviews; the six IAP plants remain cash-only at the moment.
Nope. Here's a Kotaku.com article written on Thursday: http://kotaku.com/tips-for-playing-plants-vs-zombies-2-without-paying-1150236604 Penny Arcade posted this yesterday: http://penny-arcade.com/report/article/plants-vs.-zombies-2s-monetization-structure-works-with-you-not-against-you
They are confused and don't understand. Many who have beaten the game have confirmed that they are iap and not unlock able in game at all. These articles are inaccurate and kind of hints at them not having actually finished the game all the way through, or even that press versions are different in some way.
Fair enough. Those are mistaken assumptions, however, which isn't too surprising given that the writer of the Penny Arcade guide even admits that he is only part of the way through the game. Contrary to the Kotaku tips, you don't unlock "all but one" of the plants through normal progression; the plants locked behind the gates in-game are not the same as the IAP ones in the store, but I wonder if that's where the confusion stems from.
That's not available yet; the future world will be the first new area in PopCap's ongoing content updates.
