Let me start this review by talking about how much I hate giant bugs. You see, I grew up in Hawaii, which is for all intents and purposes Skull Island from King Kong, with its B-52 cockroaches and foot-long centipedes that click at you and are not afraid of humans. So really, the reason why I enjoy the Earth Defense Force games--aside from their arcadey fun and B-movie goofiness--is that it lets me slaughter gigantic bugs by the truckload, even if seeing ants the size of 18-wheelers scuttle around sends a chill up my spine. Also, Baker has a giant EDF ant in the office and it scared the shit out of me the first time I noticed it.
Summer vacation in Kailua
Earth Defense Force 2025 is the latest in the simple, exciting action game series, picking up seven years after the last game and doing the exact same thing as all the other ones, story-wise--giant insects arthropods (because spiders aren't insects) are attacking, and it's up to the brave men and women of the Earth Defense Force to protect the citizens and defeat the invaders. Effectively, it's Dynasty Warriors with guns--mow down surging armies of enemies either on your own with a small unit of only-somewhat-effective AI partners or bring friends along to play locally or online.
There are four different classes in EDF 2025, starting with the Ranger, who's about as generic a third-person shooter avatar as you can get. The Ranger carries two weapons of varying ranges and power including assault rifles, shotguns, rocket launchers, and sniper rifles (or can swap one of his weapons out for healing or repair equips), and is a fast, mobile ground-based fighter. Players used to EDF know the ins and outs of this guy, and while playing as him can get a little boring, adjusting your build to your specific playstyle can go a long way.
The Wing Diver is a member of an all-female squad of aerial troopers, armed with speed- and range-based weaponry. It's easy to zip around a level when you're playing as a Wing Diver, since you can just fly up to the top of a building, scout the area, and then just dive into a mob of enemies and engage a huge horde of them all at once. Naturally, the Wing Diver has less defense, so playing solo with her can be more taxing, but in co-op, she's a valuable asset.
Air Raiders lase targets for missiles and bombing runs, toss smoke for artillery support, and call in vehicles that can be used in combat. Pretty useless on their own, Air Raiders really show their worth in multiplayer, raining death down on swarms of bugs and thinning crowds to help their teammates. Their personal weapons are grenade launchers and sticky grenades, which are helpful when you're trying to defend the health beacons you've called down, or need to cover your team's six.
The Fencer is a cool new addition that is much tougher to use than he looks. Instead of being a fast run-and-gun fighter like the Ranger, the Fencer requires more forethought and planning, even with his powerful, varied arsenal. Armed with a gatling gun, a shield that can be used to defend against attacks or bash close-in enemies, and a variety of melee weapons including a spear and a hammer, the Fencer is a force of nature who takes a moment to wind up, and even longer to reload when he's spent. Air Raiders can also lase targets for Fencers, pointing out priority targets. Forcing Fencer players to be completely stationary before they fire (or close in for melee combat) adds some real balance--Fencers require good support in order to be used effectively because of how slow they are.
Calling these four classes "new" is a bit of a stretch, since they pick and choose elements from previous EDF games and mash them together to create these new warriors. Overall, though, they make for a solid team, and each member's strengths make up for their teammates' weaknesses. There's more thought put into the gameplay, even if it's pretty simple and can get kind of repetitive. It's also helpful to have teammates watching your back, because there are plenty of clipping and collision errors, like spiders being able to shoot webs through buildings to drag you around--dealing with these issues solo can get pretty irritating.
Playing over multiple difficulties online and in single-player, the challenge doesn't come from learning new strategies or really mastering the game, but from ludicrously powerful enemies who soak up tons of damage. On a base level, it works and can make co-op games more exciting, but again, it comes down to endurance and repetition--objectives are always "charge in here and kill everything until we tell you to stop." It's fun, but it doesn't last. This isn't a game I'd trade in, but it's one where I know I'd eventually stop and only bring out whenever friends were up for co-op.
Earth Defense Force 2025 is a fun, straightforward game that harkens back to the days of the arcade, giving you a simple objective and giving you simple fun in return. However, that simplicity is a double-edged sword, and it lacks the timeless appeal of other non-stop arcade actioners. I'm definitely not saying to pass on EDF 2025, but make sure you bring your friends along for the ride.
REVIEW ROUNDUP
+ Variety of classes and weaponry rewards teamwork and customizing characters to your playstyle
+ The action does not let up--you'll constantly be taking on swarms of enemies, towering mecha, and airborne armadas
+/- Four "new" classes bring individual style to the series, even if they're cribbed from older EDF classes
+/- Online play is reliable (even on PSN!) but lobby waits are long
+/- Your mileage may vary on the gameplay--blasting bugs is fun, but how long will it last you?
- Visuals are kind of dated, and enemy physics and collision detection can get weird
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