Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon

Review

Common Sense Media says

Unique but uninspired shooter has loads of fantasy violence.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a first-person shooter with lots of alien blood, frenetic gunfire, and frequent explosions. However, the action is fantastical. Instead of attacking humans, players take down a force of enormous alien insects to prevent further destruction on Earth. The alien blood is green or orange, not red, and human injuries are much less graphic. Parents should also note that there are some pictures of women in revealing outfits in a bonus menu, and that light profanity is sprinkled throughout the voice-over dialogue.

  • Positive messages1
    This game contains messages of camaraderie and friendship among members of the Earth Defense Force, which counteract, to a degree, the violence inherent in shooting down an invading alien force. It is well established that players and their allies are nice, dutiful citizens who are out to save the world.
  • Positive role models1
    Players are the good guys in this game -- the "Earth Defense Force." Though they use violence to accomplish their objectives, their noble goal is to save the world from an overpowering alien force.
  • Ease of play3
    Much of the combat in this game is about endurance -- shooting enemy after enemy after enemy -- rather than using complex strategies or controls. As such, it is fairly accessible as far as shooters go. That said, it's not a cakewalk either, since players get totally bombarded by the enemy insects. A good mix of offense and defense is needed to succeed in the game.
  • Violence3
    This is a first-person shooter set in an urban environment with both realistic-looking and fantastical weapons (machine guns, laser guns, rocket launchers, etc). The constant combat is highlighted by explosions, fire, and loud sound effects. However, the only enemies in the game are giant insects. The insects react with violent contortions and ooze green or orange (never red) blood. They can inflict damage on the player's character, who is human, but the action is easily divorced from real-life violence.
  • Sex3
    Players can view artwork and pictures from the game in a supplementary photo gallery feature. Some of these images include women in cleavage-exposing outfits and short shorts that seem intended to titillate players.
  • Language2
    The dialogue in the game has an edgy tone and includes the words "bastard," "damn," and "hell."
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
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What's it about?

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: INSECT ARMAGEDDON takes place in a world overtaken by humongous invading alien insects. Players work with fellow soldiers in an elite unit called the Earth Defense Force as they try to mitigate the utter chaos and mayhem taking place around the planet. Parts of the story are under-developed, including references to how the insects invaded in the first place, leaving players focused more on the constant battles and shooting than the actual story behind all the action.

Is it any good?

 

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon scores points for having a unique concept; after all, how many games are there about an invading race of giant alien insects? However, the action -- including gameplay and battle controls -- is rather uninspired, leaving players with little strategy other than to shoot enormous bugs, ants, and cockroaches until they die. The mere fact that the enemy force is different than what we see in standard first-person shooter fare may pique players' curiosity, but those hoping for a fulfilling gameplay experience may end up feeling largely underwhelmed.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the impact of media violence. How is the violence in this game different from real life?

  • Families can also discuss what they may have learned from the other members of the Earth Defense Force. How do you react in tough real-life situations?

This review was written by Mark Raby
Kid, 12 years old
August 8, 2011
AGE
8
 
depends on the kid
its okay for anyone over the age of five realy but my 11 year old niebor isnt alowd to play alot of t or some e10 games so he came to my house to play it when his parents said it was okay but after that day he was more aggressive towards his younger siblings like hitting them when they did things he didnt like but other wys it is a tame game where no humans are killed by the player or alot of language
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Teen, 15 years old
November 6, 2011
AGE
14
 
Really good, funny third-person shooter is lots of fun to play with friends, especially online.
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Helped me decide (4) | Had useful details (8) | Read my mind (3)
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Adult
May 6, 2012
AGE
15
 
EDF!!!
A fun, indie shooter for those who love games that are pretty much a giant horde-mode.
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This review was written by Mark Raby
Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Action/Adventure
Developer:D3Publisher of America
Release date:July 5, 2011
Price:$39.99
ESRB rating:T for Animated Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
This review was written by Mark Raby

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
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BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
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