EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5

Earth Defense Force 5 is a fantastic games for fans of the series and a great starting point for newcomers looking for a B movie like experience with addictive gameplay.

84%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

96% User Score Based on 7,113 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 33 reviews

Platforms

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About

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 is a single player and multiplayer hack and slash game with anime, violence and science fiction themes. It was developed by SANDLOT and was released on July 11, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Stand and fight for humanity. This arcade shooter takes place in the year 2022, as the Earth Defense Force fends off an all-out attack by unknown life forms. Become an EDF soldier, battle against endless hordes of immense enemies, and restore peace to the earth.

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,113 reviews

story202 positive mentions

grinding148 negative mentions

Massive content with over 100 missions, varied enemy types, and a huge arsenal of weapons and vehicles.
Distinct and enjoyable classes that offer unique playstyles, enhanced by co-op multiplayer and split-screen support.
Cheesy, campy voice acting and dialogue add charm, making the game a fun, over-the-top B-movie style experience.

Grinding for weapon upgrades and armor can be tedious and excessively time-consuming, requiring repeated mission runs.
Some technical issues such as clunky controls, occasional crashes, and dated graphics.
Solo play can be frustrating and difficult due to steep scaling and ineffective AI allies, making co-op the preferred mode.

story
1,580 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
83%
4%
Earth Defense Force 5 features a lengthy, campy B-movie style story with over 100 missions packed with absurd, cheesy dialogue and over-the-top alien invasions. While the plot is simplistic and often nonsensical, it provides an entertaining backdrop that complements the intense, grind-heavy gameplay and extensive weapon variety. The story is largely delivered through radio chatter during missions, adding charm without overshadowing the core action, and appeals to players who enjoy lighthearted, satirical sci-fi rather than deep narrative.
- “Earth Defense Force 5 is an incredibly fun b-movie experience where you will assume the role of a civilian working at an EDF base when all of a sudden you are caught in the midst of an alien invasion. You will join the EDF and become a member of Storm 1, using a wide arsenal of weapons, items, and vehicles split across the four individual classes: the basic Ranger, the Support class Air Raider, the speedy Wing Diver, and the slow tanky Fencer. Each class has its own unique traits and gameplay style that you will need to learn and master to go against the forces of the Primer invasion across 110 missions and 5 difficulty levels.”
- “4 classes with very distinct gameplay, hundreds of weapons to drop and upgrade, 111 missions in the base game plus around 30 missions through DLCs, and higher difficulty tiers with actual challenge that will require you to pick your equipment, strategize, and execute properly to pass the missions.”
- “The story is told throughout the 110-level campaign mission list mostly via radio chatter during gameplay, with a charmingly cheesy, campy b-movie vibe that combines humor with a sense of a desperate last stand against an overwhelming alien invasion. It provides a backdrop that makes the gameplay fun while giving some entertaining narrative context.”
- “The story is complete stupidity and it fits extremely well with the overall theme of the game.”
- “Probably the most stupid story I've ever witnessed.”
- “The story is a certified neuron killer, but it's delivered so earnestly that it made me smile.”
gameplay
518 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
64%
6%
The gameplay of this series remains a core strength, delivering addictive, arcade-style third-person shooting with four distinct classes, a vast arsenal, and large-scale enemy hordes that emphasize fun over complexity or graphics. While mechanically simple and occasionally repetitive, the game offers satisfying progression, strategic variety by class, and notable quality-of-life improvements over previous entries. Despite some issues like dated visuals, occasional clunky mechanics, and a grind-heavy loot system, the gameplay's chaotic, campy charm and intense co-op action make it highly enjoyable and engaging for fans and newcomers alike.
- “Edf 5 expands and perfects the mechanics of the game, and gives you a ton of content in the form of 100+ missions, hundreds of weird, quirky and highly destructive weapons, and even more in the 2 DLC packs.”
- “The gameplay loop is the exact same as it's always been - choose between 4 very different classes with unique playstyles and weaponry, play cooperatively, shoot aliens, grind and collect ridiculously over the top weapons and upgrades so that you can kill aliens even more efficiently.”
- “Vastly improved mobility options and more fun class mechanics (air raider is an actual air raider now! Fencer got even more ridiculously mobile without having to rely on broken weapons! Ranger can sprint and call vehicles! Wing diver can dodge!), deeper loadout customization, improved drop system, new enemies with new mechanics... it's much easier to list the things that haven't been improved in some way.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive, which is a bit of a disaster when it's not fun (and you have to play through a mission again when a swarm kills you).”
- “The feel of the game mechanics and animations is absolutely atrocious.”
- “Vastly inferior to 4.1, bar graphical tweaks a lot of game mechanics are just flat out better in 4.1, some classes have been gutted in favour of adding "bonuses" to others, and the item leveling mechanic needlessly forces grind, often making new gains obsolete until they are levelled by gaining duplicates, this makes classes like wing diver highly ineffective early on, and air raider's already underwhelming vehicles (in multiplayer) weaker than they should be off the bat.”
graphics
346 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
66%
16%
The game's graphics are widely regarded as outdated and reminiscent of early PS3 or PS2 era, with many describing them as low-quality, basic, or unimpressive. Despite this, the visuals effectively support the gameplay by allowing large-scale battles with numerous enemies and destructible environments without heavy performance demands. Most reviewers emphasize that while the graphics are not a strong point, they do not detract from the fun and chaotic gameplay, which remains the main appeal.
- “The graphics are great and run smooth even on my dinosaur desktop with 2nd gen i-5 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 2GB. The 4-player co-op is one of the most fun out there.”
- “Upgraded graphics, new enemies, and new maps give EDF 5 a fresh look and new spin on the instant classic that was 4.1.”
- “Despite the early PS3 era visuals, EDF 5 has some solid destructive environment and enemy bodies, which helps to feel the impact of the player's arsenal better.”
- “The graphics look like they were ripped from a 2007 PowerPoint presentation, and the AI is so predictable that you’ll start to question if the enemies are actually just cardboard cutouts being moved around by someone off-screen.”
- “The low level of graphics makes the 20 GB feel bloated, as if they just added high-res textures to an old game engine, and the overall quality makes the £46.49 price tag look like poor value for money.”
- “It's meh and I wish I could give it that type of rating but the gameplay and graphics feel like 2005 not 2019.”
humor
266 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in the game is largely described as intentionally campy, cheesy, and over-the-top, with hilariously bad voice acting and dialogue reminiscent of B-movie sci-fi tropes, which many find genuinely funny and charming. Players appreciate the mix of absurd situations, goofy weaponry, and ridiculous NPC banter that add personality and levity, especially during cooperative play. While some jokes or lines may wear thin over time, the overall comedic tone enhances the chaotic, fun, and nostalgic arcade-style shooter experience.
- “The mix of dramatic lines and hilarious moments (both scripted events and unscripted banter) gave the game a ton of personality.”
- “The game play alone is fun and crazy with a lot of flashing lights, things blowing up, and gun shots and swarms of enemies; plus if you can get a few friends to play you can have even more fun. If that isn't enough to get you interested, the dialogue from the AI soldiers is funny stuff and will feel fresh even after the 120th time you hear it.”
- “This game embodies the feeling of watching a cheesy B-movie with its hilarious dialogue and non-stop carnage.”
- “And lately I think that if I were the leader, I would issue order 227 because there are a lot of defeatists and panic mongers who like to create drama and demoralize the troops. If this is meant to be a joke, then I'd say it's not funny.”
- “The reason why wing divers have skimpy outfits is because clothes drag them down. It's supposed to be funny.”
- “The chief commander is way too serious and not funny at all.”
music
153 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
70%
10%
The music in the game is generally praised for its energetic, campy, and motivational style that fits the game's over-the-top action and cheesy atmosphere. However, many fans express disappointment that the iconic EDF song and soundtrack from the previous title 4.1 have been replaced or altered, with the new songs often considered less catchy and less impactful. Despite this, the soundtrack still effectively enhances the gameplay experience with solid sound design and memorable moments.
- “The soundtrack is a glorious mix of retro alien tech and glorious beats to shoot aliens to.”
- “As a bonus to an insanely fun concept, the game features seamless multiplayer, an inspiring/eargasmic soundtrack that is a blend of military inspiration, symphonic tension and good old fashioned rock.”
- “There are a few shouting emotes that let you sing the EDF anthem, and it's just amazing; nothing feels better than blowing giant insects into pieces while singing the EDF song together.”
- “The music is worse than 4.1 unfortunately.”
- “Some of the iconic 'EDF deploys' and other songs are no longer there, which is highly disappointing, considering we get a more mediocre set of songs that aren't as epic.”
- “The new song outright sucks compared to 4.1.”
grinding
152 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
2%
97%
Grinding in this game is a significant, sometimes tedious part of the experience, involving repetitive mission farming to unlock and upgrade weapons, armor, and health, especially at higher difficulties like Inferno. While the grind can feel overwhelming and slow-paced, many players find it enjoyable or rewarding, particularly in co-op play, where progression feels faster and more fun. Compared to previous entries, grinding is somewhat more streamlined and less punishing, but completing 100% of the content demands a major time investment and patience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “If you don't care about completion, though, the game isn't that grindy to just beat the game.”
- “The grind for new or upgraded current weaponry can get tedious.”
- “Hundreds of hours of grinding?”
- “You get to keep weapon rewards for losing, but it does not mean anything, because now you need to level up the weapons too, so you need to get each weapon several times, which again, means more grinding, and having a low level weapon is like having one third of a sandwich, it doesn't mean anything as a feature.”
optimization
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
68%
15%
Optimization in this game is generally solid, running well on low to mid-range hardware with smooth performance even during large-scale battles, though it is capped at 60 fps. Some users report occasional frame drops, stuttering, and fullscreen mode issues that can often be mitigated by tweaks like disabling G-Sync or adjusting GPU settings. Despite a few port-related problems and less optimization compared to previous titles, the game maintains playable and stable performance overall.
- “Performance on lower end hardware is fantastic.”
- “It’s accessible, runs smoothly on not-so-high-end systems and the Steam Deck, and offers a fun, fast-paced experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously.”
- “Well optimized, chaotic giant alien horde shooter, you are gonna experience horde sizes you've never seen before – without a speck of a lag, I truly recommend this to play with friends.”
- “This is EDF 4 ported to DX11 with slightly higher graphical fidelity and far less optimization.”
- “Only problem is this is an absolutely garbage port, missing so many basic features and plagued with performance problems.”
- “The very first mission is met with horrible stuttering and several crashes.”
replayability
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
40%
4%
The game boasts exceptional replayability with over 100 diverse missions, multiple difficulty levels, and four distinct classes offering varied playstyles. Its extensive arsenal of upgradable weapons and loot systems, combined with cooperative multiplayer and challenge modes, provide hundreds of hours of engaging content. Overall, the game's depth, class variety, and scalable difficulty ensure a fresh and rewarding experience for both solo and multiplayer sessions.
- “With over 100 missions, five difficulty levels, and loot for each one (every gun is hand-crafted and upgradable when you find copies of it), there's tons of replay value here.”
- “There is an absolute ton of missions, and each class plays very differently, so the replayability really can't be overstated.”
- “100+ individual missions, a uncountable number of weapons to unlock, and infinite replayability.”
- “It doesn't make much sense in the first place to have a game that long when one of its main appeals is how replayable it is.”
- “The game would have more replayability with fewer levels, but with a higher amount of passion spent on them.”
- “It's good, I had fun in the first playthrough, then found out there's not much replay value left for single players.”
stability
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The game is widely reported to be very buggy and prone to frequent freezes and crashes, with many players experiencing stability issues despite various troubleshooting attempts. However, some users note improved stability over previous versions, and a few report smooth performance on specific hardware like the Steam Deck. Overall, while the gameplay is fun, stability remains a significant concern for many players.
- “Game was bug free for me for the entire playthrough so yay for devs.”
- “Runs great, coop is flawless!”
- “Edf 5's concept is simple, but the execution is better than the other games in the series and it runs great on PC.”
- “Less than a minute into the first mission, the game simply freezes and can only be ended with task manager.”
- “Sadly I can’t play it; the game hard freezes each time. I tried different fixes and at most got 7 seconds of gameplay before it freezes. (Intel iCore9, GTX 3070, 32GB RAM, 144Hz, 1920x1080).”
- “Every looks promising by taking out some of the issues of the previous games, but around 2 minutes into the first mission the game freezes so badly that I have to sign out just to use any controls like task manager.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
93%
7%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players finding moments of touching storytelling and emotional depth, particularly involving themes of betrayal and humanity, while others feel the experience is cold, repetitive, and lacks genuine emotional engagement. The game offers occasional emotional highs like character progression and impactful narratives, but overall many find it soulless or hindered by grinding and gameplay frustrations.
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
28%
27%
The game's atmosphere skillfully blends dark comedy with a somber, immersive tone, enhanced by cheesy yet effective voice acting and a fitting intense soundtrack. Its over-the-top sci-fi campiness, paired with large-scale chaotic action, creates a unique and engaging mood that balances humor with moments of heaviness. This distinctive atmosphere strongly supports the gameplay, making it ideal for fans of cooperative action and b-movie sci-fi themes.
- “The premise 'alien invasion' is a well known one, however this game goes all in and above, over the top, with fantastic mission voice acting and a somber, heavy overall atmosphere.”
- “If you want a Japanese party-based RPG that has a very fun-loving, campy atmosphere where you blast away hordes of giant insects, arachnids, spaceships, etc., you will not go wrong with this game.”
- “If you enjoy cooperative action and B-movie sci-fi atmosphere, this game will easily keep you busy for more than a hundred hours.”
- “But overall, the single-player atmosphere can feel quite depressing.”
- “So I'd more or less call EDF a dark comedy considering the huge amount of weapons and vehicles that are just plain silly, like grenade launchers that split into two streams so you end up having to lean your character to the side if you actually want to hit anything. The Wing Diver has weapons that can send both enemies and allies into the atmosphere, and it never fails to amuse me when soldiers talk about saving the city and civilians inside while your Air Raider levels the cityscape with an ICBM.”
- “If the game had tried to go for a far more serious or robust script, it would only have bogged itself down.”
monetization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game is praised for its absence of microtransactions, battlepasses, and pay-to-win elements, offering a straightforward experience without the common monetization tactics that frustrate modern gamers. Players appreciate the lack of intrusive ads, loot crates, or DLC sales, making it an enjoyable online co-op game free from "live service" pressures.
- “No endless microtransactions to bleed you dry, no battlepasses or rotating store items to induce FOMO.”
- “The game is an ideal online co-op multiplayer without any of the live service or microtransaction issues modern gamers are forced to tolerate these days.”
- “It's one of the few games left that isn't ruined by microtransactions or parts of the game cut up into little bits and sold as DLC.”
- “It has its flaws, but thankfully it's not full of those crappy microtransactions and devs constantly begging for money for useless skins.”
- “The fact that the game format is also an ideal online co-op multiplayer -- without any of the bullshit of 'live services' or microtransactions modern gamers are forced to tolerate these days -- is another big plus.”
- “Honestly, if you don't see the ads and think 'yes, I must play this,' it's probably not for you.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
Character development in the game shows mixed reactions, with some players appreciating the story and humor but criticizing the character designs and dialogue compared to previous installments. While the narrative is generally seen as engaging, certain design choices and dialogue quality received some dissatisfaction.
- “Some downgrades in character designs and dialogue, but vast improvements in gameplay aspects provide a pretty good follow-up to EDF 4.1.”
- “The story was pretty good, though the character design could be cooler—just a personal opinion.”
- “Good game with a funny story and nice character design and art.”

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72%Critics’ scoreBased on 35 critic reviews

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51h Median play time

96h Average play time

23-160h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 18 analyzed playthroughs

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EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 is a hack and slash game with anime, violence and science fiction themes.

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Phone, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 96 hours playing EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5.

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 was released on July 11, 2019.

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 was developed by SANDLOT.

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon, EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers, Mecha Knights: Nightmare, Earth Defense Force 2025 and others.

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Review: Earth Defense Force 5