The cooperative shooter Helldivers 2 was a huge success on Steam in 2024. Countless players battled against numerous alien insects. But even before that, there was a series known for its fight against pests, and one of the best parts is currently on sale. MeinMMO editor Nikolas explains why the game is worth it.
Which game are we talking about? Earth Defense Force is a traditional game series from Japan. In the various titles, you focus on fighting countless insect aliens, either cooperatively or solo.
You do this with various classes and countless weapons. One of the best parts of the series is Earth Defense Force 5, which was released in 2019. There, you can unlock over 1000 weapons with 4 classes and dive into increasingly absurd missions.
And to be honest, even though Helldivers 2 is the much prettier game, I had more fun with Earth Defense Force 5.
You can see a trailer for Earth Defense Force 5 here:
Earth Defense Force 5 is absurd, chaotic, and incredibly fun
What makes Earth Defense Force so special? In the first clips or images, you can see immediately that Earth Defense Force 5 is not a particularly good-looking game. Admittedly, the series has never been. Still, that fits perfectly with the B-movie setting.
As in Helldivers 2, there is satirical patriotism, an absurd setting, and countless insects that you must fight against. In various missions, you can defend the Earth with up to 4 players.
While the missions start off quite slowly, where you battle giant ants, the game becomes increasingly absurd and chaotic as you progress. At some point, you’ll be fighting against flying UFOs and huge frogs armed with weapons.
In combination with the humorous atmosphere, this is the perfect mix for me to switch off my brain after work and mindlessly shoot.
Shooting until the FPS suffer
What is the gameplay like? In every mission, you can choose from 4 classes that differ significantly. As a Ranger, you are a regular foot soldier, as a Fencer a large tank, and as a Wing Diver a flying threat.
The various classes have countless weapons that you must unlock. According to the game wiki, there are over 1,000 weapons. You unlock them randomly in missions, but you can’t farm them in the easier difficulty levels during the initial missions. If you want the better weapons, you must take on tougher challenges.
The weapons are not just regular rifles or laser weapons. You can also unlock mechs, tanks, exoskeletons, or grenades that turn the nearly destructible arenas into rubble.
The chaos, especially in multiplayer, tends to cause stutters in later missions, but that’s exactly what fans of the series want to accomplish. The game should buckle under the flood of countless enemies and exaggerated weapon effects.
However, you shouldn’t take every difficulty level lightly. If you want to challenge yourself properly, you have to plan which weapons to take and how to position yourself correctly. After all, you don’t want to be overwhelmed.
Every EDF part makes me nostalgic
Why is the game so fascinating? Earth Defense Force always takes me back to my childhood and the games of the PS2 era. EDF doesn’t care about modern conventions. They have a concept and stick to it for over 20 years, and I respect and enjoy that, because despite the poor presentation and mediocre technology, it’s a title full of gaming fun, especially in cooperative mode.
How is Earth Defense Force 5 received on Steam? Of over 8,600 reviews on Steam, 94% are positive. Here, the shooting, the B-movie atmosphere, and the cooperative gameplay are especially praised. The option to jump in for one or two missions without investing much time is also highlighted positively.
You can currently grab Earth Defense Force 5 for €12.49 on Steam. The offer runs until March 4, 2025. Earth Defense Force 4.1 costs only €6.71. In my opinion, EDF 5 plays even a bit better. Another game on Steam is particularly exciting for mythology fans: One of my favorite games from 2024 will be even better this year
