Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 45 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 45
  3. Negative: 5 out of 45
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  1. MaxEarthbound
    Jul 5, 2011
    9
    Buy this game. I don't care if you're broke, I don't care if big hits are coming out in the next few months. Buy this game. It's been a long time since I played EDF 2017 on Xbox 360, I loved that game, it has that "B-movie" charm that none other games had back in the days. Now that EDF: Insect Armageddon it's out, I'm proud to say that the charm is back, full f*cking force. The gameplay isBuy this game. I don't care if you're broke, I don't care if big hits are coming out in the next few months. Buy this game. It's been a long time since I played EDF 2017 on Xbox 360, I loved that game, it has that "B-movie" charm that none other games had back in the days. Now that EDF: Insect Armageddon it's out, I'm proud to say that the charm is back, full f*cking force. The gameplay is mind blowing, and that's a good thing because this game is all about gameplay. It has a lot more story than the first one, and it's more enjoyable that way because it seems to be less repetitive. Sure alot of players will say that this game is repetitive at first, but all games are, especially shooters. Try this one, it's a blast, especially if you have friends to play with both online and offline. Survival mode is an awesome way to expand the lifetime of this already worthy package. The three difficulty modes are great additions and each difficulty add up something new to your inventory, for exemple, the level cap for each armors are increasing, making them more lethal. My only complain would be that when you shoot, there's no vibration in the controller like other shooters, so sometimes you feel like you're not shooting, but it's minor, after 15 minutes you won't even complain about it. Simply love this game, I'll give it a 9, it's not perfect, but it tries to be what games were back in the days; fun, addicting, without 45093 engines to run them, pure, old-school, action. Pick it up, it's only 40$.… Expand
  2. afrocatz
    Jul 5, 2011
    9
    This is a very fun game. I've played through all the campaign except for 1 level, the last one, and I greatly look forward to it. The voice acting is hilarious. Each line is placed at random throughout the level, which makes for some amusing combinations. The variety in weapons is fairly good, what with there being around 300. Each one has a nice description when you equip it, giving itThis is a very fun game. I've played through all the campaign except for 1 level, the last one, and I greatly look forward to it. The voice acting is hilarious. Each line is placed at random throughout the level, which makes for some amusing combinations. The variety in weapons is fairly good, what with there being around 300. Each one has a nice description when you equip it, giving it a bit of a backstory as well. This is not a game that makes you think, it's a game that makes you destroy everything.… Expand
  3. BLACKFIREw
    Jul 7, 2011
    9
    This a great game for the $39.99 price point. It comes with a campaign that consists of three chapters with five missions in each for a total of fifteen missions. These fifteen missions contain a variety of types of enemies for you to slaughter, and you don't come ill-equipped. The game lets you choose from hundreds of weapons that fall under one of five categories: Assault Rifles, RocketThis a great game for the $39.99 price point. It comes with a campaign that consists of three chapters with five missions in each for a total of fifteen missions. These fifteen missions contain a variety of types of enemies for you to slaughter, and you don't come ill-equipped. The game lets you choose from hundreds of weapons that fall under one of five categories: Assault Rifles, Rocket Launchers, Missile Launchers, Shotguns, and Snipers. You obtain these weapons by first leveling up a certain armor type, then purchasing them using currency you earn. The four armor types are pretty varied in terms of amount of health, speed, and special abilities. There is a lot of fun to be had in campaign mode if you have the right mindset. This game is meant to be a casual arcade game, so don't expect much fluff like fancy graphics, tactical gameplay, and other hardcore aspects. This game is almost the bare minimum of gaming. But that's not a bad thing, because it's excellent for taking a break from hardcore games like Call of Duty. Personally, I thoroughly enjoy tuning into my iPod, laying down on the couch, and mindlessly blasting away at hundreds of bugs. For the price point, this game is definitely worth it if you're looking for some good, lazy casual fun… Expand
  4. TDK1984
    Jul 13, 2011
    10
    For the price tag and the replayability, this game is a 10. It's corny, low-budget, but the perfect tribute to the sci-fi b-movies and blockbusters that inspired it. A great value and a lot of fun.
  5. xAtomicLink
    Jul 11, 2011
    10
    This is the perfect game for anyone that enjoys pure fun. The background story is minimal, all you need to know is that everything is your enemy and you need to blow it up. 3 player co op online is just that much more fun.
  6. Beejor
    Jul 13, 2011
    10
    Insect Armageddon improves on the (already great) original EDF game in almost every way. It has better music, graphics, sound, controls, enemy AI, and replay value. The biggest additions are customizable character classes, upgradable armor, and online play. Online games are hard to connect to right now, but the developer says they're working on a fix. The multiplayer games I did manage toInsect Armageddon improves on the (already great) original EDF game in almost every way. It has better music, graphics, sound, controls, enemy AI, and replay value. The biggest additions are customizable character classes, upgradable armor, and online play. Online games are hard to connect to right now, but the developer says they're working on a fix. The multiplayer games I did manage to play were a blast with no lag. This is a great arcade shooter game, especially the online and offline (split screen) co-op. The battles are intense and require some strategic weapon and class selection, and positioning on the battlefield. It feels like participating in a cheesy disaster movie, with giant bugs and robots destroying the city. The developer fixed a lot of bugs from the first game and deaths never feel "cheap"; the enemies present a good challenge without charging you all at once and killing your squad like the first game. This isn't some epic story-driven 100-hour RPG game; it's about having fun blasting giant alien creatures with crazy weapons for a few hours at a time with friends. From beginning to end it's nothing but pure arcade action. Check it out and maybe you'll enjoy it.… Expand
  7. ixupi
    Jul 4, 2011
    9
    If you liked EDF: 2017, you should get this game. If you were annoyed by the cheap scale of EDF: 2017, it's worth a second chance. If you've never played the original, I'd highly reccomend this game. I'll break down the game into sections and try to grade them as best I can, considering the material.

    Story: There is more of a story than 2017 here but not much. Earth is being invaded    If you liked EDF: 2017, you should get this game. If you were annoyed by the cheap scale of EDF: 2017, it's worth a second chance. If you've never played the original, I'd highly reccomend this game. I'll break down the game into sections and try to grade them as best I can, considering the material.

    Story: There is more of a story than 2017 here but not much. Earth is being invaded by bugs and you are supposed to kill them. You are dropped to try and clear a section of new detroit when your lander is shot down and you need to find a way to get to safety. This involves blowing up a ton of bugs and ultimately leads to alternate objectives. Graphics: The graphics are leaps and bounds above 2017. I've seen so many games get more attention and money end up looking only marginally better. The environments are destructible, the designs are very clever and the animations surprisingly fluid. There are some effects that I was shocked by, considering how low the expectations for this game is. The arrival of carriers coming out of warp speed, the realistic motion of same of the creatures and the weight of monsters as they move are pleasant. It's not to say there isn't glitches to be found, models will clip and sometimes monsters with hang half off an object, but overall it's easy on the eyes in my opinion.

    Gameplay: Despite the game not coming with an instruction booklet, I was able to learn the controls in a matter of minutes. Everything is an improvement over 2017. Surprisingly, the only changes I found that were made to the game that annoyed me were the inclusion of Steve Blum as a voice actor and the fact that there is less stages overall. 2017 didn't have a reload button, IA does. 2017 had lingering corpses which caught your bullets and stopped you from fully shooting the rest of the horde, IA's bug's burn away after death. 2017's drop ships fell through the earth and hurt nothing, IA's burn and come crashing to the ground before exploding, causing damage to anything nearby. Nothing was removed from the original style of 2017 that was enjoyable for better or worse. Bad voice acting, tons of weapons, huge bugs, unlimited ammo. They even added a gears of war style reload, where if you time the reload right, it shortens the time. This does nothing but add to the gameplay. I could go on and on. They really paid attention to what was right and what was wrong with the previous game.

    Audio: There really isn't much to be said here. The audio is actually pretty decent. What I mean by that is, voice acting is terrible, as they intended it to be. It even features the voice of Steve Blum who is a very well known voice actor. Where the improvements are made of course is in the special effects. Everything from the explosions to the walking of the battle armor sounds awesome. The only thing that disappointed me was the fact that there is no rumble when you are shooting. The powerful sounds of the battle armor's heavy machine gun fills a little empty without the controller rumbling.

    Length: There is 3 chapters with 5 missions a piece. A total of 15 missions, each with a boss fight at the end of them of sorts. Normal, hard and inferno difficulty modes with incentives to replay the game such as leveling up to unlock new weapons, increased difficulty and gaining credits. Once you have completed the game, you unlock campaign remix, which switches up the monsters in the mission to offer additional challeneges. Then there is surival, which is a horde mode for up to 6 players. The DLC menu also hints to the possibility of downloads in the near future. Honestly what I would of loved to have seen was a level development kit. So the community could create their own stages from the materials available in the game.

    Overall: The game is fun, simple as that. It's good alone and even better with friends. Survival mode is a nice touch and everything seems to be in the right direction in terms of keeping true to the nature of the game. Insect Armageddon KNOWS what type of game it wants to be, whether you want to play it or not. I could spend 60 dollars on something like COD and end up with a hollow and shiny game that tries so hard to be cool or pay 40 for a game that doesn't have anything to prove. It's meant to be a B movie game that got some more loving on the development side. If the trend continues like it did in Insect Armageddon, it might just grow out of it's B movie shoes.    … Expand
  8. mwellscubed
    Jul 16, 2011
    9
    A lot of critics are missing the underlying point of this game: It's supposed to be mindless fun, and it succeeds in that regard. Not every game has to be a triple A masterpiece to be enjoyable. Some people enjoy murdering giant ants and spiders, listening to crappy one-liners, and destroying large buildings for no discernible reason. Plus, the game is $40 new, how can you beat that? IA lot of critics are missing the underlying point of this game: It's supposed to be mindless fun, and it succeeds in that regard. Not every game has to be a triple A masterpiece to be enjoyable. Some people enjoy murdering giant ants and spiders, listening to crappy one-liners, and destroying large buildings for no discernible reason. Plus, the game is $40 new, how can you beat that? I will say this isn't the most eloquent review ever, but then again this isn't the most eloquent game ever. It's mindless, it's fun, it's addictive, it has co-op. What else do you people want?… Expand
  9. Evil_Twinsanity
    Jul 17, 2011
    9
    EDF has a secret ingredient that many AAA-title games can only dream of. The secret isn't all that "secret"...it's just a simple formula that is FUN!! With greatly improved graphics and controls from the previous edition, EDF: Insect Armageddon truly is something more polished and special. Borrowing some ideas such as the deep weapon and armor customization of Army of Two, and theEDF has a secret ingredient that many AAA-title games can only dream of. The secret isn't all that "secret"...it's just a simple formula that is FUN!! With greatly improved graphics and controls from the previous edition, EDF: Insect Armageddon truly is something more polished and special. Borrowing some ideas such as the deep weapon and armor customization of Army of Two, and the active weapon reload ideas of Gears of War, the gameplay is slightly more involved over the mindless shooter of it's predecessor. The game still has the feel of EDF: 2017 and the campy B-style sci-fi films of the '50's that inspired it, but this time as with all sequels the original charm is slightly diminished. The sense of dread and overwhelming odds are as exciting as ever however, and this time you can do it online or offline with couch-style co-op splitscreen. This budget priced ($40) experience shouldn't be missed...especially since the in-game menu hints at future DLC. Ginormous monsters, anyone?… Expand
  10. MegWhiteley
    Mar 23, 2012
    10
    Wow, amazing watch that the sequel of Earth Defense Force is better than 2017, I love this game is funny, addictive, simple. Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon is fantastic.
  11. FrozenStar90
    Jul 5, 2011
    9
    I never played EDF: 2017. In fact, I hadn't even heard much about it until I started seeing previews for Insect Armageddon. I now wish I had picked up 2017. Even without the expectations as an EDF fan, I'm still having a blast with this game. I love the B-movie look and feel of the game, and the constant on-screen action is absolutely insane. If you're looking for an old-school arcadeI never played EDF: 2017. In fact, I hadn't even heard much about it until I started seeing previews for Insect Armageddon. I now wish I had picked up 2017. Even without the expectations as an EDF fan, I'm still having a blast with this game. I love the B-movie look and feel of the game, and the constant on-screen action is absolutely insane. If you're looking for an old-school arcade shooter that delivers the goods via insect guts, then this is your game. Consider me a fan.… Expand
  12. OMGSnarf
    Jul 5, 2011
    9
    First, if you're looking at this, you might have played EDF: 2017. If this is the case, you need to know that vehicles are fixed, spider webs can't hit you through walls, the mechs are worthwhile, you can revive your primary squadmates (and they can revive you), and there is online co-op. That should address all your complaints about EDF: 2017. Go buy EDF: Insect Armageddon now.

    If you    First, if you're looking at this, you might have played EDF: 2017. If this is the case, you need to know that vehicles are fixed, spider webs can't hit you through walls, the mechs are worthwhile, you can revive your primary squadmates (and they can revive you), and there is online co-op. That should address all your complaints about EDF: 2017. Go buy EDF: Insect Armageddon now.

    If you didn't play EDF: 2017, and you want a deep game with serious business and artful stylings of a world yet unrealized, move along, nothing to see here.

    This game is the definition of stupid fun. 'STUPID' - There is no deep storyline, no emo characters wearing uniforms with a thousand zippers and buckles, no quirky sidekicks, none of that. There's just you, a few hundred guns, giant insects and robots, and cheesy one-liners just like a B-Movie. 'FUN' - You make stuff go boom. There's very little between you and the carnage. The only downside is that the game is a bit short, and to me one of the armor types is fairly useless. Within a few days it will probably get a bit repetitive, but the online co-op, difficulty modes, campaign remix, and survival mode with a total of 6 players make it still worthwhile.    … Expand
  13. HaVoK308
    Jul 7, 2011
    10
    Mad props to the developers and publishers for being realistic rather than arrogant regarding their game. So many fail to admit their titles do not require a 60 dollar price tag and fail because of it. EDF sits nicely at $39 and I picked it up immediately. And what did I get out of it? Pure Gaming Goodness that is what I got! I challenge anyone to play this game with friends and not enjoyMad props to the developers and publishers for being realistic rather than arrogant regarding their game. So many fail to admit their titles do not require a 60 dollar price tag and fail because of it. EDF sits nicely at $39 and I picked it up immediately. And what did I get out of it? Pure Gaming Goodness that is what I got! I challenge anyone to play this game with friends and not enjoy it. If you fail to enjoy the game for what it is...then you are just a cynical jerk most likely who snubs their geek nose at anything you deem not worthy. This game is a blast and anyone who considers themselves a Real Gamer will have a blast with EDF. I wish gamers would buy this game and send a message to the industry that if you price your games reasonably people will buy them.… Expand
  14. Richie
    Jul 5, 2011
    10
    At a retail price of $39, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a TREMENDOUS value. My friend and I are having an absolute blast playing the co-op campaign (on the hard setting) online, literally blasting our way through everything we see. Unlocking the literally hundreds of weapons and leveling up my soldier class (Trooper) is extremely addicting and rewarding. Once I got my hands onAt a retail price of $39, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a TREMENDOUS value. My friend and I are having an absolute blast playing the co-op campaign (on the hard setting) online, literally blasting our way through everything we see. Unlocking the literally hundreds of weapons and leveling up my soldier class (Trooper) is extremely addicting and rewarding. Once I got my hands on that missile launcher that locks on, and that grenade launcher that fires six at a time, well things got very interesting. There's so much replay value after you've beaten the campaign, tons of weapons to unlock, plenty of soldier classes to level up, and a variety of game modes and difficulties including...INFERNO!!. When you see an online buddy fire a weapon that turns your entire TV screen into a blinding light, all the surrounding bugs go up in flames, and all the surrounding skyscrapers slowly collapse, you'll go, "Wow, this game is awesome".… Expand
  15. xiaolinstyle
    Jul 19, 2011
    9
    Two things you need to know about Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon:

    1) It's a lot of fun to play

    2) It's $40 new.

    Now go get it. You'll thank me later. ;-)
  16. SpartanEdge
    Jul 23, 2011
    8
    Although i liked Earth Defence Force-2017 alot(a very overlooked game,due to its limited production values),This game is improved in all the areas that you'd want it to be.The graphics are better,Character animations alot better,More feeling of story,3 player online Co-Op(still has 2 player split screen,which is great),Much better vehicle handling,coice of 4 upgradable characterAlthough i liked Earth Defence Force-2017 alot(a very overlooked game,due to its limited production values),This game is improved in all the areas that you'd want it to be.The graphics are better,Character animations alot better,More feeling of story,3 player online Co-Op(still has 2 player split screen,which is great),Much better vehicle handling,coice of 4 upgradable character classes,Better music & Jetpacks! In short,it just plays alot better.There is a 6-player Hoard style survivor mode also,which is a bonus(it can also be played offline),& a campaign option to unlock,which randomised & mixes up the campaign with varying enemies,which is a great idea,& adds replay value once you've completed your first playthrough.There are a couple of minor negatives with the game,which are there is no helicopter,like there was in 2017,& there are only 15 missions as opposed to the 50 in 2017.Though that doesnt sound good,the missions in this game are much longer,which kind of compensates,& the game is a great price,but still,more would've been nice.Hopefully they'll be more missions in the next title,if there is one,but like i said,there is more of a sense of narrative though,so thats good anyway,& regarding the lack of Helicopter,the tighter vehicle controls on the whole,new character classes & pilotable turrets,& Inclusion of Jetpacks do compensate in my opinion.In short,like 2017,this a no messing,massively fun old-school feeling game that sets out & gives you what you want from an EDF game.High entertainment.If you like having fun,or EDF 2017 then i highly recommend this game.… Expand
  17. RighteousSteel
    May 2, 2013
    10
    Quite possibly the best game you can buy for under $20 now. The gameplay is fun and addicting. It is EXACTLY what you would expect from an arcade-style shooter: nonstop shooting, blowing stuff up, and killing freakin' bugs. AWESOMENESS!!!
  18. TightNinja
    Apr 5, 2015
    10
    Best EDF they have made (even better than 2025! Split screen cop, total destruciton even more so than Battlefield is what makes this game awesome! Hope Vicious Cycle makes a next gen sequel with more variety in levels!

Awards & Rankings

83
#83 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
93
#93 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 40
  3. Negative: 3 out of 40
  1. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    Aug 15, 2011
    58
    As much as we love EDF's template, the sequel needed to impress more than this. [Oct 2011, p.88]
  2. Gaming Nexus
    Aug 11, 2011
    75
    Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a fun game, especially with the armor system they implemented.
    Read full review
  3. Gamer.nl
    Aug 9, 2011
    50
    Fair is fair, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a game of below average quality. But because it doesn't pretend to be anything more than that, we'll let that slide. But even for a game in which simplism is the main attraction, it still does too many things wrong. That makes EDF: Insect Armageddon entertaining for an hour or two (possibly longer in coöp), but the lack of any variation makes you want to put it down rather sooner than later.
    Read full review
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