EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: WORLD BROTHERS (v2022.02.22 & ALL DLC)

A block-built Earth has cracked apart into floating regions, and only the Earth Defense Force can keep its scattered nations from being overrun. EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: WORLD BROTHERS trades the series’ usually gritty B-movie spectacle for a bright, toy-like voxel style, but it keeps the essential EDF appeal intact: enormous insect hordes, absurd alien machines, collapsing city blocks, and weapons loud enough to flatten a skyline. The result is a cheerfully chaotic third-person shooter that treats an apocalypse like a Saturday-morning action cartoon. Beneath its cube-shaped presentation lies a sincere celebration of the franchise’s long history.

Missions send you into fractured versions of countries around the globe to rescue stranded EDF fighters, destroy invading forces, and reclaim territory one hectic battlefield at a time. Rather than controlling a single class, you build a squad of up to four soldiers and swap between them instantly, using their different mobility options, weapon specialties, and abilities to answer each threat. A winged fighter can cross rooftops, a heavy unit can soak up punishment, and ground troops bring specialized firearms, explosives, or melee power, making team composition more important than simply picking the strongest gun. Rescued characters expand the roster, while familiar EDF weapons and vehicles provide plenty of reasons to experiment. Four-player online co-op lets friends bring their own custom squads into the invasion, where friendly fire and poorly aimed rocket launchers can create the usual EDF-style disasters.

What separates WORLD BROTHERS from the mainline entries is its crossover roster: soldiers, gear, enemy types, and references span EDF’s different eras and spin-offs. The voxel visuals may look lightweight, yet they make destructible environments and towering creatures especially readable amid the chaos, while the squad-switching system adds a tactical wrinkle absent from more straightforward EDF shooters. It is less punishing and more approachable than EDF 5, though higher difficulties still demand smart positioning and a balanced team. Fans of Earth Defense Force, Dynasty Warriors-style crowd clearing, or goofy co-op shooters will find a surprisingly deep spin-off that welcomes newcomers without abandoning the series’ gloriously excessive identity.