EDF Hektor

Off-topic Sunday: “THE E-D-F DEPLOYS”

EDF Hektor

Excuse the rushed nature of this piece. We’re expecting guests and I’m wondering if I can manage to both clean the bathroom and squeeze in another level before they arrive.

Sandlot have implemented plenty of new features in Earth Defense Force 2025 new to the current generation of EDF titles, anyway – many of which we’re pretty excited about. No doubt each of us will decide on a favourite, whether it’s the return of the flying energy weapon trooper class, the addition of two new support classes, the promise of unusual new Ravagers to fight or the implementation of online multiplayer – something notably absent from this budget series prior to 2011’s Insect Armageddon.

It’s early days yet as of the time of writing but I’m putting in an early vote for the songs your fellow troopers sing. Oh, but they are glorious. Badly-written, poorly sung, completely po-faced, utterly improbable and impossibly charming: EDF in a nutshell.

To save our Mother Earth from any alien attack
From vicious giant insects who have once again come back
We’ll unleash all our forces
We won’t cut them any slack
The E.D.F. deploys!

By the time you read this AJ, Potter and myself, plus I hope overseas folks including Guillaume and other friends of Arcadian Rhythms (Kenty? Kevin?), should have spent plenty of time with the game. I expect we’ll have a review for you fairly promptly given how much we’re expecting to be playing this. Hopefully we’ll be able to win over a few more converts to join us in our war against the dread giant insects. 

Oh, and kudos to our erstwhile assistant editor and podcast contributor Potter for kindly buying me a copy!

Comments

8 responses to “Off-topic Sunday: “THE E-D-F DEPLOYS””

  1. friendlygun Avatar
    friendlygun

    Apparently there are more verses to this wonderful song. I've not heard them yet but it's only a matter of time.

    The game is BIG! I would still like to try and run a review this week, but I suspect we may need to take a little more time. I've put thirteen hours in so far and have seen a bit over 30 of the game's purported 85 levels. Admittedly that's 30+ as one character class and 22 or so as another. And only on the middle difficulty level and below. :)

  2. badgercommander Avatar

    Oh man, chapter 36 is epic. Haven't beat it yet and I have no idea where it is going to go after this.

    1. friendlygun Avatar
      friendlygun

      I'm a bit past there in single player and woooaaah there is some crazy new shit showing up. And a most welcome refugee from GDF, too!

  3. Gregg B Avatar
    Gregg B

    That Nuka Cola history link doesn't appear to work!

  4. Gregg B Avatar
    Gregg B

    So, EDF.

    If I have to play one of them which one should I check out? I remember AJ telling me in London, but I don't remember any specifics. Much drink. So tired. Very forget. Wow.

    1. friendlygun Avatar
      friendlygun

      I've tweaked the Nuka-Cola link – it was passing through a redirect that worked for me but didn't need to be there. If it helps the direct link is: http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2004-08/hea

      As for EDF, ha, I almost mentioned you and the TR chaps in that context. No doubt 2017 was recommended at the time but it's been superseded by 2025 in almost every way. If you do get a copy, I would recommend: playing with friends if possible, and not dwelling on the higher difficulties for the early levels. If may just be because I've played so much of the series, but the early levels are much less interesting to me now. I don't think it's just me, though, as a lot of people bounce off EDF after spending only a little time with it.

      Things get way cooler once you've unlocked more levels, have a greater variety of weapons, and of course if you ramp it up to hard and play with friends.

      Basically I'm dancing around being 'that guy' and saying EDF gets much more fun once you've invested a couple of hours in it and have tried a few different levels, weapons and character classes! :)

      1. badgercommander Avatar

        Actually played this with someone who hadn't experienced EDF before and the early levels that I felt dragged a little were an absolute joy to him. I think it becomes a case of whether you have experienced the build up towards the madness before or not.

        Get 2025, it is really, really fucking good

        1. friendlygun Avatar
          friendlygun

          I am greatly heartened to hear this. Clearly I've just played too many early levels against too many grey ants!