EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 similar games & best alternatives

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 - Trailer
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EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5

PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2019

Should you play it?

Stand and fight for humanity. This arcade shooter takes place in the year 2022, as the Earth Defense Force fends off an all-out attack by unknown life forms. Become an EDF soldier, battle against endless hordes of immense enemies, and restore peace to the earth.

What works

  • Fun and chaotic co-op gameplay
  • Varied classes and extensive weapon upgrades
  • High replay value with many missions
  • Over-the-top b-movie style charm
  • No third-party account required

Things to keep in mind

  • Dated graphics and animations
  • Some grind required for progression
  • Story is cheesy and nonsensical
  • Vehicle controls can be clunky
  • Solo play can feel overwhelming

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair

  • Shadow Warrior 2

  • SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX

  • Borderlands Game of the Year Enhanced

  • Remnant: From the Ashes

  • Aliens: Fireteam Elite

More competitive

Games that feels like EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 but with more competition against others

  • Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 2 (2009)

  • Halo: The Master Chief Collection

  • Shatterline

  • Titanfall® 2

  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

  • ARC Raiders

Less intimate

Games that feels like EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 but with less focus on close relationships

  • DYNASTY WARRIORS 7: Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition

  • Borderlands 3

  • MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries

  • Serious Sam 4

  • Space Hulk: Deathwing Enhanced Edition

  • Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5: A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence, Cooperation. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Exploration.

Last update: 03/08/2026