Earth Defense Force 4 - The bugs are BACK!

[nakamura]

That's bollocks. The controls are decent and well balanced, the draw distances and depth of field effects excellent, and the repetitive gameplay accusation could be levelled at almost any game ever, except stuff like Nier and The Red Star. The gameplay is complicated and deep on later levels.

Wtf kind of gaming world do we live in when fun and enjoyment = not necessarily part of the considerations of what constitutes a good game? I'd take this over any number of vapid, soulless, committee-designed billy big budget bollocks critically-deigned 'good' games any day. I guess that means the raw production, ****ty singing and questionable musicianship of a sex pistols album means it can never score highly? I mean, what's being reviewed here? The game, or its individual technical parts irrespective of the overall experience? It's like you're saying that a game like this can never get higher than a 5 because it doesn't tick certain technical boxes. That's lame government- style bureaucracy thinking, man.

I never said fun and enjoyment do not form important parts of a game. I simply said these are not exactly high quality products which they aren't. All the more galling when they are low budget games being released at full RRP.

Technical achievement is extremely important to many people, rightly or wrongly. EDF2 at times with its insane screen tearing, nasty blurry visuals, awful textures and quite possibly the most fluctuating frame rate in the world ever is a big issue. It was excused somewhat because it was such a cheap game and yes it was fun.

You constantly blab on about skill and tactics needed later in the game, well this is made much harder when you are trying to control a huge enemy horde when the screen is updated at 10fps and under. It then becomes a fight with the game rather than the enemies within the games.

Skill levels are another issue. Many games allow you to complete them on multiple difficulty levels from the off, especially ones within the same genre, EDF does not. It simply requires hours and hours of grinding to get anywhere near the required levels to stand a chance on higher levels. This isn't really good design, it's cheap design.

I never said EDF 2025 cannot score more than a 5, merely that the ones that have been released so far aren't really worth more. I really enjoyed them but rarely did any of my friends show any interest despite how much I talked about them.

Higher budgets also mean very little. Resident Evil 6 is pretty poor for the most part. I would score that a 4/10. I still completed it and still quite enjoyed it but the game has so many problems it's impossible to rate higher. I adored the Shutokou Battle games despite the fact they all have terrible AI, (quite important on a racing game) rubbish graphics and repetitive gameplay. I still completed all of them several times.

When reviewing a product, especially for a huge site you need to look at the overall product. I think the bigger issue is that I see a 5/10 as average, not bad by any stretch whereas a 7 is he average for all the major review sites.

Just to clarify, I think EDF 2025 looks very good and I am certainly not agreeing with any of the reviews posted because I haven't played it. It will probably be the best game in the series for sure and probably be the one to push it to a 7 or 8 if the technical issues aren't too bad.

[prinnysquad]

I can't be arsed to use the quote feature cos I'm on my phone. I'll have to use speech marks I'm afraid.

"Skill levels are another issue. Many games allow you to complete them on multiple difficulty levels from the off, especially ones within the same genre, EDF does not. It simply requires hours and hours of grinding to get anywhere near the required levels to stand a chance on higher levels. This isn't really good design, it's cheap design. "

You can do any difficulty on EDF4 from the off. If you try inferno from the off you'll get smashed. What's wrong with that? How many games have a difficulty level entirely based on your developing skill, I.e., you're good enough to go top rank from the off? Yeah, some do, but not all. EDF uses tried and tested mechanics to reward perseverance and developing skill levels. Many titles ramp up the hitpoints of an enemy which makes it near-impossible until you've unlocked better ****. Tonnes of games require you to unlock abilities and weapons. Up level your health before you tackle tougher difficulty levels. I don't see what's so heinous about EDF doing it. I remember farming Final Fantasy IX for some bloody thing for hours and hours on a little island that spawned a dragon every time you landed. But EDF isn't just a numbers game based on brute force stats. EDF doesn't just demand armour grinding - it demands that you get to grips with weapon combos, flanking and trenches tactics, character combos - that you actually learn new skills. You've cheapened the experience unfairly.

As for the technical frailties negating this emphasis on skill... I've played multiple levels on hardest in split screen. On only one or two occasions has framerate caused a problem and threatened the application of skill.

[QualityChimp]

There are four weapon packs free to download for the Xbox 360 version. One for each class, a couple of weapons each pack.

EXCELLENT work, soldier! Storm 1 thanks you!

Wing Diver Weapon Set (1) Reflectron Laser (2) Gleipnir
Air Raider Weapon Set (1) Pure Decoy Launcher [Setsu] (2) BM03 Vegalta Gold
Fencer Weapon Set (1) Ifrit (2) Blood Storm
Ranger Weapon Set (1) Volatile Napalm (2) Pure Decoy Launcher [Mian]

Mission Pack 1 is out too. It's ?2.39 for 5 additional levels.
Seems a little unnecessary when there are so many levels already included.
We probably shouldn't encourage them when it comes to DLC or the PS4 EDF will have 5 levels included and the rest will be microtransactions as you progress as that seems to be the only sales model companies want to pursue these days!

[QualityChimp]

I feel a little bit sick, but I downloaded those weapon packs and, oh man I'm so sorry, I also bought an EDF 2025 Avatat shirt for 79p.
*sob*

I was weak!

[Golgo]

Shocking, craven, Bill Hicksian 'Suck-Satan's-Cock' level of videogame industry damaging behaviour! Bad Chimp!!!

But more importantly, are they available on PS3 as well?

[Zaki]

Anyone with a US 360 playing a PAL copy yet? Sorry for asking the same question, really eager to order a PAL copy, but I don't want to lose ?35 if it doesn't work.

[Golgo]

I can't be arsed to use the quote feature cos I'm on my phone. I'll have to use speech marks I'm afraid.

"Skill levels are another issue. Many games allow you to complete them on multiple difficulty levels from the off, especially ones within the same genre, EDF does not. It simply requires hours and hours of grinding to get anywhere near the required levels to stand a chance on higher levels. This isn't really good design, it's cheap design. "

You can do any difficulty on EDF4 from the off. If you try inferno from the off you'll get smashed. What's wrong with that? How many games have a difficulty level entirely based on your developing skill, I.e., you're good enough to go top rank from the off? Yeah, some do, but not all. EDF uses tried and tested mechanics to reward perseverance and developing skill levels. Many titles ramp up the hitpoints of an enemy which makes it near-impossible until you've unlocked better ****. Tonnes of games require you to unlock abilities and weapons. Up level your health before you tackle tougher difficulty levels. I don't see what's so heinous about EDF doing it. I remember farming Final Fantasy IX for some bloody thing for hours and hours on a little island that spawned a dragon every time you landed. But EDF isn't just a numbers game based on brute force stats. EDF doesn't just demand armour grinding - it demands that you get to grips with weapon combos, flanking and trenches tactics, character combos - that you actually learn new skills.

Not dissimilar to the massively-praised Souls games, when you think about it I suppose?

[BaronSqwelch]

I feel a little bit sick, but I downloaded those weapon packs and, oh man I'm so sorry, I also bought an EDF 2025 Avatat shirt for 79p.
*sob*

I was weak!

Avatat??
From hero to zero QC!!

[QualityChimp]

I sold my soul for 79p.

[BIG EDD]

I sold my soul for 79p.

Was the shirt worth it?

[yesteryeargames]

Any movement from GameStop ?

[QualityChimp]

I emailed Gamestop earlier to ask when I'm likely to get the game and if they'll email me when it's being posted.

Naturally, I've had no response.

I know it won't arrive because the missus just said she's going away for the weekend, so I'd have the house to myself to play EDF 2025 in just my pants. Instead, the gods of gaming are MOCKING me.

[prinnysquad]

The pants will be on your head, naturally.

QC plays EDF 'tackle out'.

[QualityChimp]

When the stakes are high and the spiders are jumping on-mass towards you, nobody needs the distraction of overheated undercarriage.

A cool breeze keeps a steady trigger hand.

But seriously, I never pre-order anything, so it's sod's law the one time it matters, the only thing on my doormat will be junk mail and muddy footprints.

[prinnysquad]

And ****ty pants, having fallen from your head as you bend down to pick up the new menu from The Fishy Flaps chippy.