Remember those old black-and-white monster movies that superimposed actors over stock footage of gigantic insects? Earth Defense Force 2 is basically those movies in video game form, where you--alone or with a friend--are the Earth's last defense against a collection of giant ants, UFOs, alien tripods (a la War of the Worlds), and various other monsters.

Mars Attacks!

Despite the nigh-endless array of weapons to choose from, and the two different playable characters, the mechanics of Earth Defense Force 2 couldn't be simpler. Your goal is to kill a set amount of marauding aliens in each level, which can be done basically by pointing and shooting until they're all pushing up daisies. You can commandeer the odd tank or helicopter, but it's not really necessary. You have just as much of a fighting chance on foot as you do in one of those vehicles.

There's an undeniable cool-factor in the enemies you fight here, especially if you love campy horror. Pumping hot lead into swarms of giant ants just feels right. It's just too bad that's all there is to do in EDF2. A few platforming elements or puzzles would have been a nice touch. 

Still, it needs to be pointed out that EDF2 is a budget title in Japan, meaning the price clocks in somewhere around the $20 mark. If the history of budget titles has taught us anything, it's that even a semi-playable game is a good thing.

Budget Visuals

The presentation is more of the ol' "you get what you pay for" thing. While the graphics show flashes of brilliance here and there--seeing the silhouettes of giant ants crawling all over skyscrapers in the night missions is just freaky--in general the visuals are sub-par. The animation, in particular, is quite rigid.

Again, though, the game does rise above and beyond what you'd normally find in a budget title. For instance, almost every structure is fully destructible, frequently crumbling thanks to the endless rounds you pump from your various armaments. It adds a nice touch to the game world, though it's too bad the whole thing causes the game to slow to a crawl in almost every single battle.

Kill 'Em All!

As far as cheap thrills go, you could do a lot worse than Earth Defense Force 2. The action may grow a bit tiresome once in a while, but the quick missions and gaijin-friendly gameplay make this an easy pick-up-and-play title.