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There are very few video games out there that have managed to reach such a loved and dedicated fan following as PopCap’s Plants vs. Zombies. It seems like every time I log onto Facebook these days, I see fans of the cutesy “flower defense” game posting pictures of PvZ birthday cakes, elaborate zombie setups in their backyards, or their newborn babies dressed up as little Peashooters. Plants vs. Zombies Adventures takes this fun-loving obsession on the open road in a new social setting, and if my time spent with the game is anything to go by, then we’re going to be seeing plenty more creative ways to express our love of this franchise for many miles (and brains) to come.

We spend way too much time in our team Skype chats talking about how to do a better job of… umm… our jobs. Granted, much of it is brought on by my own anxiety about the gradual death of PR as a profession, as well as an unfortunate rebellious streak that drives me to subvert the establishment at any cost…. but the fact is — despite a rather solid reputation (I hope) within the industry — we still struggle constantly to secure publicity for some of our clients. What follows is a look into the thoughts we have as a PR agency that wants to constantly adapt to changing market conditions to stay at the forefront of our business.

Following an endless wave of hype, rumors, pomp and circumstance, Microsoft unveiled the third generation of Xbox earlier today at their headquarters in Redmond, Washington. Though I suppose the location didn’t matter too much. Press and gamer alike, you could watch it from anywhere – whether streamed to your desktop or sent straight to your TV via your soon-to-be-last-gen Xbox 360.

Unless somebody happened to sneak up to your lawn recently and have a snack on your brains, then you’ve probably been aware of Plants vs. Zombies Adventures, PopCap’s new social take on their beloved Plants vs. Zombies franchise. In fact, the exciting social and “flower defense” hybrid has just gone live on Facebook as of this morning, so if you’re really feeling short on those brain waves, then you know right where to find them.

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Following the success of games like Fairway Solitaire and Solitaire Blitz, the pyramid genre of solitaire games has regained a ton of popularity, as the incredibly accessible game type simply asks players to click on cards one number higher or lower than the card on the deck. Following in that same vein is Solitaire Tales on Facebook, a game that starts strong, but quickly suffers from pushy and even deceptive friend invites, and a skewed level difficulty that makes it hard to progress.

Back in April, I had the good fortune of moderating a panel at the Social Casino Summit in San Francisco. The panel was about how to stand out in the crowded social casino marketplace.  It’s a topic that Michael Carpenter, CEO of Ruby Seven Studios, knows all too well.

Gamezebo Rating:

As far as treasure-themed Facebook games go, Atlas Raider is certainly not a looker, and there was a lot about the initial gameplay that underwhelmed me right off the bat. But as I got ready to simply write the game off and do some backyard raiding of my own, I suddenly realized that several hours had gone by: and that I was actually having fun and didn’t want to stop playing. And that’s exactly the kind of game that Atlas Raider turns out to be.

Gamezebo Rating:

World of Western is the kind of social strategy game that you’d expect a guy like me to love. I might be fat and chained to a computer during most of my waking hours these days, but once upon a time I was a cowboy on the ranches of Texas – spurs, chaps, and even a slightly bowlegged walk. Alas, this is no Red Dead Redemption. World of Western’s heart is in the right place, what with its rifle toting buckaroos and friendly Native Americans patrolling digital Tombstones, but in execution it bears far too many resemblances to the many other city-building-meets-combat games that have been popping up on Facebook lately.

Your smartphone and tablet just got a whole lot more adorable, because King has announced this morning that their popular social game Pet Rescue Saga will be headed to mobile devices starting this summer. Pet Rescue Saga is currently the third largest game overall on the Facebook platform, with more than 6 million players visiting the unique and charming fairytale landscapes on a daily basis.