Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 73 | 29 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 94% | 89 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 93% | 88 | 12 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 35 reviews sampled · 21 total reviews in window · weighted 22.4 up / 1.6 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (58)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Although it does have a few issues, EDF5 is an incredibly fun experience. By not focusing so much on the story, art, and other aspects, EDF5 is able to focus solely on what makes video games fun: its gameplay. Mowing down hordes of enemies is always satisfying, the weapon variety is great, and the campy humor somehow adds to the experience.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Despite our issues regarding player progression, Earth Defense Force 5 largely delivers on the promise of over-the-top bug shooting action. It may not have the same depth as many other titles, but there are more than enough moments of big stupid fun across its 60 hour campaign to make you want to give it a go.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Earth Defense Force 5 is a blast through and through. Blowing away insects and spaceships with a shotgun or energy blaster never gets old, and the various classes are diverse and worth trying out to see which one best fits your play style. Admittedly, 110 missions of non-stop shooting does get a bit tiresome, but just when you think you've seen it all, the game introduces a new enemy type or throws in a big set-piece level to shake things up. Even with the added improvements and changes, though, this is still a typical Earth Defense Force. Besides, who needs plot when you have giant mechs fighting giant monsters?”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Earth Defense Force 5 is one of the best action games released on PC this year, and a must-have for fans of the franchise looking for a new fix after finishing EDF 4.1.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Earth Defense Force 5 is very familiar, but it's the best game in the series and a huge amount of fun. Fans of action games will find a whole lot to enjoy with this one. ”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Earth Defense Force 5 is an intentionally bad-looking and dated technical mess of a third-person shooter that boldly relishes in its campiness and mechanical simplicity. Mowing down the endless seas of extra-terrestrial arachnids and UFOs while melodramatic voice clips play in the background makes for an excellent stress reliever or a fantastically fun time with some friends, but its complete lack of depth causes the monotony of repetition to quickly seep into what's an otherwise joyous celebration of video game escapism. If this is your first giant bug slaying rodeo, there's plenty here to keep you keep you amused for dozens of hours, but it functions best as a distraction from our notably less zany reality.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“For better or for worse, Earth Defense Force 5 is a fast paced shooter that pays tribute to B-movies and poorly localized PlayStation 2 games.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“It’s hard to recommend this title at $60 to anyone but the hardest of hard core EDF fans. ”
read full review ↗ - 32
“Earth Defense Force 5 is a stupid fun game that lets you kill giant monsters and aliens with tons of issues and flaws. At least I was invested in its story and I had fun, but I’m not going to play it ever again. I’ll be deleting it in my digital library or selling the physical copy, thank you very much.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“EDF5 shows that this style of series can continue to thrive with some minor modifications to the experience. It's still fun to play years down the line, the premise is an easy one to follow and the gameplay is easy enough for anyone to slide into as the difficulty curve is a smooth one. Earth Defense Force 5 is a lot of fun alone but often you'll want someone beside you for your shenanigans or someone else from online.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Earth Defense Force 5 brings massive, large scale bug splatter baths and just a ton of content.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Like its predecessor, Earth Defense Force 5 is a fine jumping-off point for newcomers to the series. The shooting remains as solid as ever, and the concept of mixing in loot drops with blasting large enemy hordes remains enjoyable, even if the whole package isn't as polished as expected from something with a cult following. However, EDF5 doesn't surpass the heights of EDF4.1 due to its flaws detracting from the progress of its improvements.”
read full review ↗
cublikefoot
Gadgets 360
Cubed3
Gaming on PC
PC Invasion
Push Square
Capsule Computers
ZTGD
PlayStation Galaxy
Chalgyr's Game Room
Gamerheadquarters
Worth Playing…and 46 more tracked reviews.