For the most part this is the unloved middle child of the series. The graphics are ugly a lot of the time, and in particular the decision to temporarily reverse back to one upgrade path is downright bizarre. It kind of exists in the same niche as the original where it's unremarkable on its own but its position as a historical piece is indisputable. The more "gritty" military-influenced aesthetic would be vital for the series moving forward and the game introduced a lot of new towers with unique and satisfying properties - in particular the enhanced Monkey Village (formerly Beacon Tower) and Banana Farm (and to a lesser extent the new microtransactional upgrades) introduce a sense of marginal cross-game upgrades that give the future entries in the series the ability to be as sprawling in content as they are.