D3 Publisher has shared (via 4Gamer) a wealth of information and screenshots featuring many of the basic details for Earth Defense Force 5.

The game, as always, will feature the Earth Defense Force as they face off against a large swarm of encroaching alien invaders, this time known as “Immigrants.”

The game will at least begin on an EDF base, where an attack has already begun with the base in danger of being completely overrun. With the masses of weaponry the EDF has on hand, however, they’ll be able to fight back against the alien invaders.

The Earth Defense Force

This new information has revealed two playable styles of soldiers from the EDF. First is the Ranger; a typical well rounded soldier with training in a massive array of weaponry. They may be the most common soldier, but they are nonetheless essential for victory. And second is the Wing Diver; a female-exclusive class of soldier who use flight units to fly about the battle field, equipped with energy-based weaponry. Though they are quite a bit squishier than the Ranger, the Wing Divers use their vastly superior mobility and strong weaponry to make up for it.

Immigrants

The number of attacking Immigrants is high, and they come in a variety of forms. The most basic of these is the “Aggressive Alien Species α”. They are agile and dangerous, using both fangs and their ability to release a very potent acid to attack. Second is the “Aggressive Alien Species β”. Though they are not as agile as the α, these aliens are still dangerous.

They seem to have a stronger aptitude for combat overall, and have caused more direct damage than the α species. Also shown were the Red Variant of the Aggressive Alien Species α, which features a tougher shell that is more resistant to bullets. In exchange for the armor, however, they seem to have lost the ability to produce acid.

Immigrant Technology

The Immigrants have put quite a variety of technology to use in their favor. For starters, they began to attack through the use of Teleportation Anchors; large structures that appear to work as a one-way transport of matter, allowing them to attack easily from any anchor they drop. Alongside the attacking alien forces, you’ll be sure to see Battle Drones; large, unmanned drones ready for battle. They extend about 15 meters across, and appear to be quite dangerous.

Also seen are Teleportation Ships, which are used to bring in the more dangerous of the alien species. They are tougher to take out than the Anchors, as they feature some kind of energy shield, but need to be shot down on sight. And finally are Landing Ships, which have been used to drop off the Humanoid-type invaders. These ships have particular powerful barriers, and have not been able to be shot down – however, they don’t appear to have armaments either, and are only used to drop off invaders.

Humanoid Invaders

Alongside the more monstrous species, a few Humanoid invaders have been spotted. Colonists have already begun forming groups after the start of the invasion, and are able to survive in Earth’s atmosphere without aid.

These Humanoid creatures are presumed to be very dangerous. Cosmonauts, on the other hand, are known to be fierce and incredibly dangerous combatants. These Humanoid invaders appear to be robotic in nature, and may even be capable of speech.

Earth Defense Force 5 is set for a 2017 release in Japan on PS4, with no known plans for a western release.