A new trailer forEarth Defense Force 6promises a design overhaul for the four selectable classes in the game, as well as other additions and quality-of-life improvements new to the series.
The long-running cult classicEarth Defense Forceseries is an unapologetically overwhelming and bombastic third-person shooterabout blasting massive insectsand robots with a vast array of powerful weaponry. Over the course of the series, the character roster has expanded from one class to four, allowing players to combine class-specific weapons and strategies to more effectively wipe out alien invaders.
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Ever since thereveal of EarthDefense Force 6last year, D3Publisher and Sandlot have hosted livestreams and released trailers to promote the new series entry. In addition to promising quality-of-life improvements and a direct story continuation fromEarth Defense Force 5, the game will feature redesigned versions of the Ranger, Wing Diver, Air Raider and Fencer classes. New enemies and quality of life improvements are also showcased, and the swarms of giant insects iconic to the series naturally return. The trailer is presented in the same half-comedic format as otherEarth Defense Forcetrailers, framing the video as a news broadcast intended to inform the remaining population of the apocalyptic world.
The redesigned characters feature a gritty, battle-hardened look, but the changes should be nowhere near as divisive asMass Effect: Legendary Edition’s Kelly Chambers designchange. Rangers look very similar to theirEarth Defense Force 5counterparts, but have a more angular helmet design, and Air Raiders do not see many changes either. Conversely, Wing Divers see a major change in armor design, notably camouflage pants and shirt underneath the various external protective padding, while Fencers are given even beefier armor and an even larger Power Frame in general.
The changes to the armor do not appear to impact regular gameplay much, but there are still notable improvements, both to gameplay and game mechanics. Rangers can climb over small obstacles such as railings with ease, and an entirely new enemy type will enter the battleground. Given the release date and previous game’s release platforms,Earth Defense Force 6may be thefirst next-genEarth Defense Forcegame.
The story, which continues on fromEarth Defense Force 5, involves facing a new, massive threat and defending the remains of humanity, and fans will not have to wait long forEarth Defense Force 6to launch later this year. In the meantime, spinoff gameEarth Defense Force: World Brothersis available nowand should keep fans of the series satisfied until6launches.
Earth Defense Force 6releases late 2021 for as yet unspecified platforms.
