EDF is ugly, budget, clunky, dated, cheesy, and ridiculous. However, it gets one important element right: it's fun.
EDF’s graphics are downright horrendous. The game looks, on standard definition, no better than an average PS2 or Xbox game. Textures, animations, and style all fall flat in this game, but somehow, it doesn’t cripple the fun too much. In fact, there are times when the garage-game style graphics can be kind of charming; seeing a building not slowly crumble, but instantly shatter with the blast of a rocket does deliver a certain satisfaction. The bugs die the same way. Doing enough damage to them causes them to pop, like a balloon, and out flies the “blood” which is a ridiculous green or brown color depending on the enemy. Who knows weather this was caused by low budget, or creative choice (I would suspect the first theory) but either way, these ridiculous graphics end up being laughably good. The game play is much the same. A typical few seconds in EDF might involve seeing a building with giant ants crawling on it, blasting it with a rocket, seeing it shatter to pieces, running through the destroyed building’s remnants (yes through, the collision detection on some parts is literally non existent) and watching destroyed bugs… err aliens pop right out of the screen. This formula, with a few variables doesn’t ever really get old, and it’s a wonder how, considering how terrible the game’s controls are. EDF uses four shoulder buttons, two analog sticks, a pause button, and the back button. Right trigger shoots, right bumper switches guns, left bumper acts as a scope on select guns, and the left trigger is a jump/dive button. The controls, while clunky get the job done. Shooting a gun usually feels pretty good, but the real problems come in when using the left trigger. Mapping diving and jumping to the same button was a terrible idea, and there is no way to customize this control otherwise. No explanation is really needed to see why it doesn’t work, but the reason the left trigger fails is because it is difficult to input when to jump and when to dodge. Eventually, an instinct is developed when it is discovered that moving up or down jumps in that direction, and moving left, right, or any other diagonal direction initiates a dive. Obviously, this makes jumping left or right impossible, and relying on control of the sticks becomes an important part of mastering the game.
One of the best things EDF has going for it is its value, which is strange considering this, just like every other aspect of the game seems cheap. While it doesn’t offer versus multiplayer, unlockable outfits, developer videos, and only marginal unlockable content, it does have 53 levels and 5 difficulties ranging from easy to inferno. There is a very very light RPG element in the game as well (sorry no character customization). During the levels, enemies drop health, bigger health, armor and weapons. The two health packs are used immediately, while the armor and weapons are added to the character after the level is completed. This means that if a difficult level comes up, the player can go back and build his character up to have an easier time with the level. Another added to the value of the game is its price tag: only forty bucks. Not bad considering the number of levels, variable difficulty, and the fact that there is a two player co-op option. While all this value is great, one of the most disappointing things, especially for achievement junkies, is how poorly designed the achievements are. There are 6 achievements, five for completing the game on a difficulty (one for easy, one for normal, etc.) and one more for collecting all the weapons. Considering the game takes a little more than ten hours to complete, these achievements are only going to go to the most hardcore players. Getting even one of them is an accomplishment given the amount of time it takes (again, a ten hour game).
Once again following EDF’s pattern of pathetically conceived and executed, but somehow amiable is the game’s generic story. Aliens, all coincidentally shaped like ants and spiders, have invaded the earth. Armed with deadly robots, space ships, and cyber-dinosaurs they plan to kill everyone. Why? Who knows, who cares? The way it is executed is very much in the same style as an old Godzilla movie. It consists of screaming people running about, giant aliens, annoying teammates, and an equally as annoying mystery woman barking commands over a walkie-talkie. In the end the story is trivial and unimportant, but the brief cutscenes can be pretty funny.
Earth Defense Force gets it right where it counts. The game is fun. It may not have the glossy graphics, on the edge of your seat story, or spandex tight game play as some of its competition, but then again, not as many games allow for as much enjoyment as EDF. The game is kind of like the world’s ugliest dog. Yeah, it’s disgusting, but for some reason, you can’t stop playing with it.