Voxel Spin-Off "Earth Defense Force: World Brothers" is Coming to the West

Every so often, giant insects invade the planet Earth in an effort to destroy humanity, and the only team that can stop them is the Earth Defense Force. But now, a new planet needs protecting: Voxel Earth. Introducing Earth Defense Force: World Brothers, a low poly, voxel-style take on the popular game series.

To speak frankly, I thought this was a joke when I first saw it. Part of me still thinks it might be. Earth Defense Force: World Brothers was recently announced for a western release in 2021. This iteration moves away from the traditional style of graphics in favor of a blocky, cube-based style commonly known as Voxel.



Otherwise, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers will stay true to the gameplay of the series. The player operates one of a team of legendary soldiers as they use overwhelmingly impressive weapons to fight against an invading army of insect-like aliens. World Brothers will feature cooperative play from all over the world.

Originally, World Brothers was announced for launch in Japan a few weeks ago. Only now has the game been confirmed for Western audiences like the US and UK.

This is a spin-off game, though. Meanwhile, development for the next game in the main series is still in development. Earth Defense Force 6 has already been announced in Japan with a release date in 2021. There hasn't been any confirmation of a Western release, however.

It's possible that the voxel style was part of a decision to improve framerates for the Nintendo Switch, a less powerful console. The blocky style is easier for consoles to render, allowing for better framerates. Final Fantasy XV used a similar trick with Pocket Edition HD, which replaced the high quality textures and models with chibi variations.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers is releasing on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 some time in 2021.