Review: Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 (Nintendo Switch)

“Better late than never,” we often say, usually to excuse our own lack of interest or effort. But in the case of Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2, it’s true. There’s a whole history for this series that I’m not getting into (although our review of the first World Brothers is worth a read). What’s important is that this is my first Earth Defense Force game, and I’m having a blast with it.

This review, therefore, is aimed more towards Switch owners who are also new to the series and are wondering if it’s worth enlisting in the EDF. If you’re looking for intense but goofy sci-fi combat, yes, it is. Think Tank! Tank! Tank! with fewer tanks but just as many giant bugs.

The premise is that a new recruit in the EDF is dropped smack-dab into the middle of the war zone against B movie giant creatures intent on destroying civilization. Earth has been broken apart—again—this time by giant Gaiarch that have emerged from the ground. It’s up to you to lead him through the battlefields. Thankfully, he’s not alone for long.

The battle maps contain comrades for you to discover and build your team with, allowing you to switch between up to four soldiers to utilize different weapons. Deciding who to place on your team is key to victory, although experimenting with your lineup provides a good chunk of the fun. Do you build your team around your strengths and weaknesses as a player, or do you just go with the characters who aren’t annoying to listen to? Some are very annoying, but the dialogue between you, your new comrades, and your base largely serves to keep things light.

The entire vibe, visually and tonally, is not unlike your standard LEGO game, complete with soldiers who seem to draw their personalities and skills from their outfits. If you think your war games should involve more baseball players and caricatures of Swedish culture, for example, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 is for you. And with over 100 characters to locate and recruit, you’re bound to find someone to love—especially if you’re already an EDF fan thanks to the numerous callbacks.

The third-person action as you proceed is chaotic and simple: run, jump, and shoot. My strategies mostly centered around just having the right person/people for the job and making sure I had room to back away from the particularly problematic enemies. I’m sure series fans dig much deeper than this, which would make the victories much more efficient and rewarding. But you don’t have to, and I liked that. You can deck out your characters with over 600 types of weapons and accessories, so that became my strategy. I have yet to obtain over half of these, but there are still plenty of hours of gameplay ahead for that.

If there’s a drawback to all of this, it’s that the action is quite repetitive. Tinkering with new soldiers and taking on new enemies is fun, but you’re basically approaching everything in the same way. Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 is not a game you’ll want to play for hours on end, but I don’t think it’s designed to be. It’s more conducive to a level or two of frenetic action, then moving on to something else.

Two things do help the game’s longevity, however. The first are the colorful and varied graphics; the continual introduction of new locations and enemies keeps things fresh. The second is the multiplayer component, which is definitely the way to play this. You’re on your own on a single system, but up to four players can work together via local wireless or online play. I found it difficult to locate others to play with online, but I did test and got a kick out of local wireless. It’s great (and often hilarious) to be in the same room with your comrades, but playing in handheld mode does lessen the impact of the game’s visuals and action.

Oh, and there’s also a lot of DLC available if you’re really into it—largely weapon- and character-based. Fun, but not necessary.

It all amounts to an enjoyable game that doesn’t try to be anything more than a chaotic diversion. Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 is definitely best enjoyed with other players, and it won’t be hard to win over friends with no previous EDF experience. Sitting them down at your Switch for a level or two should be enough to prompt a digital purchase on their own “square Earth” system.