Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon

76%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,251 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon Game Cover
A game that you really have to play to understand just how annoying an ant can really be.
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"Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon" is a third-person shooter game where players fight off hordes of giant insects and robots in a futuristic city. Players can choose from four different character classes, each with their own unique weapons and abilities. The game features a variety of game modes, including campaign, survival, and multiplayer, providing a challenging and exciting experience.

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

76%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,251 reviews
gameplay46 positive mentions
grinding78 negative mentions
  • Fun and chaotic gameplay with a variety of weapons and classes to choose from.
  • Destructible environments and large-scale battles against hordes of giant bugs and robots.
  • Great for co-op play, making it a fun experience with friends.
  • Short campaign with only 15 missions, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • Grindy leveling system that can feel tedious and slow to progress.
  • Graphics and sound design are considered subpar compared to other titles in the series.
  • story372 mentions

    The story in "Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon" is generally viewed as weak and poorly developed, with only 15 missions that feel repetitive and lack depth. While the game attempts a darker tone compared to its predecessors, many players find the narrative to be clichéd and unengaging, often overshadowed by the gameplay. Overall, the focus is more on action and combat rather than a compelling storyline, making it less appealing for those seeking a rich narrative experience.

    • “If you're unfamiliar with Earth Defense Force, the concept is simple - you're living out the plot of a B-movie where Earth is being invaded by a billion bugs, aliens, robots, and kaiju.”
    • “The games are known for bright, colorful, and silly scenarios with comical radio chatter as HQ bumbles around figuring out about the invasion, but Insect Armageddon went for a much darker, more serious tone; everything is gritty, and the story ends on a bleaker note.”
    • “There isn't a lot of story, but the game has funny banter between the mission commander, the intelligence officer, and a pilot.”
    • “The games are known for bright, colorful, and silly scenarios with comical radio chatter as HQ bumbles around figuring out the invasion, but Insect Armageddon went for a much darker, more serious tone. Everything is gritty, and the story ends on a bleaker note.”
    • “There's a story to be found somewhere, but it becomes so redundant in contrast to the fun gameplay available.”
    • “That’s not a lot of time to really develop a story, yet there are at least two or three missions with almost no development of the plot, and one mission near the end that tells the player to just 'go look in another place' right before the big climax? It’s not that the game doesn’t have the time to develop the narrative, it’s that it never uses the time it has.”
  • gameplay180 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is characterized by its simple, repetitive mechanics, focusing on shooting hordes of giant insects with a variety of weapons. While the core gameplay loop is enjoyable and offers some fun moments, it suffers from a lack of depth, variety, and meaningful progression, leading to a grindy experience that can feel shallow over time. The four character classes provide some differentiation, but many players find them too similar, and the overall experience is often described as clunky and lacking the charm of earlier entries in the series.

    • “I like a lot of the additions they made to gameplay, like the bugs throwing cars at you or forcing you to sprint in to plant a charge on anthills.”
    • “The gameplay is simple but satisfying.”
    • “It is beloved by its fans for its fun, frantic gameplay, the ridiculous scale of many of the battles, the ludicrous variety of weapons, and the endearingly camp tone of its story and presentation.”
    • “I found the gameplay to be very repetitive and clunky; either you can blast through all the enemies or they blast you instead.”
    • “The core of the gameplay is there, but the entire thing takes place in a single location, the zany variety of weapons is missing, and the classes haven't really found their feet mechanically yet, leaving wing divers feeling fast but weak, fencers too slow to live, and air raiders are mostly useless.”
    • “The campaign itself feels short and pointless without a real ending, and the gameplay is entirely reliant on grinding if you wish to experience anything but the base content.”
  • graphics140 mentions

    The graphics in "Insect Armageddon" are generally considered dated and mediocre, with many reviewers noting that while they are not impressive, they are serviceable for the gameplay experience. The game prioritizes performance and the sheer number of enemies on screen over visual fidelity, leading to a gritty aesthetic reminiscent of "Starship Troopers." Overall, while the graphics may not satisfy those seeking high-end visuals, they effectively support the chaotic and fun gameplay that the series is known for.

    • “But this game has been revamped to bring the player into a modern 3D world with realistic graphics.”
    • “The graphics look great, the voice acting is believable and entertaining, the swarms of enemies are extremely dynamic in their movement and serve to never let there be a boring moment.”
    • “There’s nothing here that’s going to win an award for a look, but you also get a sky filled with enemies and that’s what makes the game feel like an epic battle to fight off an invading force, and in that way the graphics work well for the type of game they are going for.”
    • “The graphics leave some to be desired but the gameplay is great.”
    • “Dated but passable graphics.”
    • “Unfortunately it lacks immersion, gameplay, graphics, optimization, sound, weapon quality, enemy AI, and general quality, and that's just the top of the iceberg.”
  • grinding80 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with many players noting it as a significant downside due to its repetitive nature and the extensive time required to progress, especially at higher levels. While some find the gameplay enjoyable enough to overlook the grind, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, leading to boredom and frustration, particularly when aiming for 100% completion. Overall, the game is described as "super grindy," with a reliance on repetitive missions and slow XP growth that can make progression feel tedious.

    • “The problem with this game is the required grinding to make any progress.”
    • “The campaign itself feels short and pointless without a real ending, and the gameplay is entirely reliant on grinding if you wish to experience anything but the base content.”
    • “This is compounded by the ludicrously slow growth rate - leveling up from rank 1 to rank 2 took 4-5 missions, the XP requirement for the next level was doubled, and each of the four classes level up independently, for which I see some serious grinding required in the future.”
  • humor48 mentions

    The game's humor is characterized by a mix of campy dialogue, deadpan commentary, and absurd situations, often drawing comparisons to "Starship Troopers." While some players find the banter between characters and the chaotic destruction of the environment amusing, others feel that the humor can be hit-or-miss, with some lines falling flat or becoming cringeworthy. Overall, the comedic elements contribute to a lighthearted tone, despite the game's lack of a strong narrative.

    • “There isn't a lot of story, but the game has funny banter between the mission commander, the intelligence officer, and a pilot.”
    • “Chuckle as the pilot regales you with calm, nearly deadpan humor despite constantly being a few seconds away from death by flying car, robot wasp, or giant bomb at any given time.”
    • “You fight hundreds of giant bugs and aliens with hilariously overpowered weapons, and are capable of destroying every single building and object on the map with no negative consequences!”
    • “Your squad-mates chime in with very cringey things to say, and it's not even funny; you'll involuntarily sigh when you hear them.”
    • “Your squad-mates chime in with very cringey things to say, and it's not even funny; you'll involuntarily sigh when you hear them.”
  • replayability34 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through its diverse classes, numerous weapons, and unlockable content, despite a relatively short main campaign. Players appreciate the variety in gameplay and the challenge presented by different difficulty levels, although some feel that these difficulties do not introduce new elements. Overall, the combination of multiplayer options and a destructible environment enhances the game's replay value, making it a fun and addictive experience.

    • “Wacky shoot'em up action with many classes and a ton of replay value.”
    • “The main campaign is short but with many unlockables and leveling, the replay value of trying various weapons and armors, and online mode makes it worth coming back once in a while.”
    • “Great on keyboard or controller, this title offers tons of variety, tons of replayability, and an almost fully destructible environment that offers fans of any style of action gameplay options.”
    • “And the 'difficulty' levels of the game, which are supposedly what gives it more replayability, do literally nothing but multiply all the stats of the mobs by 3. That's it, no new enemies, no new attacks, no new weapons, no new vehicles. Long story short, they have more health, move slower, and do less damage than your character, and out of 6 vehicles, 4 of them are turrets, and arguably the mech is a turret with legs.”
    • “The four different classes that you can play as all feel fairly distinct from one another and help pad out the replayability of the otherwise criminally rushed campaign.”
    • “It does only have three chapters with 5 decently sized missions each, so the game itself is kind of short but definitely does have some replayability like the different difficulties.”
  • music22 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while many praise the soundtrack as the standout feature, describing it as action-packed and dramatic, others note that it is often too quiet and gets overshadowed by sound effects. Some players appreciate the lighthearted, B-movie feel of the original game's songs, but there are complaints about the overall sound mix being unbalanced.

    • “Now for something positive: the sound effects & music are very good.”
    • “The soundtrack is probably the best part about this game.”
    • “The soundtrack adds to the titanic struggle feeling to overcome the enemy horde.”
    • “Some of the machine guns sound flat to me and the music is really quiet; you can barely hear it even if you turn it up.”
    • “In addition, the sound mix is strange; the shooting and music seem to be too loud, so I had to turn those down.”
    • “The soundtrack needs to be louder.”
  • optimization18 mentions

    The game's optimization is generally well-received, with stable performance and no crashes reported, especially after unlocking the frame rate. While it sacrifices the quantity of enemies for improved graphics and smoother gameplay, some players appreciate the trade-off, noting that the game remains playable despite minor performance issues. Overall, it offers a more polished experience compared to previous titles in the series.

    • “The game never crashed on me and once you unlock the FPS by downloading a single file and replacing it in the installation folder, you're looking at a very smooth, consistent performance.”
    • “+ Much more optimized, although some people aren't bothered by the performance and would rather have hundreds of bugs on the screen at once, which is understandable. But the game was never unplayable and stayed at stable frame rates unlike previous titles.”
    • “While previous entries in the series focused on massive numbers of large enemies on-screen at once, at the cost of graphical fidelity and performance, Insect Armageddon goes the opposite route - the graphics are prettier and the performance is more stable.”
    • “While previous entries in the series focused on massive numbers of large enemies on-screen at once, at the cost of graphical fidelity and performance, Insect Armageddon goes the opposite route - the graphics are prettier and the performance is more stable, but there are much fewer enemies to fight at any given moment and they are nowhere near as titanic in size as they could get in EDF proper.”
    • “I think this happens when the game is pure texture, when inputs are mostly thoughtless and there's a kind of zone where I can melt into the goofy disaster spectacle (even if the spectacle itself could be better, but I'm sure things like lingering corpses and building ruins would have compromised the performance).”
    • “For some crazy bug-blasting action, the game is good value, despite a few performance issues and a crappy ending if you only beat it on normal (and hard and very hard are sick).”
  • stability14 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting minor glitches and rendering issues that are not game-breaking, while others describe it as a "buggy mess" with significant flaws affecting gameplay. Overall, players may need to troubleshoot before fully enjoying the experience, as stability issues seem to persist throughout.

    • “So be ready to spend some time troubleshooting the game before you actually get to play.”
    • “Not great, deeply flawed, buggy for a long time (the radar function was enabled by default for the longest time, removing the need for the support unit's special ability), but satisfyingly shallow and fun.”
    • “This game lacks scale; the levels are super small, not to mention the destruction is lacking, and it's really just an overall buggy game. Do yourself a favor and buy a 360 to play EDF 2017 or get 2025 for 360 and PS3, and you will see what I mean.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The game successfully captures a Starship Troopers-inspired, B-movie atmosphere that many players find enjoyable. However, it is criticized for being short and lacking the campy elements that are essential to the overall experience.

    • “The game perfectly recreated a B-movie style and atmosphere that I enjoyed.”
    • “Good Starship Trooper-esque setting and atmosphere.”
    • “Unfortunately for this game, it is quite short and lacks the campy atmosphere that makes a good 50% of the EDF experience.”
    • “Unfortunately for this game, it is quite short and lacks the campy atmosphere that makes up a good 50% of the EDF experience.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players appreciate games that feature lovable characters with heartwarming backstories, highlighting the emotional connection these elements foster. This aspect enhances the overall gaming experience by making players more invested in the characters' journeys.

    • “Do you want lovable characters with heartwarming backstories?”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

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Play time

19hMedian play time
15hAverage play time
7-23hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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