EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair
Image: Steam store (© respective owners)

How do players who really played EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair rate it? TrueGG Rating 97.3%

Release date: Jul 18, 2016 Data as of 2026-10-19 View on Steam ↗

Players who really played rate it about the same as Steam overall. Early impressions are weaker, so the first few hours tend to decide whether it clicks.

Think twice if you are

  • Players who want variety (reports that it gets monotonous)
  • Players who dislike repetitive grinding
  • Players particular about controls and UI

A rule-based guide from review patterns (no AI). How

TrueGG RatingMethodology ↗
97.3%
▲ +2.3 pt
vs Steam overall

Positive among players with 10+ hours (all time) · 7,064 reviews

TrueGG, all time
97.3%
Steam overall
95.0%
Japanese, all time
92.5%

Early wall

Reviews written under 2 hours: 7.4% of all reviews. Their positive share is 72.5%.

This is not a drop-off rate; it describes who wrote reviews. Refund guide: within 14 days of purchase and under 2 hours of play (Steam refund policy).

01 / TRUEGG INSIGHTS

Does the rating change the longer people play?

Used for TrueGG Rating (10h+)JapaneseRight: reviews
Positive share by playtimeRanges from 10 hours up are highlighted. Exact values are in the table below.0%25%50%75%100%0–1 h63%4421–2 h85%3432–5 h94%1,1935–10 h96%1,53410–20 h97%1,90020–50 h98%2,80850–100 h97%1,400100–200 h98%610200+ h98%346Positive share by playtime0–1 h44263%1–2 h34385%2–5 h1,19394%5–10 h1,53496%10–20 h1,90097%20–50 h2,80898%50–100 h1,40097%100–200 h61098%200+ h34698%

Positive share by playtime at the time of review (all time). Ranges under 50 reviews are pale and dashed (indicative only); “—” means no reviews.

Show chart values as a table
PlaytimePositiveJapaneseReviews
0–1 h63.1%53.3%442
1–2 h84.5%60.0%343
2–5 h94.5%75.9%1,193
5–10 h96.1%63.6%1,534
10–20 h96.6%85.7%1,900
20–50 h97.6%91.6%2,808
50–100 h97.3%88.8%1,400
100–200 h97.9%96.4%610
200+ h97.7%100.0%346

How long people play: half of reviewers had played 10+ hours. 49% had 20+ hours and 9% had 100+ hours (all time).

02 / TRUEGG INSIGHTS

Summary

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair has a TrueGG Rating of 97.3%, based on all-time reviews from players with 10+ hours (7,064 reviews) because recent reviews are few. Steam's overall rating is 95.0%.

Reviews written under 2 hours make up 7% of the total, and only 72% of them are positive. Some players bounce off early, but those who get past the opening rate it higher. Steam accepts refund requests within 2 hours of play and 14 days of purchase.

Beyond the first hours, approval is fairly even across playtime.

Negative reviews most often mention crashes and bugs, boredom, and community and co-op. Positive reviews praise 前作・シリーズ.

Among Japanese-language reviews, the TrueGG Rating is 92.5%, similar to all languages.

Re-weighting reviews by trust signals (playtime, length, how the game was obtained) barely changes the rating (95.7% adjusted), so Steam's number is not noticeably distorted by key giveaways or throwaway reviews.

All figures come from Steam's public review counts, and topics are counted with our published dictionary (no AI). Data as of 2026-10-19.

03 / TRUEGG INSIGHTS

Why it is rated this way

What drives the rating

Complaints center on the game's design (Boring / repetitive, Grind, Controls, UI & camera). These rarely change with updates, so the rating likely reflects the game itself. Judge by whether it suits you. It is also a game many people bounce off early (early reviews are much less positive than those of players who stuck with it).

− Most mentioned complaints

  • Crashes & bugs17% of negative reviews (10% of positive) · most common among 2–20h players
  • Boring / repetitive16% of negative reviews (3% of positive) · most common among under 2h players
  • Community & co-op13% of negative reviews (9% of positive) · most common among 20–100h players
  • Grind12% of negative reviews (2% of positive) · most common among 20–100h players
  • Controls, UI & camera11% of negative reviews (2% of positive) · most common among under 2h players

+ What players praise

  • Compared with earlier entries7% of positive reviews (5% of negative)
＋ 地球＋ peak＋ 段階＋ helldivers＋ 協力＋ スペック＋ 爽快感＋ オンライン− terrible− worst− work− voice− waste− trash− menus− health

Counted from 358 recent negative and 600 positive reviews in Japanese and English, using our published topic dictionary. No AI is used. Topics overlap, so shares do not add up to 100%. Sarcasm and nuance are not detected, and this does not show cause and effect.How we count

04 / TRUEGG INSIGHTS

Checking the numbers

Figures with a different scope, shown alongside the TrueGG Rating.

MetricPositiveScope
Official Steam rating95.0%All time, all languages · 10,575 reviews
Adjusted rating95.7%Weighted by trust (95% range 95.6%–95.9%), +0.7pt vs official
Japanese-language reviews88.5%All time, Japanese-language reviews (−6.5pt vs overall) · 503 reviews
Show the positive vs negative breakdown

Share of sampled reviews that meet each condition that lowers trust. When a condition is more common on the positive side, the adjusted rating falls below the official one.

ConditionPositive reviewsNegative reviews
Under 2 hours played at review5%38%
Very short text31%12%
Key activated outside Steam28%46%
Received for free2%2%
Owns very few games7%3%
Over 100 reviews written11%26%
Average trust (1.0 = full)0.780.66

The median total playtime of the sampled reviewers is 17.6 hours. 400 positive and 400 negative reviews analyzed · data as of 2026-10-19

05 / TRUEGG INSIGHTS

When did the rating change?

Monthly positive and negative review counts since release, as published by Steam.

Reviews per month

■ Positive■ Negative
0 500 1,000 2016-07: +801 / −38 2016-08: +255 / −7 2016-09: +70 / −2 2016-10: +76 / −3 2016-11: +286 / −3 2016-12: +98 / −4 2017-01: +95 / −2 2017-02: +35 / −1 2017-03: +70 / −3 2017-04: +51 / −5 2017-05: +36 / −0 2017-06: +100 / −10 2017-07: +85 / −3 2017-08: +52 / −1 2017-09: +16 / −3 2017-10: +20 / −1 2017-11: +197 / −4 2017-12: +75 / −6 2018-01: +54 / −4 2018-02: +37 / −4 2018-03: +29 / −5 2018-04: +26 / −4 2018-05: +22 / −2 2018-06: +92 / −5 2018-07: +86 / −7 2018-08: +32 / −6 2018-09: +70 / −7 2018-10: +37 / −3 2018-11: +208 / −1 2018-12: +76 / −4 2019-01: +72 / −6 2019-02: +37 / −5 2019-03: +44 / −5 2019-04: +45 / −2 2019-05: +38 / −7 2019-06: +279 / −4 2019-07: +375 / −7 2019-08: +12 / −3 2019-09: +14 / −2 2019-10: +15 / −3 2019-11: +67 / −1 2019-12: +52 / −4 2020-01: +51 / −0 2020-02: +28 / −0 2020-03: +70 / −2 2020-04: +33 / −3 2020-05: +41 / −2 2020-06: +34 / −2 2020-07: +42 / −4 2020-08: +15 / −1 2020-09: +22 / −2 2020-10: +32 / −1 2020-11: +23 / −2 2020-12: +41 / −2 2021-01: +41 / −3 2021-02: +30 / −1 2021-03: +77 / −2 2021-04: +46 / −1 2021-05: +52 / −3 2021-06: +38 / −5 2021-07: +35 / −5 2021-08: +29 / −3 2021-09: +67 / −4 2021-10: +34 / −3 2021-11: +23 / −3 2021-12: +27 / −2 2022-01: +43 / −2 2022-02: +26 / −1 2022-03: +29 / −3 2022-04: +33 / −1 2022-05: +27 / −0 2022-06: +28 / −0 2022-07: +27 / −2 2022-08: +149 / −1 2022-09: +172 / −5 2022-10: +76 / −2 2022-11: +119 / −5 2022-12: +86 / −6 2023-01: +73 / −2 2023-02: +39 / −0 2023-03: +81 / −1 2023-04: +45 / −0 2023-05: +51 / −6 2023-06: +49 / −1 2023-07: +74 / −4 2023-08: +55 / −0 2023-09: +51 / −5 2023-10: +43 / −3 2023-11: +79 / −3 2023-12: +53 / −5 2024-01: +40 / −2 2024-02: +55 / −2 2024-03: +57 / −2 2024-04: +37 / −3 2024-05: +53 / −1 2024-06: +32 / −3 2024-07: +55 / −2 2024-08: +41 / −1 2024-09: +30 / −2 2024-10: +20 / −1 2024-11: +21 / −1 2024-12: +45 / −3 2025-01: +34 / −3 2025-02: +31 / −2 2025-03: +35 / −1 2025-04: +24 / −1 2025-05: +32 / −1 2025-06: +35 / −2 2025-07: +25 / −3 2025-08: +28 / −3 2025-09: +31 / −0 2025-10: +30 / −2 2025-11: +21 / −1 2025-12: +19 / −1 2026-01: +32 / −4 2026-02: +23 / −0 2026-03: +21 / −3 2026-04: +21 / −1 2026-05: +30 / −0 2026-06: +39 / −1 2026-07: +28 / −3 2026-08: +27 / −1 2026-09: +24 / −0 2026-10: +16 / −1 2016/072017/012018/012019/012020/012021/012022/012023/012024/012025/012026/01

Positive share per month

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Monthly data overall 95.5% 2016-07: 95.5%2016-08: 97.3%2016-09: 97.2%2016-10: 96.2%2016-11: 99.0%2016-12: 96.1%2017-01: 97.9%2017-02: 97.2%2017-03: 95.9%2017-04: 91.1%2017-05: 100.0%2017-06: 90.9%2017-07: 96.6%2017-08: 98.1%2017-11: 98.0%2017-12: 92.6%2018-01: 93.1%2018-02: 90.2%2018-03: 85.3%2018-04: 86.7%2018-06: 94.8%2018-07: 92.5%2018-08: 84.2%2018-09: 90.9%2018-10: 92.5%2018-11: 99.5%2018-12: 95.0%2019-01: 92.3%2019-02: 88.1%2019-03: 89.8%2019-04: 95.7%2019-05: 84.4%2019-06: 98.6%2019-07: 98.2%2019-11: 98.5%2019-12: 92.9%2020-01: 100.0%2020-03: 97.2%2020-04: 91.7%2020-05: 95.3%2020-06: 94.4%2020-07: 91.3%2020-10: 97.0%2020-12: 95.3%2021-01: 93.2%2021-02: 96.8%2021-03: 97.5%2021-04: 97.9%2021-05: 94.5%2021-06: 88.4%2021-07: 87.5%2021-08: 90.6%2021-09: 94.4%2021-10: 91.9%2022-01: 95.6%2022-03: 90.6%2022-04: 97.1%2022-08: 99.3%2022-09: 97.2%2022-10: 97.4%2022-11: 96.0%2022-12: 93.5%2023-01: 97.3%2023-02: 100.0%2023-03: 98.8%2023-04: 100.0%2023-05: 89.5%2023-06: 98.0%2023-07: 94.9%2023-08: 100.0%2023-09: 91.1%2023-10: 93.5%2023-11: 96.3%2023-12: 91.4%2024-01: 95.2%2024-02: 96.5%2024-03: 96.6%2024-04: 92.5%2024-05: 98.1%2024-06: 91.4%2024-07: 96.5%2024-08: 97.6%2024-09: 93.8%2024-12: 93.8%2025-01: 91.9%2025-02: 93.9%2025-03: 97.2%2025-05: 97.0%2025-06: 94.6%2025-08: 90.3%2025-09: 100.0%2025-10: 93.8%2026-01: 88.9%2026-05: 100.0%2026-06: 97.5%2026-07: 90.3% 2016/072017/012018/012019/012020/012021/012022/012023/012024/012025/012026/01

Months with under 30 reviews are omitted from the rate.

Reviews per day, last 30 days

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2026-09-19: +2 / −0 2026-09-20: +1 / −0 2026-09-21: +1 / −0 2026-09-22: +1 / −0 2026-09-23: +1 / −0 2026-09-24: +0 / −0 2026-09-25: +1 / −0 2026-09-26: +2 / −0 2026-09-27: +0 / −0 2026-09-28: +1 / −0 2026-09-29: +1 / −0 2026-09-30: +0 / −0 2026-10-01: +1 / −0 2026-10-02: +0 / −0 2026-10-03: +2 / −0 2026-10-04: +1 / −0 2026-10-05: +2 / −0 2026-10-06: +1 / −0 2026-10-07: +1 / −0 2026-10-08: +0 / −0 2026-10-09: +0 / −0 2026-10-10: +0 / −0 2026-10-11: +1 / −0 2026-10-12: +0 / −1 2026-10-13: +1 / −0 2026-10-14: +1 / −0 2026-10-15: +0 / −0 2026-10-16: +2 / −0 2026-10-17: +1 / −0 2026-10-18: +2 / −0 09/1909/2610/0310/1010/17
Show monthly data as a table
MonthPositiveNegativePositive
2016-078013895.5%
2016-08255797.3%
2016-0970297.2%
2016-1076396.2%
2016-11286399.0%
2016-1298496.1%
2017-0195297.9%
2017-0235197.2%
2017-0370395.9%
2017-0451591.1%
2017-05360100.0%
2017-061001090.9%
2017-0785396.6%
2017-0852198.1%
2017-0916384.2%
2017-1020195.2%
2017-11197498.0%
2017-1275692.6%
2018-0154493.1%
2018-0237490.2%
2018-0329585.3%
2018-0426486.7%
2018-0522291.7%
2018-0692594.8%
2018-0786792.5%
2018-0832684.2%
2018-0970790.9%
2018-1037392.5%
2018-11208199.5%
2018-1276495.0%
2019-0172692.3%
2019-0237588.1%
2019-0344589.8%
2019-0445295.7%
2019-0538784.4%
2019-06279498.6%
2019-07375798.2%
2019-0812380.0%
2019-0914287.5%
2019-1015383.3%
2019-1167198.5%
2019-1252492.9%
2020-01510100.0%
2020-02280100.0%
2020-0370297.2%
2020-0433391.7%
2020-0541295.3%
2020-0634294.4%
2020-0742491.3%
2020-0815193.8%
2020-0922291.7%
2020-1032197.0%
2020-1123292.0%
2020-1241295.3%
2021-0141393.2%
2021-0230196.8%
2021-0377297.5%
2021-0446197.9%
2021-0552394.5%
2021-0638588.4%
2021-0735587.5%
2021-0829390.6%
2021-0967494.4%
2021-1034391.9%
2021-1123388.5%
2021-1227293.1%
2022-0143295.6%
2022-0226196.3%
2022-0329390.6%
2022-0433197.1%
2022-05270100.0%
2022-06280100.0%
2022-0727293.1%
2022-08149199.3%
2022-09172597.2%
2022-1076297.4%
2022-11119596.0%
2022-1286693.5%
2023-0173297.3%
2023-02390100.0%
2023-0381198.8%
2023-04450100.0%
2023-0551689.5%
2023-0649198.0%
2023-0774494.9%
2023-08550100.0%
2023-0951591.1%
2023-1043393.5%
2023-1179396.3%
2023-1253591.4%
2024-0140295.2%
2024-0255296.5%
2024-0357296.6%
2024-0437392.5%
2024-0553198.1%
2024-0632391.4%
2024-0755296.5%
2024-0841197.6%
2024-0930293.8%
2024-1020195.2%
2024-1121195.5%
2024-1245393.8%
2025-0134391.9%
2025-0231293.9%
2025-0335197.2%
2025-0424196.0%
2025-0532197.0%
2025-0635294.6%
2025-0725389.3%
2025-0828390.3%
2025-09310100.0%
2025-1030293.8%
2025-1121195.5%
2025-1219195.0%
2026-0132488.9%
2026-02230100.0%
2026-0321387.5%
2026-0421195.5%
2026-05300100.0%
2026-0639197.5%
2026-0728390.3%
2026-0827196.4%
2026-09240100.0%
2026-1016194.1%
Show daily data as a table
DayPositiveNegative
2026-09-1920
2026-09-2010
2026-09-2110
2026-09-2210
2026-09-2310
2026-09-2400
2026-09-2510
2026-09-2620
2026-09-2700
2026-09-2810
2026-09-2910
2026-09-3000
2026-10-0110
2026-10-0200
2026-10-0320
2026-10-0410
2026-10-0520
2026-10-0610
2026-10-0710
2026-10-0800
2026-10-0900
2026-10-1000
2026-10-1110
2026-10-1201
2026-10-1310
2026-10-1410
2026-10-1500
2026-10-1620
2026-10-1710
2026-10-1820
06 / TRUEGG INSIGHTS

Recent sentiment

PeriodPositiveReviews
Last 30 days95.0%40
Last 180 days95.5%244
All time95.0%10,575
Japanese, last 180 days87.5%8
08 / TRUEGG INSIGHTS

About this verdict

Every figure is computed from review data that Steam makes public. No AI estimation is used.

Review text is never stored or republished. Read the actual reviews on Steam.

If you disagree with this verdict, please reach us via the contact on the About page. About

Read the methodology and its limits Read reviews on Steam ↗