Earth Defense Force 5

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 39 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 39
  3. Negative: 7 out of 39
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  1. Malooga
    Apr 15, 2019
    8
    WE ALL KNOW what to expect from EDF-5, if you haven't played before; you kill bugs. Big ones. 'Nuff said. So what I want to focus on are the changes this time around.

    * About 20 additional levels on the vanilla campaign * The ability to earn weapons/armor across all classes, regardless of what you play as * The ability to upgrade weapons and vehicles through extended use * New    WE ALL KNOW what to expect from EDF-5, if you haven't played before; you kill bugs. Big ones. 'Nuff said. So what I want to focus on are the changes this time around.

    * About 20 additional levels on the vanilla campaign
    * The ability to earn weapons/armor across all classes, regardless of what you play as
    * The ability to upgrade weapons and vehicles through extended use
    * New weapons, dialogue options, settings - but still no extra customization!!! (play Iron Rain for that)
    * Refined mechanics for class actions - EG the pull back and rotation camera for Air Raider during bomb drops
    * More dynamic level progression / more multi-tiered levels
    * More enemy, weapon, vehicle unlocks

    This is it more or less, besides this everything is a little more polished, a little smoother and just a tiny bit closer to what I suspect is the ideal EDF game. Here's the one issue with that - these are VERY minor changes, I can't really imagine an even FURTHER fine-tuned game making it as a stand-alone release.

    Much like the gripes emanating from many other long running franchise fans - D3 needs to find a way to quell the people looking for a meatier departure from the mainstay formula. Iron Rain was a failed attempt - not for being bad but for being too much the same. EDF-5 is definitely another tiny step forward, but its getting harder and harder to tell. 9/10    … Expand
  2. SIPPIO
    Jan 20, 2019
    10
    ***AMAZING***
    BUY/RENT THIS FUN FUN FUN GAME...
    This game has several amazing aspects that put it soo high on being EPIC.. ~1~ the weapon grind..It gives EVERY level purpose besides furthering the story etcetc… ~2~ different classes all play different & each alone is a full game.. ~3~combat feels so satisfying. the way the bugs/enemies absorb bullets feels great. ~4~ weapon vaiety~    ***AMAZING***
    BUY/RENT THIS FUN FUN FUN GAME...
    This game has several amazing aspects that put it soo high on being EPIC..
    ~1~ the weapon grind..It gives EVERY level purpose besides furthering the story etcetc…
    ~2~ different classes all play different & each alone is a full game..
    ~3~combat feels so satisfying. the way the bugs/enemies absorb bullets feels great.
    ~4~ weapon vaiety~ talk about weapon diversity.if weapons we're people then this game would be a SJW wet dream.....
    From Snipers which are uber powerful + range but penalty is slow rate of Fire/reload.
    from brainless rocket launchers to smart missles which holm in,,,to sshotguns to weird things like 100 marbles which become uber powerful close range like a super shotgun except you throw em like a grenade,,,to acid guns,,to mines of every kind...

    **so far ive only played Ranger & WIng Diver & the WD has a total different weapons system..
    Ive yet to encounter a same weaon as Ranger....

    Final Point= this games graphics are Xbox 360 but w/ a HD ocat of pain..
    The enemies look awesome but the layouts look cardboard..
    And every building is destructible is fun..

    I kick myself for ignoring this series all last generation..i always thought it was some lame Japanese corny game....don't sleep on this game...You will get instantly addicted..

    ~~talk about rpelay value...You get higher quality weapons on higher difficulty,,,and this scales on the higher the mission..
    So you play on hardest (inferno) on mission 17 only offers high grade wepans up till a certain tier,,,then say Inferno on mission level 87 will offer waaay higher tier weapons...
    *and the wepaons improve...something that wasn't there in EDF4.1...……..    … Expand
  3. OmeQuicksilver
    Nov 16, 2019
    7
    The game doesn't really stray far from it's predecessors, fully embracing the schlock that has defined the series since it's inception. But now the technical shortcomings have started to truly grate and show their age. Getting stuck on the geometry, enemy bodies lasting forever and blocking your shots (always fun to kill yourself cuz a corpse falls on your rocket), some truly TERRIBLE RNGThe game doesn't really stray far from it's predecessors, fully embracing the schlock that has defined the series since it's inception. But now the technical shortcomings have started to truly grate and show their age. Getting stuck on the geometry, enemy bodies lasting forever and blocking your shots (always fun to kill yourself cuz a corpse falls on your rocket), some truly TERRIBLE RNG needed upgrade weapons make this game more of a drag to play solo then the others. But with some friends it's still good fun.… Expand
  4. dingobreath
    Nov 1, 2019
    9
    What can I say this game is bonkers and highly enjoyable. It is a prequel to EDF 4.1 but made to be better in many ways.

    You have 4 classes of soldier to chose from and you must repel an alien invasion where you can fight anything from giant insects to ufos. There are hundreds of weapons and over 100 levels to play, you can pilot vehicles to create carnage and destroy many parts of the    What can I say this game is bonkers and highly enjoyable. It is a prequel to EDF 4.1 but made to be better in many ways.

    You have 4 classes of soldier to chose from and you must repel an alien invasion where you can fight anything from giant insects to ufos. There are hundreds of weapons and over 100 levels to play, you can pilot vehicles to create carnage and destroy many parts of the level. It does not have the best graphics but the frantic gameplay more than makes up for the game especially on the harder difficulties. I enjoying this game very much and will continue to support the devs and the franchise.

    +Awesome action and variety in gameplay.
    +Kill Giant ants and spiders! great to get over arachnophobia!
    +tanks, helicopters and mechs! what is not to like
    +Cheese and more cheesy voices but I love it
    +So many weapons to try
    + 4 player co -op is great
    +split screen is great too!

    -helicopters still fly too low and control is very bad.    … Expand
  5. JKekaNVKZ
    Dec 14, 2018
    9
    The best coop game in 2018!
    So much fun, and some changes do this game much much better than ever:
    - if you complete level in hardest dificulty before easy - easy dificult automaticly count. - if you die - 50% of all collectibles are count! - even if you play only one of four classes - armor and weapons count to all classes anyway! - better design - skin destructable and so many    The best coop game in 2018!
    So much fun, and some changes do this game much much better than ever:
    - if you complete level in hardest dificulty before easy - easy dificult automaticly count.
    - if you die - 50% of all collectibles are count!
    - even if you play only one of four classes - armor and weapons count to all classes anyway!
    - better design
    - skin destructable and so many particles are falling
    And it stil old EDF game formula - just better in all things!

    Thank You Sandlot and D3 Publisher for this brillian game)

    -1 because Japan play this brilliant one year ago.. It's really terrible.    … Expand
  6. EasyKill
    Dec 18, 2018
    8
    This game is pure video games, for lack of a better word. It's the most hectic and enjoyable gaming experience a person can have, especially with friends. It never takes itself seriously and only endeavors to do one thing: throw literal hundreds of silly sci-fi monsters at you to blow up with an increasingly varied and ridiculous arsenal of weapons. It does this one thing quite well. TheThis game is pure video games, for lack of a better word. It's the most hectic and enjoyable gaming experience a person can have, especially with friends. It never takes itself seriously and only endeavors to do one thing: throw literal hundreds of silly sci-fi monsters at you to blow up with an increasingly varied and ridiculous arsenal of weapons. It does this one thing quite well. The four classes are all distinct from one another and from what I've seen everybody has a different take on which is best. While not every type of weapon is a winner, most feel really great to fire. Additionally, many of the missions are situational meaning that you actually need to take the right weapons for the job at hand, which is more strategy than you'd expect from a game like this. And all the while you get to listen to the most gloriously cheesy dialogue from your fellow soldiers and radio broadcasts.

    The game isn't flawless though. The graphics aren't great, but that's a necessity due the sheer amount of chaos on screen at once, as well as all the models having collision detection from miles away. The game can get pretty repetitive too, especially if you're playing alone. The vehicles all control like poo. The menus are basic and ugly, especially the online lobby system. Sometimes the levels feel too spread out and it takes a long time to get to the next important spot. The performance is spotty with frame drops galore when the **** hits the fan. And you will definitely see some glitches like enemies stuck inside buildings and running in circles. But none of that is enough to distract from what a complete blast this is to play.    … Expand
  7. SWERY_51
    Dec 19, 2018
    7
    I really love the series, and it is still a lots of fun fighting aliens and giant insects.

    The RPG elements are more present than ever, weapons can now level up, you can still choose between 4 classes and replay the missions at higher difficulties to loot new weapons and upgrade your armor. Some things have been improved, like the loadings between missions which are very short now, or    I really love the series, and it is still a lots of fun fighting aliens and giant insects.

    The RPG elements are more present than ever, weapons can now level up, you can still choose between 4 classes and replay the missions at higher difficulties to loot new weapons and upgrade your armor. Some things have been improved, like the loadings between missions which are very short now, or enemies that are leaving huge blood splatters and now have visual damage effects and dismemberment. Graphics are close to EDF 4.1, so it stills looking dated, but that's not a problem with this kind of game IMO. There are plenty of missions and the game seems to be very, very long. There is an on-line mode (you will have to redo missions from scratch as its separated from solo mode, but you will keep the upgrades and weapons you already have from solo or the ones you will earn on-line and vice versa) and you can also do split-screen 2 players coop.

    It is easily one of the best entry in the series, HOWEVER, i am very disappointed with the technical part. The screen tearing is very annoying (no V-Sync) on any outside mission, and the frame-rate is not flawless. For an episode exclusive to the PS4, this aspect is kind of a let down, be warned. I'm not even hoping for an update here, since the game is available in Japan since a few months, i doubt it will ever be improved with a patch in a near future.

    In short, if you enjoyed previous games, and if the technical issues mentioned are not a problem for you, you can pick this one without hesitation.    … Expand
  8. Nate3nate
    Dec 14, 2018
    10
    This rating is based against other EDF titles and against games like Fallout 76, Red Dead Online, and Battlefield V.

    In a year where many major game companies seem to only care about $$$ more than quality, it's refreshing to get EDF 5 a game which actually improves on the EDF formula without adding ridiculous game mechanics, annoying insane grinds, or pandering to the game ruining    This rating is based against other EDF titles and against games like Fallout 76, Red Dead Online, and Battlefield V.

    In a year where many major game companies seem to only care about $$$ more than quality, it's refreshing to get EDF 5 a game which actually improves on the EDF formula without adding ridiculous game mechanics, annoying insane grinds, or pandering to the game ruining streamers.

    Based on all of that, EDF is a solid 10. It's insanely fun to play, especially with friends, it uses the PS4 to great effect, and it stays true to it's formula. Thank you EDF for restoring my faith in gaming!

    EDF, EDF, E, D, F!!!    … Expand
  9. DesNukem
    Feb 23, 2019
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I’m a big fan of the EDF series but feel that in many ways 5 is a backwards step from the excellent 4.1. The game’s faults include the following:

    • Clunky non-intuitive menus with grammatical errors.

    • A camera which automatically diverts to cut scenes and leaves you staring at the ground when it returns – disastrous in combat.

    • Ugly and unrealistic projectile damage (decals) which is basically the same for every environmental surface.

    • White deposits and other distracting textures on damaged insects that just look ugly and messy.

    • A permanent circle around your character and an occasional line of arrows leading to unseen comrades looks cheap and breaks the immersion.

    • Some of the NPC dialogue makes you feel less heroic as a character because for the first twelve missions (as a security guard) you are referred to as a “civilian” and for the next twenty-eight (after you join the EDF) as a “newbie”.

    • NPC dialogue related to the Security Guard character of the first twelve missions doesn’t change even when you play those missions as a different class.

    • You can’t shoot down alien spaceships from the beginning of the game – only from Mission 7 – which is totally incongruous.

    • Instead of emerging from visible nests as in previous games, insects now just rise out of the ground.

    • You can now earn rewards for FAILING a mission. Personally, I don’t like the concept of getting something for nothing which reduces the sense of reward when you earn it legitimately.

    • You can also earn weapons for classes not being played. This is an unwelcome crossover which again reduces the sense of achievement.

    • Having some missions finish before all enemies are killed robs further player satisfaction. The developers are breaking their own rules in these instances.

    • Additional frustration is generated by the inclusion of missions where you a fighting the Godzilla monster known as Archales but it is impervious to your attacks. After wasting considerable time on it, you are then told by the narrator to retreat or let it go, and the mission ends.

    • The giant frog and Primer entities are a poor substitute for the impressive robot enemies of previous games. Because the new foes are portrayed as organic creatures, you would expect them to move and die fluidly. Instead, they are stiff as a board with unblinking eyes. Also, their spurting blood looks amateurish.

    • At times the frame rate is appalling. This is a game for a high-end PC – not a console.

    • Following the popular trend, occasional swearing has been incorporated into the dialogue. Was it really necessary to sully an otherwise family-suitable game?

    Many of these weaknesses seem to be the result of lazy programming. It feels like a different team worked on this latest iteration of the series and didn’t take as much pride in their work. The only improvements are the weather effects (rain, snow, sandstorms) and the colourful enemy blood splats. Otherwise, EDF 5 simply lacks the finesse of its predecessor. Still a great game – but could have been better.    … Expand
  10. Trippay
    Jul 4, 2019
    10
    Soooooo much content and all of it so satisfying! I honestly haven't had this much fun with a game in decades. And the dialogue... oh god it's so wonderful and straight-faced and perfectly ridiculous...
  11. RedDash16
    Apr 12, 2019
    10
    Amazing game, does the basic fundamentals of a video game really well. It's fun, replayable and enjoyable a must buy for anyone who enjoys good old fun
  12. OKE27
    Apr 11, 2019
    10
    I am not really into HD and long story games, I only like fun and additive games. This game scores 10/10 for me, I have spent a lot of gameplay hours on the title. the grinding system and online 4 people coop are best part of game, it can be very challenge on inferno mode.
  13. HiddenGemsHunt
    Jun 26, 2021
    10
    IMO best lotoer shotoer out there with a lot of content, humor, interesting narration and great shooting mechanics. Love it.
  14. Electricspares
    Dec 13, 2020
    7
    A great game and update from 4.1. Some of the new monsters are awesome, while others have cool new looks. The new weapon collection and upgrade system is a thing of beauty. Only complaint is the NPC's who yell very stupid comments (often repeating the same stuff) Also the new "naming" system for the monsters is both tediouse and painful.
  15. Gurpgork
    Mar 22, 2022
    0
    Indestructible spider webs, pathetic gutter trash. Please just save your money on this one

Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 44
  3. Negative: 1 out of 44
  1. Gaming Age
    Dec 15, 2020
    75
    If you’re looking for anything like logic in an Earth Defense Force game, you’re missing the point. These games are designed to allow you to blow up as much of the world around you as possible with a minimum of fuss, and, like I said, you get a rocket launcher in the very first level. Earth Defense Force 5 won’t win any awards, but if you want more of the same from this now-venerable series, it’ll deliver everything you could possibly be looking for.
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  2. GameGrin
    Jan 31, 2019
    65
    If you like watching B-movie’s with friends, but would rather play them instead, then yes, Earth Defense Force 5 is the game for you. If you just want to blow shit up, then there are more entertaining games out there.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Jan 27, 2019
    60
    Familiar thrills from this no-frills series. [Issue#158, p.85]
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