Formed by a few former Human staff in 2001, Sandlot has since carved itself a niche as developer of games which include a large variety of scale, and messy explosions. Their games typically feature a small number of unique stages (but a large variety of events set on those stages), big robots/bugs, and destructable buildings (quite novel in the PS2 era!).
In the Earth Defense Force series players control a human character under assault from an assortment of alien invaders: from giant ants and spiders, to classic sci-fi inspired UFOs. Stages are open, the goals being mostly nothing more complex than 'survive', or 'kill them all', but the large variety of weapons to be collected, and the range of freedom in reaching those goals, being the main points of interest. Also the fact that all the architecture is destructible ;)
In their mecha-themed games that destructibility, and general structure, is also present. In fact you get the sense that each engine is built on the one previous. while also controlled from a human point of view their main weapon is the mecha they control. Typically this is a complex operation, with separate buttons needed to send commands to independent move robots' separate limbs. Coordinating movement and attack is particularly satisfying, and immersing.
Year | Title (JP) | Title (EN) | Platform | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | Remote Control Dandy | PlayStation | Unsure whether it was made while still part of Human. | |
2001 | 鉄甲機ミカヅキ1) | Ironclad Machine Mikazuki (Trans.) | PlayStation | Trial edition. Full game unreleased. |
2002 | ギガンティック ドライブ2) | Robot Alchemic Drive | PlayStation 2 | AKA: RAD |
2003 | THE 地球防衛軍3) | Monster Attack | PlayStation 2 | Simple 2000 series Vol. 31 |
2004 | 鉄人28号4) | PlayStation 2 | ||
2005 | THE 地球防衛軍25) | Global Defence Force | PlayStation 2, PSP, PSVita | Simple 2000 series Vol. 81. Second Vita release includes Air Raider. |
2005 | Remote Control Dandy SF | PlayStation 2 | It's a bit unclear who exactly made the game. | |
2006 | 超操縦メカ6) | Super Control Robot MG (Trans.) | Nintendo DS | |
2006 | 地球防衛軍37) | Earth Defense Force 2017 | XBox 360 | |
2010 | 斬撃のREGINLEIV8) | Slashing Reginleiv (Trans.) | Wii, Wii U | |
2013 | 地球防衛軍49) | Earth Defense Force 2025 | PlayStation 4, XBox 360 | |
2015 | 地球防衛軍4.1 The Shadow Of New Despair10) | Earth Defense Force 4.1 | PlayStation 4, Notes on Windows Games | |
2017 | 地球防衛軍511) | Earth Defense Force 5 | PlayStation 4, Windows | |
2022 | 地球防衛軍612) | Earth Defense Force 6 | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, … |