Chapter 28: Let's Play Together

"Plants vs. Zombies," Jessica Thompson said without turning her head, her attention still focused on the computer screen.

"Plants vs. Zombies?" Paul Wilder found the name relatively straightforward. On the screen, the left side had plants, and the right side had zombies. Indeed, it was planted versus zombies.

Lily Emerson looked at the various plants on the screen. "Wow, this mushroom is so cute, and this walnut too. It looks fascinating!"

"Careful, Jessica, that zombie is chewing on your walnut!" a girl reminded.

Jessica remained calm and collected. She had already been through many battles, so she could easily handle such situations. She gathered enough sunlight and placed a cherry bomb amidst the zombies. With a "boom," the zombies turned into charred remains.

"Wow, you're amazing, Jessica!" Lily exclaimed.

Jessica showed no pride on her face. "Just basic operations, nothing special."

Although she didn't show it, Jessica was quite pleased with herself. Although this game seemed simple, it became challenging in the later stages, often making her feel flustered.

However, Jessica was getting better, and general emergencies were no longer a problem for her.

Lily said, "Jessica, this game looks entertaining. I want to play, too."

Jessica replied, "Sure, you can start up a computer. The game is already installed."

Lily turned to the others. "I want to play; how about you guys?"

Paul said, "I want to try it too. It looks quite interesting."

Others also chimed in, "Let's all play. We're already here."

The ten people went to the front desk, scanned their IDs, and found computers to sit at. The first floor of Alex's experience store had 18 computers, and these people took up 11 of them, making the floor lively.

Paul and Lily also entered the game and started registering accounts.

"Huh, it looks like you can add friends. Isn't this a single-player game?"

"Yeah, what's the point of adding friends?"

"Maybe it will have online features in the future. For now, it just has a simple ranking function. Let's add each other as friends and see who progresses faster."

"Wow, Jessica has reached the third stage! As expected of our leader!"

Plants vs. Zombies is a game suitable for all ages and genders. Despite its cartoonish style, it appeals to a broad audience.

These people were playing mainly because the game was fun and fresh and because of Jessica's influence.

When most of a small group is playing something, the individuals tend to join in; otherwise, they feel left out.

This group psychology led even those with a poor first impression of Plants vs. Zombies to give it a try.

Soon, they all got hooked.

Paul had the best gaming talent and progressed the fastest, breezing through the early stages. On the other hand, Lily wasn't as skillful but played very earnestly, often asking Paul for tips on handling tough zombies, enjoying herself a lot.

The others were the same, captivated by the novel gameplay of Plants vs. Zombies, moving from one level to the next without stopping.

Seeing this, Alex Parker felt more confident.

Although the sample size of ten people was small, they included both males and females with different personalities. Their collective fascination indicated that Plants vs. Zombies strongly appealed to young people.

This was great news for Alex.

For games, the most crucial demographic to capture is the youth. They are the primary gaming audience, with the most time, activity, and advanced consumption concepts. If a game becomes popular among young people, it will likely spread to other age groups.

Conversely, if a game only appeals to a specific age group, it will struggle to succeed.

Moreover, after playing for an hour or two, these people remained focused without raising any questions or concerns, indicating that Alex's level and difficulty settings were reasonable and closely replicated the original Plants vs. Zombies.

Levels and balance were always Alex's main concerns, but they seemed well-managed now. The difficulty was moderate, and the balance between plants and zombies was well-maintained.

Unnoticed, it was already 5:30 PM.

Paul completed another level, checked the time, and saw it was 5:30 PM. He looked around and saw that everyone, including Jessica, was still engrossed in the game, showing no signs of wanting to leave.

"Jessica, it's 5:30 PM. What are we doing for dinner?" Paul asked.

The others also looked at Jessica.

Jessica blinked and said, "How about... ordering... takeout?"

Paul couldn't help but laugh. "Jessica, weren't we supposed to have a dinner gathering?"

Jessica hesitated, glanced at the screen, and sighed. The current level was challenging; she had failed three times already. She was also tired from playing all day and wanted a break.

Additionally, it wouldn't make sense to order takeout for such a large group. They should at least go to a restaurant.

"Alright, you have ten minutes for those who haven't finished their current level. Finish up, and let's head out for dinner," Jessica said.

"Great!" everyone responded enthusiastically.

Most were worried that Jessica might insist on takeout, which would be awkward. Eating takeout in the game experience store would surely invite ridicule from other students.

Those who had finished their levels logged out and began discussing their game experiences.

"I think the torchwood is really useful, providing a significant damage boost. Plant one torchwood, then place several pea shooters behind it for massive damage."

"But torchwood only boosts pea shooters. Later on, pea shooters aren't the best choice, as their attack is too basic."

"I found the night mode really tough... especially those gravestones. They're annoying and take up space."

"That's what makes it interesting. If the difficulty didn't increase, there'd be no challenge."

"Honestly, this game is pretty addictive. It's hard to stop playing."

As they browsed the leaderboards and shared their experiences, those ranking high became the center of attention, sharing their insights.

Alex thoughtfully reminded them, "For those who haven't had enough, there's a mobile version on the computers. You can install it on your phones to continue playing."