Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain

Last updated
Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain
Earth Defense Force Iron Rain cover art.jpg
Japanese PlayStation 4 box art
Developer(s) Yuke's
Publisher(s) D3 Publisher
Director(s) Naoto Ueno
Producer(s) Nobuyuki Okajima
Designer(s) Tomohiro Shibuya
Programmer(s) Shintaro Matsubara
Artist(s) Masaaki Hashimoto
Takashi Komiyama
Kazuyuki Isayama
Composer(s) Masanori Ōtsuka
Yuichi Baba
Shinya Chikamori
Akari Kaida
Series Earth Defense Force
Engine Unreal Engine 4
Platform(s) PlayStation 4, Windows
Release
  • PlayStation 4
  • April 11, 2019
  • Windows
  • October 15, 2019
Genre(s) Third-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain [lower-alpha 1] is a third-person shooter video game developed by Yuke's and published by D3 Publisher for the PlayStation 4. It is a spin-off of the Earth Defense Force series and, like the previous 2011 spin-off Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon , is geared more toward Western audiences, with a more serious tone compared to the main series by Sandlot. [1] A Japanese release date was initially set for late 2018, but the game was delayed into 2019. It was released simultaneously worldwide on April 11, 2019, [2] to mixed but generally positive reviews.

Contents

Gameplay

Like previous entries in the series, Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is a third-person action shooting game, where the player takes control of an Earth Defense Force (EDF) soldier and battles an onslaught of alien enemies. The game features four soldier classes, the Trooper, Jet Lifter, Heavy Striker, and Prowl Rider, all of which feature the option to play as a male or female soldier. The game uses the same type of ammo system as other EDF games, with most weapons having no ammunition limit and only limited by reloading times. Enemies drop Energy Gems, which can be picked up to power the player's Energy Core. Energy Gems also serve as the in-game currency, which the player collects during missions and can subsequently use to purchase new weapons or apparel for the playable character. On some missions, the enemy Kindred Rebellion faction may enter the combat area to try to loot Energy Gems dropped by fallen Aggressors. While the Rebellion will attack Aggressors, it is also hostile toward the EDF.

In addition to a campaign consisting of 52 total missions, Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain includes multiple online game modes. Players can play the co-op campaign online with up to five other players, or engage in the PvP "Mercenary Mode," where two teams of four compete to collect the most Energy Gems. One team is the EDF, while the other is the Kindred Rebellion, and both battle against waves of Aggressors and the other team to collect all dropped Energy Gems. Two-player split-screen gameplay is also available for the offline campaign.

Reception

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain has an aggregate score of 69 on Metacritic based on 49 reviews. [3]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: アース ディフェンス フォース アイアン レイン, Hepburn: Āsu Difensu Fōsu Aian Rein

Related Research Articles

<i>Startopia</i> 2001 video game

Startopia is a video game by Mucky Foot Productions and published by Eidos in June 2001, in which the player administers various space stations with the task of developing them into popular hubs. The game has a comical overtone, with lighthearted humour and cartoonish aliens. The game was re-released on GOG.com in September 2012 and was added to the Steam catalogue in October 2013.

<i>A/X-101</i> 1994 video game

A/X-101 (エーエックス101) is a 1994 rail shooter/FMV video game for the Sega Mega-CD.

<i>Global Defence Force</i> 2005 video game

Global Defence Force is a PlayStation 2 third-person shooter video game developed by Sandlot. The game was originally published as The Chikyū Bōeigun 2 in Japan by D3 Publisher, as volume 81 of the Simple 2000 series of budget games. It was later released in Europe by Essential Games, the brand created by D3 Publisher to publish Simple 2000 series games in Europe.

<i>Earth Defense Force 2017</i> 2006 video game

Earth Defense Force 2017 is a third-person shooter developed by Sandlot, and published by D3 Publisher, for the Xbox 360. It is the follow-up to Global Defence Force, and is the first game in the Earth Defense Force series to be released in North America. Earth Defense Force 3 was the best selling Games on Demand game in Japan for 2009. The game was released on the PlayStation Vita in Japan on 27 September 2012. It was released digital-only in North America on January 8, 2013 and in the PAL region on January 16, 2013. A port of the game was released for the Nintendo Switch in Japan on October 14, 2021.

<i>Red Faction: Guerrilla</i> 2009 video game

Red Faction: Guerrilla is a third-person shooter video game developed by Volition and published by THQ. It was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in June 2009 and for Windows in September 2009. The game is the third installment in the Red Faction series. A remastered version titled Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered with improved graphics was released worldwide on July 3, 2018, for the PlayStation 4, Windows and Xbox One, and on July 2, 2019, for the Nintendo Switch.

Red Faction is a series of shooter video games developed by Volition and owned by Plaion. Originating in 2001, the Red Faction games have spanned Microsoft Windows, macOS and consoles, including the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Original developers Volition have retained the rights to the series since 2020, with no updates provided on whether a future fifth game is in the works or may be so in the future.

<i>Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks</i> 2009 video game

Ben 10: Alien Force – Vilgax Attacks is the third game in the Ben 10 video game series, and the second game to be based on the Ben 10: Alien Force series. The first game was based on the first two seasons of series; while Vilgax Attacks is based on the third and final season of the series. It was released on October 27, 2009.

<i>Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon</i> 2011 video game

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a 2011 third-person shooter developed by Vicious Cycle Software, and published by D3 Publisher, for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. It is a spin-off entry in the Japanese Earth Defense Force series, and is essentially an American take on the premise, following the titular Earth Defense Force as they deploy to fight an invasion of aliens and giant insects in the United States. Insect Armageddon has no story or setting connection to the numbered Earth Defense Force series.

<i>Earth Defense Force</i> Science fiction shooter series

Earth Defense Force, known in Japan as Chikyū Bōeigun, is a science fiction third-person shooter video game series by D3 Publisher, originating as an offshoot of the Simple series. As of 2024, it consists of eleven entries and six main installments, developed and published by various studios and publishers since 2003, most predominantly Sandlot. The series follows the titular Earth Defense Force (EDF), an international armed force that fights to defend Earth from alien invasions. Earth Defense Force generally receives mixed or average reviews, but it has been lauded for its simplistic but entertaining premise and campy tone, and maintains a strong cult following.

<i>Earth Defense Force 2025</i> 2013 video game

Earth Defense Force 2025 is a third-person shooter developed by Sandlot and published by D3 Publisher, for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the follow-up to Earth Defense Force 2017. A remastered version, titled Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair, was released for PlayStation 4 and Windows in 2016, which includes the original game as well as a new expansion. A Nintendo Switch version was released in Japan in December 2022. A reboot titled Earth Defense Force 5 was released on December 7, 2017.

<i>Helldivers</i> 2015 video game

Helldivers is a top-down shooter game developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game was released for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita in March 2015. A version for Microsoft Windows was also released via Steam on 7 December 2015, making it the first game Sony published for Windows.

Sniper Elite is a tactical shooter video game series developed by Rebellion Developments. It is a third-person tactical shooter that emphasises a less direct approach to combat, encouraging the player as a sniper to use stealth and keep distance from enemy soldiers.

<i>Verdun</i> (video game) 2015 first-person shooter video game

Verdun is a squad-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game set during World War I. It was released on 28 April 2015 on Steam, after more than a year in Steam Early Access. It was released for PlayStation 4 on 30 August 2016. An Xbox One version was released on 8 March 2017. A sequel to Verdun, Tannenberg, was released into Steam Early Access on 16 November 2017, and left Early Access for a full release on 13 February 2019. The game released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on 15 June 2021 with higher resolution and better texture quality.

<i>XCOM 2</i> 2016 turn-based tactics video game

XCOM 2 is a 2016 turn-based tactics video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. It is the sequel to 2012's reboot of the series, XCOM: Enemy Unknown; it takes place 20 years after the events of Enemy Unknown. XCOM, a military organization trying to fight off an alien invasion, has lost the war and is now a resistance force against the occupation of Earth and the established totalitarian regime and military dictatorship. Gameplay is split between turn-based combat in which players command a squad of soldiers to fight enemies, and strategy elements in which players manage and control the operations of the Avenger, an alien ship that is used as a mobile base for XCOM.

<i>Dungeon of the Endless</i> 2014 video game

Dungeon of the Endless is a roguelike tower defense game developed and published by Amplitude Studios. It is the third game of their loosely connected Endless series, which includes Endless Space and Endless Legend. It was released in October 2014 for Microsoft Windows and OS X, August 2015 for iOS, and for Xbox One in March 2016. The PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch ports were released in May 2020. A revamped version for iOS and Android devices, called Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee, was released in March 2021 by Playdigious.

<i>Spider-Man</i> (2018 video game) 2018 superhero video game

Marvel's Spider-Man is a 2018 action-adventure game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, it tells an original narrative that is inspired by the long-running comic book mythology, while also drawing from various adaptations in other media. In the main story, the super-human crime lord Mister Negative orchestrates a plot to seize control of New York City's criminal underworld. When Mister Negative threatens to release a deadly virus, Spider-Man must confront him and protect the city while dealing with the personal problems of his civilian persona, Peter Parker.

<i>Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers</i> 2016 beat em up video game developed by Magic Pockets

Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers is a side-scrolling beat 'em up video game based on multiple Cartoon Network series developed by French studio Magic Pockets and published by GameMill Entertainment in the North American release and Maximum Games in the European release. It was released for Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on 8 November 2016. A Nintendo DS version was also going to be released but was cancelled, as GameMill Entertainment's page for the game shows a cover for a Nintendo DS version. The game features characters from various Cartoon Network shows, including Adventure Time, The Amazing World of Gumball, Clarence, Regular Show, Steven Universe, and Uncle Grandpa.

<i>Runner3</i> 2018 video game

Runner3 is a rhythm platform game developed by Choice Provisions. A sequel to Bit.Trip Presents... Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, Runner3 is part of the Bit.Trip series, starring the character CommanderVideo. The game was released on May 22, 2018 on Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Nintendo Switch, and was released on the PlayStation 4 on November 13, 2018.

<i>The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game</i> 2017 action-adventure video game

The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by TT Fusion and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Based on The Lego Ninjago Movie, it was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One, alongside the film, in North America on 22 September 2017, and worldwide on 20 October 2017. It serves as the second spin-off video game and the third game in The Lego Movie franchise.

<i>Earth Defense Force 5</i> 2017 third-person shooter video game published by D3 Publisher

Earth Defense Force 5 is the fifth main installment, and the eighth game in the Earth Defense Force video game series. Developed by Sandlot and published by D3 Publisher, the game was released for the PlayStation 4 in Japan on December 7, 2017. The game was released simultaneously in the United States, Europe, China, and South Korea on December 11, 2018, as a digital exclusive for the PlayStation 4. Earth Defense Force 5 departs from the continuity established by Earth Defense Force 2017 and Earth Defense Force 2025/4.1, and is set in a new continuity where the Earth Defense Force is a private military corporation and sees action for the first time in the year 2022.

References

  1. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (September 19, 2017). "New Earth Defense Force looks like a more serious take on fighting giant ants". Polygon . Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  2. ↑ Romano, Sal (January 25, 2019). "Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain launches April 11 worldwide". Gematsu. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  5. ↑ Carter, Chris (16 September 2021). "Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain (PS4) Review". Computer Games Magazine . Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  6. ↑ Carter, Chris (16 September 2021). "Review: Earth Defense Force (EDF): Iron Rain". Destructoid . Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  7. ↑ Reiner, Andrew (16 September 2021). "Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain - Buggy In Every Way". Game Informer . Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  8. ↑ "Earth Defense Force Iron Rain Review | Losing schlock appeal | Aces high". GameRevolution . 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  9. ↑ Skrebels, Joe (16 September 2021). "Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain Review". IGN . Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  10. ↑ "Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain Review (PS4) | Aces high". Push Square . 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  11. ↑ Morse, Blake (16 September 2021). "Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain review: Kills bugs dead". Shacknews . Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  12. ↑ Williams, Mike (16 September 2021). "Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain Review". USgamer . Retrieved 16 September 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.