How to Make the Right Class Choice in Earth Defense Force 6

When you first start Earth Defense Force 6, you are asked to pick a class for each mission. Each class has their own pros and cons, which aren’t obvious from the game’s own description.

Earth Defense Force 6 Ranger Pros and Cons

The Ranger is the jack of all trades, the generic soldier type. If you’ve played any other third-person shooter, this guy is easy to pick up. This is arguably his greatest strength, as he’s incredibly easy to pick up and jump right into shooting bugs with.

The Ranger also has one of the widest weapon selections of any class in Earth Defense Force 6. He can use almost any military weapon you can think of, from assault rifles and shotguns to more explosive options like missile launchers. This versatility makes the Ranger useful for any mission, and easy to play through the whole game with exclusively.

However, this versatility is also the Ranger’s weakness. While he covers a lot of bases, he doesn’t excel at any of them either. His speed, damage output and defense are all decent, but nothing spectacular. While he can hold his own in many situations, he will always be outclassed by another option.

Earth Defense Force 6 Wing Diver Pros and Cons

The Wing Diver is the class choice for evasive players in Earth Defense Force 6. She comes equipped with a jetpack that allows her to fly around the map for a limited time. While the fuel does need to recharge, it’s never slow enough to be a problem and you’ll be able to conserve it as long as you use it strategically to get out of big crowds of bugs.

However, this is the only thing the Wing Diver really has going for her. Her defense is terrible, meaning she needs to be out of the fray as much as possible. However, this also highlights her other central problem, that her weapons are not suited for this. Many of her weapon options are incredibly short range, which force her to get close to enemies, while her main long-range option needs to be charged up with each use.

Earth Defense Force 6 Air Raider Pros and Cons

The Air Raider is the class choice for players who want to cause as much damage as possible in any given mission in Earth Defense Force 6. His weapons are all gadgets and flying machines designed to cause mass destruction. From pack of drones that attack simultaneously to sticky bombs, this is someone who’s ideal for large hordes of enemies.

However, the Air Diver is not an easy character to pick up. Playing him well requires knowing which equipment to take into the field and when to best use it. He requires a lot of practice to get the best out of, and as such isn’t a good choice for a beginner.

Earth Defense Force 6 Fencer Pros and Cons

The Fencer is the powerhouse class choice in Earth Defense Force 6. It’s a walking suit of power armor that can be customized to cause huge amounts of damage, while also being able to tank a lot in return. He’s also hugely customizable, as he has options for melee and long-range combat, making him effective at any distance.

However, the main problem with the Fencer is how slow he is. With the large maps in the game, it can take forever to get to the next group of enemies as you stomp your way from place to place. This also makes it difficult to escape if you’re overwhelmed by enemies.

Earth Defense Force 6 is out now for PC, PS4 and PS5.