Earth Defense Force 6 is a third-person shooter that places players in the role of EDF soldiers defending a ravaged Earth from waves of giant alien invaders. Set in 2027 after the events of prior conflicts, the game emphasizes large-scale battles against oversized enemies using an extensive arsenal across multiple soldier classes. The core loop revolves around mission completion, weapon collection, and repeated playthroughs on escalating difficulties to unlock stronger gear.
Gameplay
Players select from four distinct classes at the start of each mission, each offering unique movement and combat options. The Ranger serves as the versatile baseline soldier equipped with standard firearms and new backpack utilities such as turrets and grenades. Wing Diver focuses on aerial mobility with jetpack flight for positioning above hordes. Air Raider deploys support gadgets, drones, and vehicles for area control. Fencer brings heavy firepower through dual-wielded weapons and enhanced durability. Combat centers on clearing dense groups of oversized foes with projectile weapons, explosives, and class-specific tools while managing limited armor and ammunition. Weapons drop frequently during missions, encouraging experimentation and loadout adjustments between attempts. All missions allow class switching and support shared progress elements in co-op sessions.
Game Modes
The primary experience consists of a campaign built around more than 140 individual missions that players tackle either alone or with others. Every mission supports online co-op for up to four participants, enabling synchronized assaults on enemy strongholds. Local split-screen co-op is also available for two players on the same system. Missions progress through story-driven objectives against escalating threats, with difficulty settings that include standard tiers plus post-completion options like Hardest and Inferno. No separate competitive or survival modes exist outside this mission framework, keeping focus on cooperative extermination across varied environments.
Content and Scale
Earth Defense Force 6 contains the largest collection of missions and weapons in the series to date. Players accumulate hundreds of distinct armaments distributed among the four classes, ranging from conventional rifles and launchers to specialized gadgets and vehicles. Repeated clears on higher difficulties yield upgraded versions of these weapons, extending playtime significantly. The single-player campaign functions independently while co-op sessions preserve individual weapon unlocks and mission progress. Cross-play features facilitate joining sessions across supported platforms when using the required online service account.
Is It Worth Playing?
Earth Defense Force 6 delivers a substantial volume of content centered on chaotic third-person shooting and class-based teamwork. Steam user reviews rate the title Mostly Positive, with recent feedback trending Very Positive. The game suits players who enjoy lengthy co-op campaigns against massive enemy swarms and iterative weapon grinding. Those seeking polished single-player narratives or varied multiplayer formats may find the repetitive mission structure less appealing. Availability on PC includes full controller support and the option to start with standard or higher difficulties after initial clears. The experience rewards commitment to multiple class playthroughs and difficulty escalations for those aligned with its straightforward action focus.