Thought it would be cool to open a general discussion thread on EDF. A fantastic series of games that does so much uniquely right and so is very fun to talk about. I've been playing EDF 4.1 lately and finding that this game is closer to my idea of what an awesome action game of the future should look like than pretty much anything else that has come out since Halo CE.
It's a game about running around shooting stuff, but it's big, the scale is insanely bigger than just about anything else on offer. You have an insane number of options. And it just works. They make it look easy, and it probably is easy considering the origins of this series as a budget title. But nobody else is doing it. I've commonly seen these games described as "janky" or whatever. Easy answer to any possible objection one might have to this from an action fan, where is the cool game that does this better?
EDF is everything appealing action games should be, yet it's practically one of a kind. EDF 6 is coming out soon and I suspect that this series will continue making all other games that aspire to impress me with scale of action look like miserable jokes.
Re: EDF: Earth Defense Force
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2022 12:46 pm
by Iwazaru
Mecha vs. Kaiju = Win
Re: EDF: Earth Defense Force
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2022 1:39 pm
by Cat
The clarity of EDF's concept allows focus to be placed on technical improvement with each installment.
In other words, each sequel (in the core series) is an "upgrade".
Bigger scale, more variety, more freedom within the constraints of not abandoning it's essence.
This measurable progression in game series used to be more commonplace but became declassé, leaving EDF as almost a sole outlier now.
In 2021, the 325th episode of Game Center CX saw the program enter the sixth generation of consoles (discounting the VN Angelique from the earliest episodes).
The game chosen to mark the occasion was none other than Simple 2000 Series Vol.31 THE Chikyū Bōeigun (2003) and I can't think of a better game to showcase the ambitious use of that hardware.
As you mentioned, a budget title, but one that went straight for the finish line and didn't concern itself with the occasional blemish.
I don't claim to be a connoisseur of EDF but have always admired it's spirit.
Like you I eagerly await the next one.
