Earth Defense Force 6 review: A cult classic way behind its time

To be honest, I’ve never played any of the EDF games before Earth Defense Force 6. Before jumping in, I did some research and realized that the series has a cult following. I wasn't sure if the game would impress me, especially since I played it without any prior knowledge. But, boy oh boy, this game is a giant pile of crazy fun!

Earth Defense Force 6 is like a sci-fi B-movie with limitless idiocy and you’ll love every second of it. Who doesn’t want to fight giant alien frogs, ants, spiders, and wasps with unlimited bullets and PS3 graphics, right?

The game is set in a world where aliens have destroyed almost the entire planet and only 10% of the total civilization still survives. As part of the EDF, your job is to protect what's left of it. It's almost like playing Helldivers 2 except for the modern graphics and gameplay. Earth Defense Force 6 features an offline story mission, an online mode, and a split-screen option.

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Earth Defense Force 6 campaign is your childhood sci-fi dream in old-school graphics

The story mission of DF 6 starts with basic training where you learn all the mechanics. As someone who was initially skeptical, I found the movement and gunplay surprisingly good and fun. However, be warned: if you care about modern graphics and gameplay, this may not be the game for you.

Giant alien frog in Earth Defense Force 6 (Image via D3 Publisher)

After completing the training, you start the mission where your job is to kill the alien invaders with your EDF teammates. As I mentioned earlier, I had zero prior knowledge, so I did not expect a giant frog big enough to destroy an eight-story building to come at me with a gun in its hand. The next part was even crazier, as it wasn't just one giant frog, but a horde of them coming at us. Surprisingly, it wasn't too difficult to take them out.

Earth Defense Force 6 is like a childhood dream come true, where you fight gigantic aliens to save the planet with little consequence.

The developers had all the freedom in the world and have created their own crazy B-movie for gamers. I was convinced of their intention after hearing all the cheesy dialogue in the game. For example, while fighting against a giant Wasp, I heard the commander saying,

"Make sure not to hit civilians!"

And some random in-game soldier just replied to that by saying,

"What civilians?"

Truth be told, there was no one left, and I could not see anything to fight for, but the corny dialogue made it funnier.

Despite all the absurdity, Earth Defense Force 6 has a story with an unexpected twist. Without spoiling too much, I can say the game fulfills some of your old-school sci-fi fantasies in a single package. However, you may be disappointed if you are looking for exciting new missions every time as it feels flat and repetitive after a while.

Fly as a Wing Diver, but it comes with a cost

Earth Defense Force 6 has a class system. The easiest class to use is the Ranger, which is recommended for newcomers. It has immense combat strength and can wield almost all weapons with ease.

However, the most fun class is the Wing Diver, where you play as a female soldier who can fly. This class lets you fight giant ants and frogs with a Pulse Machine Gun while gliding in the air.

You should note playing as the Wing Diver has some downsides. The class has extremely low HP compared to others and its defensive strength is not as good as the Fencer or the Ranger. Hence, you must calculate your moves instead of attacking recklessly.

Wing Diver in EDF 6 (Image via D3 Publisher)

Air Raider and Fencer are the other two classes in EDF 6. Playing as the former is like being a recon specialist in other FPS games. You call airstrikes and provide coordinates. It's destructive and easy to use, but not as fun as the Wing Diver or the Ranger.

However, this depends on your preference. If you're here for the crazy, unhinged fights, choose either the Ranger or the Wing Diver and you have your weekend sorted.

All classes in EDF 6 (Image via D3 Publisher)

The Fencer class focuses more on tactical gameplay. You come to the ground with an exoskeleton, like the tank classes in games like Overwatch. Optimally wielding this class requires skill and is more suited to veteran players than newcomers.

Earth Defense Force 6 surprisingly has a vast arsenal and a split-screen option

Earth Defense Force 6 offers a ton of weapons. Be it a large machine gun or gigantic hammers. You can choose anything you like and start killing giant aliens. The gunplay is just like the rest of the game: extremely over-the-top with a bullet spread that doesn’t always make sense. But it's easy to hit enemies because of their size.

The title has an extremely destructible environment, allowing you to blow up buildings, trees, and almost anything that gets in your way. So, if you want to blow off some steam after a hectic workday, Earth Defense Force 6 can be a great outlet.

EDF 6 split screen option (Image via D3 Publisher)

Another good thing about the game is that it has a local split-screen co-op option alongside a multiplayer co-op option like most games. I've been looking for a good shooter to play with my friends at home, and I think EDF 6 fits the bill.

While I haven't fully experienced the split-screen mode yet, I did check it out, and the camera was awful. Still, having this option in a shooter game these days is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Let's not talk about the graphics

As for the graphics in Earth Defense Force 6, I’d rather not talk about them. While this might be fan service for EDF enthusiasts, for someone new to the game, the visuals are disappointing.

If you had asked me about the graphics 15 years ago, I might have said they were great. But for a $60 game in 2024, it doesn’t seem worth the price. Especially after playing Helldivers 2, which might have taken inspiration from the EDF franchise and costs almost half as much, this game’s price seems like a joke.

Did I enjoy the game? Absolutely. But would I pay $60 if I weren’t a fan of the series and a complete newcomer? Absolutely not.

In conclusion

Someone who has never played the game would definitely enjoy all the nonsensical gunfights, cheesy dialogues, and over-the-top storyline. However, compared to the other games on the market right now, Earth Defense Force 6 feels way behind its time. While it may attract franchise enthusiasts, it doesn’t have enough to bring in new players at this price point.

On its own, EDF 6 is a great time-killer, extremely fun, and provides a plethora of content. Even the dialogues are so corny that you will definitely laugh sometimes. It also gives a sense of nostalgia as if you were gaming back in 2007-08. But it’s not what I would call a modern-day shooter, and that’s where Earth Defense Force 6 falls short despite its fanbase.