Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair Reviews
It would be easy to blow off Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair as just another HD remake, but that wouldn't give it credit for how much better it plays now that it's got appropriate processing muscle behind its enemy-packed levels. Simply put, Earth Defense Force has never looked or played as good as this, and while the framerate still drops a bit when the action gets particularly intense, it's never anything but playable.
Earth Defense Force 4.1 is a smoother, more polished version of the same cheesy, excellent product that Sandlot's gotten so good at making.
Killing giant insect scum was has never been as fun and addicting as it is now. The four different classes provide four different and fun ways to play the game and there is tons of replay value here to keep you killing incest for many months to come.
Earth Defense Force 4.1 is a fantastic example of what games are capable of – being big, dumb, and an absolute ton of fun all at the same time. Lots of content, presentation so silly that it's heartwarming, and giant swarms of bugs and robots to blow to smithereens alone or with friends make me come back time and time again. It's a high recommendation to basically anyone – you're never so high and mighty as not to deal with some giant insects.
Earth Defense Force 4.1 isn't out to change the action genre, or win any technical awards for that matter. It simply provides a fun, over-the-top experience where you lay waste to aliens – and the city, oops. It's built pretty solidly, though, and is a sheer joy to play, whether alone or with friends. And when you hop into the helm of a mech, your heroic meter will definitely jump up a notch. Here's to you, EDF!
No polish or refinement, just lots of giant ants and plenty of ways to kill them. Ridiculously fun at its best, which it frequently is.
If I were to stick with a single installment going forward, this would be the one. Some of the upgrades fall short of expectations, and a good deal of the content is overly familiar at this point, but The Shadow of New Despair still represents the series at its best.
Overall, 4.1 is a raucous and fun shooter with a different as well as more open ended approach compared to the more scripted movie wannabe type games out there.
The game is huge at close to a hundred levels, with some very reasonably priced DLC that makes an already vast experience half as massive again.
Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair isn't a game for those who want to be dazzled by graphics. It may be impressive in terms of how many enemies can be on-screen in relation to their size, but issues like screen tearing and unstable frame rate don't exactly make it showcase material. It also isn't a game for those who want a deep narrative, as the simple setup is undermined by dialogue that makes you scratch your head. It is, however, a game built on mindless fun, and it delivers that in spades, even if some may say it feels like a slog at times. There isn't much here for Earth Defense Force 2025 players, especially since it doesn't include the three previously released DLC packs, but new players will fall in love with this title almost immediately.
While the game itself isn't a visual powerhouse, this is the best a Earth Defense Force game has ever looked. EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair is also the best-playing game of the series – combine this with the ability to play cooperatively online with a friend, and you've got magic in the making. EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 is not technically or visually impressive, but it makes a case for unadulterated fun being core to a game experience over the latter.
It may look rubbish but EDF 4.1 plays brilliantly. You just have to try this game, it's loads of goofy fun.
Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair won't win any prestigious awards, but it still manages to be a fun little cult offering that will please those looking to simply have a good time. If you don't expect anything serious or realistic to come out of it, you'll definitely enjoy blasting away at your enemies while listening to some of the silliest dialogue ever put on a game
A great shooter that offers a surprising amount of variety and content. The mechanics may be simple but EDF 4.1 showcases spectacle above all else and it always proves to be thrilling.
There is a lot to EDF 4.1, but nothing about it is going to change players' minds if they never enjoyed the series. The same rinse and repeat game play exists, the performance is still questionable, and the repetition is real. Still for those that enjoy it, this is by far the best the series has been to date.
From each individual line of dialogue to every jagged texture, Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair is so bad that it's actually pretty bloody good. A game that knows exactly what it's doing and sticks wholeheartedly to its stupidity, it's a refreshing experience that's bolstered by an admittedly addictive gameplay loop. Whether alone or with friends, it proves to be an accessible hoot that packs plenty of fun – provided that you leave your brains at the door.
Varied and fun to play, Shadow of New Despair captures the intensity and feel of 70's and 80's monster/sci-fi movies, though its difficulty curve is sometimes hard to swallow.
The price point is going to be the big killer for this game. It comes in at $49.99 when it seems like it should be a 30$ game. Overall at the price point, I just can’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t big into the franchise already.
Whether it's locally or online, playing in co-op makes Earth Defense Force 4.1 truly shine; its unsophisticated shooter gameplay being perfect for chilling out with a friend on the couch or with up to three allies on the internet
A solid representation of the B-movie in video game form, for better or worse. It’s got a lot of laughable moments, with a few design issues and crashes but they don’t ruin the fun.