Plunge into the battle for the future in EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair, where a ruthless swarm of alien invaders and the Defense Forces of planet Earth fight each other. Having chosen a fighter from existing classes, set off on the dangerous journey of the hero, shooting back from opponents and completing assigned tasks. A total of 89 missions are available in the single-player campaign and 98 in the multiplayer game. There are five difficulty levels to choose from: easy, normal, hard, hardcore and hellish.

Soldier Classes in Earth Defense Force 4.1: Shadow of New Despair:

• Ranger – make up the ground forces and are trained front line infantry. A universal soldier, but inferior in skills and adaptations to other representatives.
• Wing Diver – uses a weapon based on a plasma generator called the “Aurora Sphere” and a psionic link, which allows the weapon to be controlled through the user's mind. This position is held only by females.
• Air Raider – Part of a rear unit whose main tasks are obtaining accurate tactical data and providing support on the battlefield.
• Fencer – represents an elite unit, can be equipped with an exoskeleton that increases attack power. Able to carry heavy objects and bulky combat installations, which are attached to vehicles during normal use.

Gameplay requires moving around the location to shoot hordes of aggressive insects and alien robots. All guns have unlimited ammunition, all that stops them from constant fire is periodic reloading. After killing an enemy, he drops a box with useful items to restore health, improve armor or weapons. There are a total of 16 mission maps. The locations are varied and depicted as cities, mountainous areas, and dungeons.