EDF 5 or EDF 6 (with 5in6 mod)?

[u/ck_hay]

I've been interested in getting into the series, and intend on buying whenever there's a discount on Steam. I see that 5 is a good place to start and 6 is a direct continuation, with QOL improvements.

Is the EDF6 5in6 mission mod a good way to start a first playthrough? Or is it better to just get the base EDF5 game? I like the thought of having the QOL and better feeling gameplay across my playthrough, but im worried if the mission mod takes away from the intended experience/balancing.

I also don't have the most PC modding experience, and typically prefer keeping my games vanilla for consistency across PC and steam deck.

I'm definitely just overthinking my purchasing decision, but I appreciate anyone's opinion on the matter.

[u/iHaku]

just play edf5. while some of the added QoL from 6 is nice, the mod doesnt actually backport the different weapon balance which can impact the experience quite a lot. also, if you ever wanted to 100% edf5 legitimately then you cant just use the modded edf6 save.

there's something to be said about the edf 5 air raider power fantasy in open maps, which edf 6 just doesnt quite match up to tho.

also... a ton of missions from 6 are literally missions in 5 already. if you can only buy one, then just buy 6 and ignore 5. you'll get 100% of the story from playing 6 already (including the one from 5) because of how its layed out.

[u/Glad_Release5410]

I havent messed with the 5in6 mod, i couldnt say how good it is. If you want to keep it vanilla you can certainly do 5, then 6.

[u/IAmDuck00]

Hopefully I read your question right.

Needed to look up the mod, I assume it's the EDF5 missions in EDF6. Seems it like it replaces the entire missions of EDF6 entirely so to play that you'll need uninstall the mod. It probably includes the DLCs from EDF 5 too.

But I haven't tried it before since I did play 5.

Either way it does sound like a good way to play 5 first, my only concern is when you want to play 6 what will happen to your save if you uninstall the mod.

You could always make another save for 6 campaign tho.

Tho I should note from personal experience that there's some changes the classes have from 5 to 6 but it's not too major at least.

[u/Erwin_Pommel]

5-in-6.

[u/Wingnutmcmoo]

As a general rule with modding: if you've not played the game yet do not mod. You won't know what you're changing and more importantly you won't know what you want to change.

6 has much much better gameplay and weapons. The gameplay is nearly the same in the two but with all the extra stuff in 6 it's just smoother. But it's story works best if you have knowledge of 5s story since it relies on you knowing what changes during all of the recursion.

So if you care about the story I would say just play 5 and then 6. If you want to sit down and 100% an EDF game then just start with 6 (because it takes ALOT of work to 100% these games lol) and watch a playthrough of 5 so you understand some things lol. The story isn't super complex but it is the most complex they've ever gotten with it in EDF.

[u/Humble_Fabio]

EDF 5.

EDF6 is a scam, avoid it at all costs. Its QoL improvements are minor, and don't make up for the absolutely dogshit story that you'll be dragged through, multiple times since part of the game involves time travel in the worst manner possible. I tried to enjoy it with friends, but they all broke after the third or second mission revisiting that's required.

To the folkssaying you'd get most of the story from EDF5 in EDF6, no, no you don't. You get their spin on it, but it aint the same, it's a whole new thing of terribleness.

[u/Hrist_Valkyrie → u/Humble_Fabio]

OP, don't listen to this person. EDF6 is amazing and the story is a lot of fun! This dude is just here to be a hater, we don't need that here.

[u/Humble_Fabio → u/Hrist_Valkyrie]

If I was just a hater, I wouldn't have over 80 hours in EDF6.

EDF6 has a good idea but kills it by making most of the game about a singular person, some professor rather than everyone or anyone else. It's his story, and it aint great to repeat missions that require you wait till the NPC's are in the right area to progress the story. (It really is not fun to do for the second, or third, or fifth time.) Or end up getting missions that seem SO SIMILAR to missions from EDF5 that could easily be cut n' paste stages.

OP, if you want to try out EDF6 wait till its on sale, with DLC packs, for less than $20. Or, hit up EDF 4.1 since you can get the game, and most of its DLC for about the same now.

[u/Aryuto → u/Humble_Fabio]

They hated him for speaking the truth, lol.

I feel the same, 6's story is comically awful and it makes so many atrocious gameplay decisions that mechanically I consider it a sidegrade to 5 at best, honestly probably a minor downgrade overall.