Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon puts players back in the boots of Lightning Alpha, a soldier facing a wave of giant bugs and alien machines in the ruined city of New Detroit. The game asks for one thing: destroy the enemy at all costs, even if that means turning whole city blocks into rubble. It delivers that demand without much fuss.
Trailer, via BANDAI NAMCO Europe.
New Detroit and Its Bugs
New Detroit is the target of a focused bug invasion, and the EDF is the only force that can stop it. The player fights wave after wave of deadly insects and robots, mostly within the city itself. The graphics have been greatly improved, but the arcade shooter physics hold steady from earlier games in the series.
Vehicle controls have been fixed, and the tank and mecha vehicles can now be manned by more than one player. Credits are earned and spent across a wide range of tasks. Over 300 weapons are available, purchased through a new unlock system that replaces the old in-game drop system of Earth Defense Force 2017. Some weapons still only drop from elite enemies.
Four classes are selectable from the menu, each with its own special functions and exclusive equipment. All armor colors can be changed. Trooper Armor is the standard choice, with the widest loadout and the most versatile upgrades. The Trooper Armor is the only armor available in Survival Mode.
“Defend the world from the insect invasion, even if it means blowing up the entire city as part of the extermination process.”
Survival Mode and the Squad
Survival Mode pits a human squad against a constant stream of the largest enemies the aliens have to offer. The mode supports up to six players working together. It is a demanding test of skill and teamwork, since the enemy waves grow harder with each pass.
The story follows three chapters, broken into five missions. Lightning Alpha leads Strike Force Lightning, joined by two squad members, and they are usually aided by local EDF forces in the area, though those forces are poor compared to the main group. The first chapter serves as an introduction, while the second moves across industrial New Detroit to find downed Landers and their pilots.
The third chapter centers on a cube that must be transported to a nest in central New Detroit. A queen bug rises from the nest, and Lightning must fight it to secure the drop zone. Once the queen and her minions are dead, the cube is placed in the center of the nest, and Lightning heads to the evacuation point.
The Verdict on Insect Armageddon
Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a spin-off entry in the Japanese Earth Defense Force series, and it follows the EDF as they fight in the United States. It has no story or setting connection to the numbered games in the series. The game was released to mixed but generally positive reviews from critics.
The core shooter loop remains satisfying. The weapon count, the four classes, and the upgrade systems give the game a lot of replay value. The Survival Mode adds a strong multiplayer component for groups looking for a challenge.
Where the game falls short is in its story. The narrative is thin, and the characters are mostly background figures. The missions feel like repeated waves rather than distinct set pieces. The game also carries a heavy reliance on destruction to progress, which can wear thin after hours of play.
| Chapter | Missions |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 1 |
| Industrial New Detroit | 2 |
| The Nest and the Cube | 2 |
Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a solid shooter with a lot of content but a weak story. It is best enjoyed as a pure arcade experience rather than a deep campaign. The survival mode alone makes it worth picking up for players who want to test themselves against the hardest the game has to offer.
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