I’ve always thought that “casual” games never get a fair chance with “core” gamers. I think we feel threatened by their existence because we worry about them affecting “our games”. It’s silly though. They really can co-exist, but that’s a different conversation for another day. Plantera is proof that there can be good “casual” games alongside all the big budget AAA releases that we are normally drawn to.
Plantera is a clicker game, and that isn’t a bad thing. Sure, we may be a bit resistant to playing these kinds of games but I believe that is due, in part, to how easy it is for developers to follow a checklist and churn these types of games out. It takes a lot more work and care to create a great game in this genre and that’s exactly what has happened here. What we have here is a prime example of a more casual game that hits all the right notes and does so almost effortlessly.
I think the first thing gamers will notice about this game is its incredibly cheerful and catchy soundtrack. It is so fitting and really helps compliment the mood that the graphics establish. This game is fun and that’s all it sets out to do. The goal is simple; you and your animal helpers build a garden and tend to it. As you grow more and more different plants, more plants are unlocked. It is a very calm game and doesn’t ever feel like too much. You’re just managing plants, watching cute animals help, and warding off mean animals that want to reap what you’ve sown.
This game is best played in short bursts here and there but could still be fully enjoyed for long sessions as well. My average session was around thirty minutes before I felt as though I did enough for the day. The music keeps you moving and it encourages you to keep playing with new plants that get unlocked. The more you grow the easier it is to grow more. It’s like capitalism if you’re already rich and, in this case, it’s great.
The developer did a great job at including some key features that I think add to how easy it is to pick up and play this game. In the settings you can choose, at any time, if you want to play this windowed or full screen. I really enjoyed playing this while doing other things. It’s a great game to multitask with and I don’t feel like any enjoyment is lost by playing this way. It’s also nice being able to mute the sound and/or music at any time in case your background tasks change at all – or if you just want to play this in a small window at work.
Plantera does a great job of bringing a casual and easily digested concept to the table and making it fun. I hope to see more games from this genre and of this quality in the future because it just goes to show that a good game is a good game. I would highly recommend Plantera to most gamers because, no matter how much of a “hardcore” gamer you are, you can easily enjoy this while playing a different game or even while doing something non-gaming related on your computer. The price is right too (not the TV show hehe). This is absolutely a game you’ll find yourself coming back to even after you think you’re done with it. You can even delete your saved data from the settings and start it from the beginning if you ever decide you want to do that.
Plantera doesn’t have any major flaws, it’s just a solid casual game with a simple and addictive premise. Grow plants and have fun. We need more games like this in the industry. Next time you finish a long and story-intense AAA release you should stop by the world of Plantera and relax for a while … you won’t regret it.