I recently read an article on Wired discussing why no B video games exist, in the sense of B movies. The article explains that while watching a movie that failed to achieve its goal one can laugh at the failed attempts of narrative. On the other hand, a badly designed game plays badly and prevents fun on a most basic level, leaving the player with frustration as opposed to ironic amusement. However Sandlot managed beyond all theories to produce what I truly feel is one of the first B games in Earth Defense Force 2017.

 

Beginning with a plot which must have been expertly crafted from the hands of a twelve-year old, Earth received messages from space about an approaching alien life. For safety the world's governments formed a military arm known as the EDF (Earth Defense Force) in case the visitors were hostile. In the beginning of the game the aliens are already dubbed the “Ravagers” before they ever begin their assault (no chance to come out of a name like that, maybe the next of aliens we meet can be called the Hitlers). Of course the aliens attack (maybe due to the poorly chosen nomenclature) and the Earth does need defending.

Using their amazing extraterrestrial technology the Ravagers assault the Earth with every cliché monster available from a 50's double feature. Beginning with ants, yes, giant black ants, they flew across the universe with a grand plan of ruining the picnics of the world, or so you would think. To stop this giant menace the EDF leaps into action, and being the sponsored by all governments gives the EDF the amazing ability to run or walk toward the dangers threatening us all. Yes, much like a movie stretched beyond its budget here we must stretch our sense of logic and believe that it makes sense that the great defenders of Earth would be on foot with a gun. I imagine the EDF just keeps thinking, even Will Smith got a jet.

 

Furthering the B video game feel that I claim for this title we have the graphics with their immediate budget feel. This game is prone to some hilarious clipping mistakes and moments where enemies will appear to be having convulsions with no foreseeable motive. While we have this B movie plot and sometimes sloppy programming we do have it all delivered with an awesome sense of scale. Everything you fight from giant ants to massive robots really do feel massive and somewhat breath-taking in a “I cannot wait to blow that up” mentality, and blow it up you shall with many of your weapons allowing you to level city blocks. Guess you gotta crack some eggs, eh EDF?

 

If you have ever found yourself enjoying a Dynasty Warriors game but was wondering what other direction it could go in, well EDF is one of those directions. The majority of stages have you swarmed by a massive number of large enemies that you get the pleasure of blowing a path through with any one of 150 different weapons total. The sense of damage and hurt you can dish out is just as great feeling as the sense of scale the graphics provide. Mowing down hundreds of giant ants with automatic weapons and explosives has yet to have lost its entertainment value.

What good is all this campy fun without some sturdy gameplay for a foundation? Well we have no reason to fret, because EDF 2017 delivers mostly solid control schemes and responsive action. The exception to this is any attempt to use the vehicles that are placed about in some stages. From Helicopter to Tank and even Mech you will find yourself dreading the odd piloting controls. Fortunately this does not hurt the gameplay since everything can be accomplished on foot. One neat control option offers simplified controls allowing those foreign to gaming a bit better footing, which can be a great way to get someone into a Co-op game.

 

Much like a B movie again, EDF was just tossed out there with little thought to any additional features and special bonuses. You will get your fill of the game with over 52 missions and all of those weapons to collect, but expect little else. EDF lacks any sort of bonus modes and only 5 difficulty settings to inspire any kind of replay. Additionally, the achievements are the most basic and only require beating the game on its various difficulty settings. Achievement whores can stay away because this is no TMNT the movie quick points. While I mentioned a co-op mode I do have to unfortunately report that this is at home only, there is no searching Live for a game. Live support would have done a lot for EDF 2017, one can only hope that we can see it in a sequel.

Earth Defense Force 2017 is a blast that requires little thinking but offers plenty of satisfying entertainment. Smaller developers would do well to take something from EDF. By staying away from competing graphically with larger studios, Sandlot instead found unique uses for the power of the Xbox 360 in filling the screen with many monsters and placing in your hands the weapons of absurd destruction.