Starting back in 2003 withMonster Attack—a PS2 title released as part of D3’sSimpleseries of low-cost arcade action games—the Earth Defense Force franchise’s debut title immediately caught gamers' attention due to its unique gameplay and surprising scope. Combined with the game’s budget price tag,Monster Attackrapidly became one of thePS2’s most beloved hidden gems. With the releases that followed and the scope and quality of the franchise ever-increasing, theEarth Defense Forceseries rapidly achieved cult-classic status. Consistently punching well above its weight, Sandlot’s 12EDFgames are bombastic horde shooters like nothing else on the market.
Helldivers 2 Fans Should Shift Their Attention to Earth Defense Force 6
Earth Defense Force 6 is Similar to Helldivers 2
Upon release,Helldivers 2was an instant sensation. Managing to becomeSteam’s most-played game of all time, Arrowhead’s bug-slaughtering co-op shooter took the world by storm. But now, six months since it was released,Helldivers 2’s player count isn’t what it was and it’s unknown if it’ll recover to that status—still, nothing since has quite managed to scratch the same itch.Earth Defense Force 6, with its legion of bugs and robots to slaughter online with friends, just might.
WhenHelldivers 2’s gameplaywas first shown off, manyEDFsimilarities were quickly pointed to. Progression-based co-op PvE gameplay where a squad of expendable military units venture forth into a bug (or android) infested environment, and use their weapons and various skills—from calling down airstrikes to calling in vehicles—to eradicate the alien threat. Both games also make overt references toStarship Troopers—though whileEDFpays homage to the book with its full-body power suit class,Helldivers 2’s satirical focus instead owes a debt to Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 film adaptation.
Earth Defense Force 6 and Helldivers 2 Are Not the Same Game
TheHelldiversfranchise is known for its slick satire asEarth Defense Forceleans into B-movie absurdity. LikeHelldivers’ anime-influenced older brother,Earth Defense Forceups the ante, setting its games primarily on Earth and featuringfully destructible environments—as the players’ massive weapons miss their targets and hit the surrounding buildings, the buildings get progressively more damaged, eventually collapsing entirely. WhileHelldivers 2focuses on the horror of being overwhelmed by its inescapable and never-ending hordes,EDF6revels in the sheer ridiculousness of four heavily armed military maniacs wiping out thousands of alien enemies to save the world.
TheEarth Defense Forcefranchise also has a much wider scope, with more weapons, enemy types, and environments thanHelldivers 2. But even thoughHelldivers 2is far from repetitive,Earth Defense Force 6features dozens of different bug types, robot types, and alien invaders—not to mention enemy vehicles, support units, and bosses.
Also, whileHelldivers 2has jump packs,EDF6has jetpacks.
Earth Defense Force 6 is the Perfect Antidote to Helldivers Fatigue
There are definite similarities—and each game will likely appeal to the other’s fanbase—butHelldivers 2andEarth Defense Force 6are not replacements for one another. Rather,EDFprovides an arcadey, colorful counterpoint toHelldivers 2’s grittier, heavier action. Therefore, fans ofHelldivers 2will feel right at home with Sandlot’s insect-killing action andtheEDFfranchisehas its own intricacies and quirks that make the games worth playing in their own right.
Earth Defense Force 6allows Western fans of Sandlot’s iconic brand of bombastic action to get their firstEDFfix since 2019. With more monsters, missions, weapons, and chaos than ever before,Earth Defense Force 6is set to bethe biggestEDFgame yet.
