EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5: Complete Guide

Everything a new EDF recruit needs: how the four classes play, how armor and weapon drops work, how difficulty affects loot, co-op and split-screen tips, and a sensible path from your first mission to Inferno.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the final Steam build (no gameplay updates announced since the 2019 PC launch; publisher news now focuses on EDF 6 and spin-offs). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

You can switch class before every mission. Try all four early; each has its own armor and weapon progression.
Pick up every drop. Armor boxes permanently raise max HP for the class you are playing. Weapon boxes unlock new gear. Health boxes heal.
Higher difficulty equals better weapon drops. The level of weapons that drop scales with mission and difficulty, so progressing difficulty is how you get stronger.
Do not skip the story on Easy/Normal. 110 main missions is a lot, but early clears build armor and a weapon library.
Co-op is up to 4 players online, plus local split-screen. Every mission supports it.
Use vehicles and support. Air Raiders specialize in deploying vehicles, and some missions also have pre-placed vehicles (often civilian cars) anyone can hop into.
Enemies aggro in waves. Shooting a dormant group can pull everything at once; thin groups deliberately.
Buildings are destructible. They block shots and line of sight, and you can level them to open firing lanes.

The Story Setup

It is 2022. A starship fleet attacks an EDF base in the Kanto region of Japan, while enormous insects attack the base from further underground. The invaders, the Primers, are the series' first humanoid aliens. The main campaign has 110 missions, the most of any EDF game at release (not counting DLC). Some missions add light story structure: Mission 1 is a training exercise, and others have you follow a specific squad to progress.

The Four Classes

Class	Style	Signature tools
Ranger	Infantry all-rounder	Assault rifles, shotguns, snipers, rocket launchers, grenades; sprint and roll
Wing Diver	Flying energy fighter	Energy weapons and flight sharing one energy gauge
Air Raider	Support and vehicles	Airstrikes, guide beacons, support gear, deployable vehicles
Fencer	Heavy powered suit	Two weapon sets of heavy weapons, dashes and boosts, shields

Ranger

The easiest class for beginners. Rangers carry two main weapons plus support equipment, can roll to dodge, and their weapon pool covers every range. They are the best class for learning enemy behavior.

Wing Diver

A glass cannon with incredible mobility. Flying and firing drain the same energy gauge, and if it empties you enter an emergency recharge where you cannot fly or fire. The Master Diver achievement triggers at 550 health versus 1,000 for Ranger, which tells you how fragile she is. Keep altitude, strike, and land before the gauge runs dry.

Air Raider

The support class. Air Raiders call in strikes and vehicles and use gadgets that support the team. Vehicle call-ins are not available instantly at the start of every mission; they become available as the fight goes on, so the class gets stronger over a mission. Check each item's description for how it charges. Great in co-op, rewarding solo once you learn the timing.

Fencer

Heavy and slow on foot, but dash and boost-jump techniques make a skilled Fencer very mobile. Carries heavy weapons in two paired sets. The Master Fencer achievement is at 1,250 health, the highest threshold of the four.

Pickups and Progression

Pickup	Effect
Armor	Permanently increases max HP for the class you are playing
Weapon	Unlocks a random weapon at a level based on mission and difficulty
Health	Restores HP during the mission

How it works in practice:

Armor is per class. Grinding one class does not raise another's HP by the same amount, so specialists pull ahead.
Weapon drops scale. Easy missions drop low-level weapons; Hard, Hardest and Inferno drop much stronger ones. This is the main reason to move up.
You must physically pick items up. Sweep the map before the last enemy dies when possible.
In co-op, assign a collector. Someone mobile (a Wing Diver or dashing Fencer) should sweep drops while the rest hold the line.

Difficulty Levels

Difficulty	What to expect
Easy	Story tourism, low-level weapon drops
Normal	Standard campaign
Hard	Real challenge; noticeably better weapons
Hardest	Locked at first; strong gear required
Inferno	The ultimate test; best drops

The harder difficulty settings unlock after you complete the game once. A common route: finish on Normal or Hard with one main class, then work up through Hardest into Inferno, using weapons you farmed on the previous tier.

Mission Tips

Scout first. Many missions start with dormant enemies. Look at the radar and pick a fight you can control.
Retreat to terrain. Hills, rooftops, and corners stop you being surrounded. Tunnels channel enemies into a single lane.
Kill spawners and dropships early when they appear; they multiply the fight.
Don't overkill. Explosive weapons in tight spaces can hurt you and allies. Friendly fire matters in co-op.
Let NPC squads tank. Allied soldiers draw aggro and add damage. Recruiting them (walk close) is often worthwhile.
Save big support tools for bosses and late waves.

Picking a Main Class

Because armor (max HP) is tracked per class, most players pick one "main" to carry them into Hardest and Inferno, then level the others for variety and achievements.

If you like...	Main	Why
Straightforward shooting and learning the game	Ranger	Forgiving, flexible loadouts, good at every range
Speed, verticality and high risk	Wing Diver	Best mobility, huge burst damage, lowest health threshold for its Master achievement
Planning, teamwork and big explosions	Air Raider	Strikes and vehicles swing whole missions, especially in co-op
Tanking and mechanical mastery	Fencer	Highest health threshold, shields and heavy weapons; dash techniques make it fast

Whichever you pick, bring it through the campaign once on Normal or Hard before starting a second class. That first clear also unlocks the harder difficulty settings.

A Sensible Progression Plan

Missions 1 onward on Easy or Normal with your main class. Learn enemy types and pick up every box.
Swap to Hard as soon as a mission feels comfortable. The better weapon drops outweigh the extra deaths.
Finish the campaign to unlock the higher difficulty settings.
Replay favorite missions on Hardest with your best weapons to build HP and a stronger arsenal.
Try Inferno only once your main has a solid HP pool and a few high-level weapons you trust. Co-op makes this far more manageable.
Fill in other classes on missions you already know, so they catch up faster.

Main Story Total Completion Rate (the Conquest achievements) counts clears across difficulties and classes, so every replay on a new class or difficulty moves that bar.

Solo Tips

Recruit NPC squads. On solo runs they are your only backup and a great aggro sponge.
Fight at the edge of the map. Pulling enemies toward you through a single direction is safer than being surrounded in the middle.
Carry one crowd tool and one boss tool. A wide-area weapon for insect swarms plus a high single-target damage weapon for big enemies covers most missions.
Do not chase every drop mid-fight. Grab boxes during lulls, and sweep the rest before the final enemy dies.

Co-op and Split-Screen

Online co-op: up to 4 players, all missions.
Local split-screen: 2 players.
Rescuing and healing teammates is rewarded: achievements exist for rescuing 5 and 50 players and healing another player.
Balance classes. A good 4-player team often runs one Air Raider for support and vehicles, one Fencer for tanking and burst, and Rangers or Wing Divers for DPS and mobility.
Online lobbies may limit gear. Expect armor and weapon limits relative to the lobby's difficulty; check the lobby rules before joining.

DLC

DLC	What it adds
Additional Mission Pack 1: Extra Challenge	More than 10 new, tougher missions and more than 30 new weapons
Additional Mission Pack 2: Super Challenge	Harder mission set for experienced players
Weapon, vehicle and support DLC (18 items, also sold as a Weapon & Vehicle Bundle)	Class-specific weapons, support devices and vehicles for all four classes

The DLC is not required for the main campaign or achievements based on campaign completion. Play the base campaign first.

Achievements

EDF 5 has 39 Steam achievements. Key ones:

Master Ranger / Master Diver / Master Air Raider / Master Fencer: reach 1,000 / 550 / 1,000 / 1,250 health with each class.
Conquest achievements from 5 to 100 percent: main story total completion rate across difficulties and classes.
Rescue, Super Rescue, Medic: co-op rescue and heal milestones.

The Conquest achievements are the long tail; they track completion across multiple difficulty and class combinations, which is why EDF players replay the campaign many times.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Staying on Easy for weapon drops. Easy weapons stay weak. Move up difficulty once you can.
Spreading armor across four classes too early. Pick a main to carry you through harder tiers.
Pulling everything at once. Aggro management is the difference between an easy mission and a wipe.
Wing Diver running dry mid-air. An empty energy gauge is a death sentence; land early.
Ignoring vehicles as Air Raider. The class is weak without its call-ins.
Leaving drops on the map. Weapon and armor boxes are the entire progression system.

Advanced Tips

Farm a good armor mission with your main class on a comfortable difficulty to boost HP before pushing a new tier.
Target weapon level, not weapon count. Farm on the highest difficulty you can clear reliably.
Fencer movement: learn to chain dashes and boost jumps; it turns the slowest class into one of the fastest.
Rangers can carry a team in the early game with reliable rifles and rockets.
Air Raider strike timing: call strikes where enemies will be, not where they are.
Use destruction. Flattening buildings gives snipers and rocket users clear lanes.

FAQ

Which class should a beginner play? Ranger. It is forgiving, has straightforward weapons and teaches enemy behavior.

How do I get better weapons? Play harder difficulties. Weapon drop quality scales with mission and difficulty.

How do I increase my health? Pick up armor boxes. They permanently increase max HP for the class you are playing.

Does EDF 5 have online co-op? Yes, up to 4 players online, plus local split-screen.

Is EDF 5 or EDF 6 better to start with? EDF 6 is the direct sequel and continues the story. EDF 5 is a complete, cheaper entry and an excellent starting point.

Do I need the DLC? No. The main campaign has 110 missions. DLC mission packs are for experienced players.