Review for Earth Defense Force 5. Game for PC and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 07/12/2017 The version for PC came out on 11/07/2019 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 11/12/2018
The theme of alien invasions has always been very dear to the world of videogames, since the time of Space Invaders. Over the years, we have found ourselves over and over again grappling with threats from the stars in defense of our much mistreated Blue Planet and, let's face it, we also had a lot of fun doing it! If you also recognize yourself in this passage, Earth Defense Force 5 is definitely a game for you!
Earth Defense Force 5, like its predecessors, brings to our PlayStation 4 a sort of “summa” of the Invasion from Deep Space genre, and it does so in the trashy and wonderfully iconic style of science fiction B-Movies.
Earth Defense Force 5, in fact, is a frenetic third-person shooter, which sees us in the role of an unfortunate civilian (a technician perhaps?) Who, during a normal routine check, finds himself embroiled in an attack on the earth carried by iconic flying saucers. and ... insects! Endless arrays of insects made gigantic by some mysterious alien technology. All according to the scheme of the old films. Even the invading aliens themselves have an iconic shape at the most, they are bipedal frogs armed to the teeth together with the usual Grays! More classic than that ...
The atmosphere that reigns in Earth Defense Force 5 is precisely this, subjects so stereotyped as to be in some way reassuring. We will not find anything innovative in the game, but this is not a bad thing, as it manages, in some way, to give character to the title.
In terms of gameplay, as already mentioned, we are faced with a third-person shooter. Commanding our protagonist around the levels and obliterating tons of giant insects will be really a breeze, thanks to the controls that are really essential, but are also extremely practical and intuitive. The plot - if we can call it that, since it is practically a mere pretext to incentivize you to go around the levels to blow everything up - involves our forced incorporation into this military organization in defense of the Earth.
In order to take part in the clashes, except for the brief introductory tutorial, we will have to choose between four different classes of soldiers: the Ranger, classic average fighter, good in everything but excellent in nothing, the Wing Diver, soldier of an exclusively female special corps specialized in flying combat, equipped with excellent weapons but with little autonomy, having energy in common with the jet pack, then we have the Air Raider, a typical support class capable of calling devastating air attacks on specific targets and finally the fencer, the classic tank, equipped with terrifying weapons and defenses but a painful mobility to say the least.
At the beginning of each mission we will be free to choose any of the four classes. The game itself seems to want to encourage this role rotation thanks to the absolutely random loot of weapons and equipment exclusive to specific classes.
The choice of the class is also extremely important in the multiplayer sector, since we will be able to face the Earth Defense Force 5 campaign in a cooperative together with a maximum of three other people, even locally. Yes, because Earth Defense Force 5 also has the old and dear split screen mode, allowing you to face aliens together with a friend who has had the foresight to bring a pad with him.
The action that the game presents to us is simple and fast-paced. There will be very little else to do other than destroy a certain object and / or obliterate seemingly incessant hordes of enemies, but it will still be hard to get bored, as there will always be the feeling that opponents "come off the fucking walls, ( semicit.) ". So we have action, speed and fun, all right then? Unfortunately not.
Even if Earth Defense Force 5 still works perfectly in its simplicity, one cannot fail to notice a technical sector to say the least rough, especially when compared with an average production of recent times.
The levels (largely destructible), the vehicles and the enemies are well made, the animations are fluid and without slowdowns but, unfortunately, the graphics and sound seem to come directly from a game of at least 10 years ago. And by “at least” we mean that in some, fortunately rare, cases it almost seems to be back up PlayStation 2.
A flaw that absolutely does not undermine the fun and speed of the title, but which for some could be really unbearable.
Earth Defense Force 5 should be taken exactly for what it is, a very fun, immediate and full of B-Movie trash appeal and atmosphere, with graphics that, although very fluid, are enormously subdued. Recommended, but without obligation.
► Earth Defense Force 5 is a Shooter type game published by D3 Publisher for PC and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 07/12/2017 The version for PC came out on 11/07/2019 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 11/12/2018
