User blog:Tecku/Tecku Talks: PvZ Environment Messages

Hello, and welcome back to Tecku Talks! Today, I want to talk about some of the brilliant messaging done by Plants vs. Zombies as an environmental advocate. In my opinion, Plants vs. Zombies is one of the most clever and subtle environmental message creaters out there. What do I mean? Let's talk about it.

Now, the whole premise of the game is not one made to be centered around the environment. The whole point of the game is to keep zombies from eating your brains, and to preserve yourself. However, when you compare the different styles of the two sides in the war, there is a very clear style set up in terms of nature vs. industry. The zombies will deploy roadcones, buckets, and robotics, while the plants are, well, plants.

However, the real obvious deployment of the message has only recently been kicked up a notch. With GW2, the darker and grittier side of urban life comes is becoming apparent. In one of the new Graveyard Ops maps, zombies have to defend a factory from plant life. However, in the backgrounds and setups of the map, you can see the twisted idea of progress in motion. Cones, buckets, shields and zombots are being spewed out in a haphazardly manner, while in the background you can spot trees dying as a forest is stripped bare. You also see how much darker and wild suburbia has gotten without nature's influence, with contruction equipment lining the skyline in a jetting, ugly format.

What makes this stand out so well is that Dr. Zomboss is a more believeable (so to speak) villian than any villians featured on Captain Planet or other pro-environment show. His entire scheme does involve destoying the ecosystem, but it only serve as a means to accolpish his true goal: to eat brains. His wrecking of habitats serves not becuase he hates nature, but becuase it stands in the way of his goal. He builds giant factories not for the fun of pollution, but as a means to supply his troops.

All in all, Plants vs. Zombies may not be about the environment, but I think it handles the message in a very subtle and clever way. I don't know if and how the movie will tackle these issues, but I am more than willing to keep my eyes peeled!