So what's new in EDF 6 compared to 5?

[GrimRJak]

I've played 2025 on the PS3, 4.1, and 5, and at this point they all kind of blend together to the point where I can tell maps are being recycled from 5 into 6, but what big changes have they added to 6 compared to 5? Even QoL stuff?

[(Big) Wacker]

Tons of stuff - new missions, enemies, gear, weapons, all the fun stuff.

Early game has a lot of repetition and callbacks to previous games, but that's not only par for the course but a bit purposeful for the story. Late game Inferno levels are the true EDF experience, and since I haven't quite gotten to that point I cant comment on those quite yet.

I've gotten through the first 40 levels, and while the first 2o or so dragged a bit, once you get past them its pretty great gameplay wise. Having tons of fun with wing diver at the moment

[Kashra Fall]

Class changes.
Double the enemy variety.
New story.
Better animations.
Better graphical fidelity (Lighting looks amazing.)
Better sound design.
Better weapon changes/design. (Assault rifles feel good again!)

[Corporal-Sheppard]

plus the first enemy you fight in the game is a humon!

[Sel Und Irae]

They took old Air Diver out back and 'Ol Yellar'd him.

We got Ranger with less weapons and drones instead.

[Corporal-Sheppard]

Originally posted by Sel Und Irae:

They took old Air Diver out back and 'Ol Yellar'd him.

We got Ranger with less weapons and drones instead.

Air raider is nerfed early on for story reasons. Gets better as you go. Ranger has turrets while raider has drones. Plus ranger is alot better being able to carry gernades/equiptment sep from weapons.

[HOGuru]

The drones are a great addition to make Air Raider playable solo, and his late-game airstrikes are some of the best the series has ever offered.

Yes, the 150 missions have a lot of similar setups, but the narrative justifies it, and the changes you get each time you go back to the same level completely shake up how it's played.

Super-satisfying if you remember 5 really well, because the twists on those missions are amazing. (Wait... what if we DIDN'T run away from our base at the start of 5?)

[Joker]

Originally posted by Kashra Fall:

Class changes.
Double the enemy variety.
New story.
Better animations.
Better graphical fidelity (Lighting looks amazing.)
Better sound design.
Better weapon changes/design. (Assault rifles feel good again!)

Forgot a huge one... Ranger can deploy turrets now. EDF 6 straight up opens new strats for solo.

[Craig]

The tutorial is god awful, like they outdo themselves if you thought 5's first level was bad. It's really funny with 4 people if you can manage to start that way. The backpack slots and early access to early level (but late game weapons in edf 5) is also nice.

[Kashra Fall]

Originally posted by Joker:

Originally posted by Kashra Fall:

Class changes.
Double the enemy variety.
New story.
Better animations.
Better graphical fidelity (Lighting looks amazing.)
Better sound design.
Better weapon changes/design. (Assault rifles feel good again!)

Forgot a huge one... Ranger can deploy turrets now. EDF 6 straight up opens new strats for solo.

That falls under class changes =P. I wasn't gonna list everything.

[Iselore]

I have to admit, when I saw some comments on it's just a rehash of EDF 5, I was worried. But 30 missions in, it still feels fresh. Enjoying it! A little challenging though.

[Joker]

Originally posted by Iselore:

I have to admit, when I saw some comments on it's just a rehash of EDF 5, I was worried. But 30 missions in, it still feels fresh. Enjoying it! A little challenging though.

Its more like EDF 5 throwbacks in the game than it being a rehash yeah.

[gmkump]

What is new is the additional capabilities of the classes (minus Fencer) and personally, much better graphics. I really like the default camera type 2 default mode compared to the behind the back older position. Enemies appear bigger (your view appears lower), allies closer, weapons more easily seen, a better "I'm there" feeling. I study the environment and the graphics have been changed to the better, much more detailed in the models, etc. There are additional effects most folks don't even notice, like air disturbance from heat of guns, etc. A few missions in EDF 6 are repeats of EDF 5, part of the story plot, but I noticed the dialogue was updated and the graphical look with the additional QOL changes, for me, it is so far superior, I don't mind replaying them at all, really enjoying the EDF 5 missions in EDF 6. I'm sold. I would much rather use the EDF 6 engine than the one used in EDF 5.
After 40 hours, not experiencing one crash, this game is a winner and is far superior to EDF 5, though I still love EDF 5 passionately. Worth the money for me.
It does need work though. AMD hardware is apparently a huge problem, Epic account required for multiplayer (roll my eyes), and desync of other player positions in multiplayer is reportedly a headache. But not having an AMD system, using an Intel based PC and Nvidia (RTX 4090), primarily single player, this game rocks. I'm very happy replaying EDF 5 missions plus all the majority new ones, so absolutely no complaints. Wonderful game.
Some say EDF 6 is a DLC for EDF 5 and should be called EDF 5.2, which to me, is utter nonsense. The difference is significant enough. The new EDF engine rules.

[MrLuckless]

I'm liking it a lot so far, it has so many damn missions and all the classes have been noticeably buffed up, especially Ranger. That extra equipment slot turned out to be really big as far as improvements go, and the game has the largest enemy roster so far.

There's a lot to like that calling it 5.1 would be underselling it.

[Defective Dopamine Pez Dispenser]

Totally different Air Raider gameplay, and some tweaks to other classes. Improved lighting model and (some) new meshes and texture work. New animations. Tons of new enemies. A (surprisingly?) interesting (and to me hilarious) story, once you realize what's happening in it, which takes a bit to unfold. Multiple selectable camera options. Damage numbers when you hit (so no more wondering if you're actually damaging enemies in hard to see conditions.)

Imo, despite suggestions that the game is more asset-reuse-heavy (which all EDF games are anyway,) I actually think this game's combination of lighting and other elements makes it one of the more visually varied installments in the series to date. Some of the stuff they do with the sky and with other small changes to maps really makes them feel distinct to me. And some of the new enemy types have atmospheric effects that are cool imo.

Absurd numbers of enemies, as usual, but in some ways it gets even more chaotic and ridiculous in 6. And I would argue the way it introduces its enemies feels less slow paced. You encounter new enemies a lot sooner it seems, and larger enemies sooner as well.

Parts will feel repetitive but it's EDF, what else is new? I don't feel it's just 5.1, despite the premise of its story involving literal reuse of EDF 5 in some respects. I'll put it this way: there's more that feels different here compared to 5, than 4.1 felt compared to 2025 imo. But not as much as the leap from 4.1 to 5.

[Stephen7853]

The ending is my favorite of the EDFs by far, holy hell this game is good