Choose EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5
Choose EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 95.6% positive across 5,573 reviews.
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 vs EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 and EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN both land in Action on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Action games on Steam. Both released in 2019. EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 scores higher on Steam reviews (95.6% positive) than EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN (61.2% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN
Choose EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN if it matches what drew you to this matchup. EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN launched in 2019.
Both EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 and EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN sit in Action on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 |  EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 59.99 USD | 59.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.6% positive (5,573 reviews) | 61.2% positive (650 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op |
| Developers | SANDLOT | YUKE'S |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Both released in 2019.
- EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 scores higher on Steam reviews (95.6% positive) than EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN (61.2% positive).
- EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 (59.99 USD vs. 59.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Playable.
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 vs EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN — FAQ
- Which is better, EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 or EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN?
- On Steam reviews EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 scores higher (95.6% positive) than EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN (61.2% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Are EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 and EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN similar?
- They overlap on Action on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 and EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op.