Videogame Playlist: Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2

From a cheeky, creative, and addictive garden defense game to an explosive 3rd person multiplayer shooter, the plants and zombies’ beef has evolved into all-out war. With the intensely fun and competitive nature of this game, I decided to join in on the squabble with my first-ever PLAYLIST-OFFTM: plant playlist versus zombie playlist! When you’re playing as a radiant sunflower, you’re going to want to be soundtracked by tunes as bright as the sun’s rays, whereas if you were to play as a pirate zombie, you’re going to want to fill your ears with music as goopy and dark as the puss leaking from your stump leg (yay similes).

The cast of characters has expanded in this sequel, from 8 to 14 playable characters (not to mention the large number of costumes that each character can wear, which alter their playstyle). Each and every character has their own personality that they bring to the team just as each song has a personality that contributes to an album/playlist. To fully capture the mood of each team, I decided to delve into each character and find the perfect song-mates, build all-star rosters, and square them off against each other.

The Plants:

Sunflower – The Lifesaver. The seemingly happiest of bunch is the registered nurse for the group. With this friend by your side, they’ll make sure your health stays at stable levels but don’t underestimate this one on the battlefield. The sunflower can giveth life and it can take it away. Music match: "Baseball Cards" – Wavves, “I don’t wanna walk outside without you.”

Peashooter – The Green Qbert. This short simple gunner doesn’t need many bells and whistles. It’s quick to the point and packs a pretty punch. Music match: "Varsity" – Smith Westerns, “Safety came in numbers but all I needed was just one.”

Chomper – The Undercover Crop. This Venus zombie trap is a sneaky bugger who can crawl in the earth, come out from under you, and chomp you down whole. Yeah, it’s pretty hardcore for a plant. Music match: "Roller" – Quilt, “Honey, I’m a roller underneath the coals that hide me when it’s raining.”

Cactus – The Longshot. This desert sniper keeps eyes on the battlefield and scopes out the undead from afar. The cactus can also take to the skies with its trusty garlic drone and rain fire on the enemy. Music match: "Solar on the Rise" – Tennis, “Lift your bellies high. My solar on the rise.”

Citron – The Terminat-orange. The citrus fighter is actually from the future and rolls into battle, knocking out anyone in its path. It also brought lasers from its time-travelling journey to stop the zombie menace. Will Citron stop whatever dastardly deeds spawned the dark future? Will Citron ever make it home? Will I stop asking questions about a sci-fi, fictional, fruit? Music match: "Meticulous Bird" – Thao & the Get Down Stay Down “I am here for the masterminds!”

Rose – The Teenage Witch. Floating gracefully across the battlefield is the Rose, the magical flower with a magic stick-wand, which shoots long gliding bullets into zombies. Rose may seem delicate but definitely has thorns to be wary of: one of which being her spell that turns an enemy into a goat. Music match: "Romeo" – Chairlift “So roll me, race me with all your tricks and all your heart.”

Kernel Corn – The Big Shuckin’ Gun. This walking stalk of corn can shoot kernels in full-auto and can call in butter artillery that drops on top of a hot potato you toss to create a huge explosion: like a KFC bowl (but hold the chicken). Music match: "West End Girls" – Pet Shop Boys “Sometimes you’re better off dead.”

The Zombies (note: save for Halloween):

Imp – The Runt with a Robot. Big things come in small packages, or should I say, just because you’re small doesn’t mean you can’t pilot a mech that’s big enough to kick all of their asses. Music match: "The Ballad of Butter Beans" – Man Man, “I’m going to hell, you’re riding shotgun.”

Engineer – The Hard Hat, Dead Head. He used to build, now he just destroys. The Engineer has a big belly which slows him down, but thanks to his jackhammer, he can tear through the streets at higher speeds. His main weapon is a grenade launcher that shoots explosive concrete instead of grenades. Music match: "Bone House" – The Dead Weather, “I build a house for your bones.”

Scientist – The “To Hell with Lab Safety.” The Scientist is the only healer for the zombie team: he can drop a stationary healing station to replenish the health of zombies that are within the radius. He also uses advanced technology to teleport closer to the enemy and do brutal damage with close range attacks. Music match: "Brian Eno" – MGMT, “The wisdom of bleak stratagems.”

All-Star – The Bait & Tackle. This football player uses a chain machine gun as its main weapon, which shoots perfect spiral passes straight through the plants. He also has some serious linebacker game for being able to throw that well, so be aware of his Sprint Tackle. Music match: "Ladykillers" – Lush, “I know the score, I’ve heard it all before.”

Foot Soldier – The Cadead. The soldier is the straight to the point shooter for the zombies, so it’s reminiscent of the peashooter as far as playstyle goes. Main differences include a jetpack and a rocket launcher, but that’s just because plants aren’t fans of fire. Music match: "Graveyards Full" – The Growlers, “Thick walls made of men whose souls have come and went.”

Super Brainz – It’s a bird? It’s a plane? No, it’s the Zeitgeist! With superhero and zombie movies popping up as fast and as often as a Trump quote that hurts your soul (who am I kidding, nothing happens that often), it was only a matter of time before they melded into one heaping pile of dead hunk. Sure he isn’t living, but his goofy stride still has a gravitas that I think we can all believe in. Music match: "Bones" – Electric Tickle Machine, “Who are we if we are not to dream?”

Captain Deadbeard – The Booty Hunter. Look at him. Just sneakin’ around in his hopping barrel. Peakin’ in on the unaware. Waiting to strike. What a weirdo. Music match: "A Dangerous Man" – Foxy Shazam “Thief, rat, no good rabble-rouser.”