EDF! EDF! Earth Defense Force 4.1 On Steam Monday

Colossal ants, spiders, bees, robots, and UFOs from outer space will be swarming PC from Monday in Earth Defense Force 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair [official site]. I know - what a name! It's a revamped version of Earth Defense Force 2025, which isn't nearly as good a name. We've only seen EDF on PC once before so the novelty hasn't worn off for me and yeah, I think I am up for rampaging around Japan shooting massive hordes of space-monsters with my pals.

The Shadow of New Despair updates 2025 with fancied-up graphics, new weapons, a spider bot buddy, new missions, and tweaks to old missions. Also, y'know, it's on Windows.

Unlike Insect Armageddon, the previous EDF game, 2025 is again made by series creators Sandlot. Our chum (and my flatmate) Cara became bored by 2025 when she reviewed it for Eurogamer but I've not played much EDF so I'm still very much up for it. I'll surely win her over for co-op by chanting "EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF!" around the flat.

If that somehow doesn't work, I'll pour a few boxes of crickets and mealworms under her bedroom door then burst in with a can of Raid chanting "EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF!" I've got this.

EDF 4.1 TSOND will normally cost $49.99 but it will have a 30% launch discount when it arrives July 18th on Steam.

The enthusiasm, silliness, oddness, and jank of this fake propaganda broadcast seems to perfectly capture the spirit of EDF, both good and bad. If you like the look of this, you may be into it: