Earth Defense Force's presentation offers plenty of sci-fi goodness. Excellent level designs include huge cities and a few underground caverns straight out of Starship Troopers. The enemies retain a cool little retro look with better animation than the soldiers, who look a bit weird running around. The game does have a tendency to slow down quite heavily, especially when the screen overflows with enemies. The sound effects come across as if they've been ripped straight out of a sci-fi/horror flick, with a geeky, heroic musical score playing in the background and an abundance of hilarious voiceovers. The soldiers change up their moods so constantly, they almost seem bipolar. Listen closely for the "Earth Defense Force" chants -- they sound like something chanted at a low-budget wrestling show.
Thankfully, Earth Defense Force carries a reasonable $40 price tag, a steal compared to the usual $60 range. Achievements can be unlocked, although only for completing certain difficulties and finding all the weapons. In addition, it contains ample two-player split-screen support, with a rip-roaring Battle Mode and fun co-op missions. Unfortunately, Xbox Live never plays a factor. With online multiplayer and downloadable extras, this could've been a definite contender against the likes of Crackdown.
Even with the frame rate hiccups and the lack of online support, Earth Defense Force 2017 succeeds tremendously, thanks to its devastation and non-stop action. This piece of sci-fi cheesy goodness fits right in with Microsoft's meatier games -- very appetizing.
Final Score: 8 (out of 10)
Related Links
Reader Comments (0)