User blog comment:Dekagamer7X9/The problems with post-end PvZ 2/@comment-25546049-20160730050109

Personally I don't mind the aesthetic changes because I never really payed attention or cared about those details.

The level system will kill all strategy for most people. As for me, if this thing is optional, then I'll have a profile that uses it (as a test profile) and a profile that doesn't use it (my serious profile). If it's mandatory, I'll just disable it in the code, since I want PVZ2 to have some integrity left in it. It's a really dumb move. Especially for people like me who still care about the strategy in this game (I still run a tier list and I have for over 1.5 years).

As for upgrade plants, I'm fairly ambivalent on them. On one hand, these premium plants can make the game a lot easier (and for some people fun), and open up new strategies. I personally love Wasabi Whip, and I think it improved on Bonk Choy in a healthy way. On the other hand though, they not only make the game (even more) pay to win, (Cold Snapdragon and Explode-o-nut are the best plants in the game imo) but the mentioned plants can remove all strategy from the game in general. I avoid picking CSD and EON in endless zones just so I can get more enjoyment out of them before I want to win.

For just over continuity and consistency, PVZ2 is a vastly inferior game to PVZ1. But I still prefer 2 over 1. Why? Because 2 is much quicker, more entertaining, and it's actually a challenge. I still love this game, and unless the level system becomes mandatory, I'll always love this game.