Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 40
  3. Negative: 6 out of 40
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  1. Digital Chumps
    Dec 8, 2015
    46
    Earth Defense Force 4.1 is a lesson in how endearment can turn into exasperation. Like the best magic tricks, it's astounding the first time you see it, but a waste of time when the performer can't figure out how to move on.
  2. Metro GameCentral
    Feb 16, 2016
    40
    A remake of a rehash of a disappointing sequel… that only hints at what Earth Defense Force could be if the series would only show some forward momentum.
  3. Attack of the Fanboy
    Dec 8, 2015
    40
    Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair is not an enjoyable game thanks to the ugly graphics and repetitive nature of the gameplay. It does not help that enemy types and levels are reused over and over again too.
  5. Twinfinite
    Dec 8, 2015
    40
    Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair has some good features. One amazing class, destructible environments, and tons of onscreen enemies sounds like the makings of something great. But the highly repetitive missions, dated graphics, forgettable story, and lack of anything worth sticking around for make the game a largely forgettable experience.
  6. We Got This Covered
    Dec 8, 2015
    40
    Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair still has all of the series' quirks which fans love and detractors dislike. It's a flawed experience, but it asks players to overlook its shortcomings in order to have a laugh.
  7. The Jimquisition
    Dec 21, 2015
    30
    This is not so bad it’s good. It’s just plain bad, and there aren’t enough giant insects in the world to convince me otherwise.

Awards & Rankings

98
#98 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
62
#62 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

User Reviews

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User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 76 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 76
  3. Negative: 14 out of 76
  1. OceanRiot17
    Dec 10, 2015
    10
    Wow this game. You know its not often I have that same feeling I did when I was 10 and bringing home a new game. This game delivers andWow this game. You know its not often I have that same feeling I did when I was 10 and bringing home a new game. This game delivers and exceeds all expectations I had for it. Want content, how is 98 missions of the co op online campaign. Want variety, how about 4 classes and 150+ weapons per class all with different uses and functionality. What I will say is this game is best played with friends. Playing alone the game is very difficult and I found myself hitting a wall even on normal and I am a veteran of the series. You have to play up through about lvl 10 before you can really get a feel for the game and what it is. The environment is entirely destructible, though when destroying 8 skyscrapers at once the game does have a noticeable slowdown due to the physics calcs. Enemy types are also quite varied, ants, hornets, 2 very different spiders, giant robots, space ships, mother ships, Godzilla creatures, Dragons, ect. Played it about 15 hrs now, and I don't see myself stopping in the near future. Get this game, convince your friends to get this game, you wont regret it.… Full Review »
  2. EGH
    Dec 10, 2015
    10
    Do you like blowing stuff up? do you hate bugs? If you don't care about fancy graphics and want to just have a blast this is the game for you.Do you like blowing stuff up? do you hate bugs? If you don't care about fancy graphics and want to just have a blast this is the game for you. Also as someone who doesn't have ridiculous amount of time to play games, this is easy to just play a few missions now and then.

    The game is just mindless fun. On easier difficulties, even my girlfriend who is terrible at anything that requires aiming was able to pick it up and play with me and we laughed as she accidenatly destroyed skyscrapers trying to kill giant spiders.

    Pure B movie cheese. Almost infinite replayability. Lots of difficulty settings to cater to casual and hardcore gamers. Tons of guns and vehicles to unlocks.    … Full Review »
  3. legnbass
    Dec 10, 2015
    10
    No other game does what this series does. The sheer weapon variety is outstanding alone, but what really makes it awesome is that each type ofNo other game does what this series does. The sheer weapon variety is outstanding alone, but what really makes it awesome is that each type of weapon is useful in some of the different scenarios that the game puts you in. Too many games end up with one class of weapon that outshines the others and ends up being used the whole time.

    The action is crazy, intense, and just pure FUN. The game doesn't focus on graphics, although it looks great on PS4 in my opinion, but it does focus on gamelplay that keeps me playing this game long after I have grown tired of the average "AAA" releases. I have been playing 2025 since it came out and now that 4.1 is out i'm ready to do it all over again in HD at 60fps.

    The atmosphere in EDF is also very endearing and it always puts a smile on my face when I hear the ridiculous scientist lamenting over the giant insects destructive abilities over the radio or when I stop mid battle to sing a song with my recruited troops and we all break out into dance.

    I will be buying EDF games on release day for as long as they make them as long as they stay as fun as this game.    … Full Review »
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