Earth Defense Force 2025 release date slips a bit, new soldier class revealed

Over in Japan, D3 Publisher announced in the pages of Famitsu magazine that Earth Defense Force 2025, latest in their series of humans-vs.-aliens destroyathons, is coming out a tad later than expected.

Originally planned for a June release on the PS3 and Xbox 360, the game will now come out July in Japan on both consoles at a price of 6,980 yen.

The news isn't all bad for fans, though. D3 took the chance this week to reveal EDF 2025's fourth and final soldier class in the Famitsu preview, and it looks pretty badass. Called the Fencer, the heavily-armored class has a worrying variety of weaponry on its side, including:

- A deflective shield that cuts all damage taken while you have it readied, although it'll overheat and go offline if used for too long

- A blast-hole spear that fires high-pressure plasma into anything you can stab it into, destroying it from the inside. It's also got a side thruster that lets you thrust-dash around at high speed

- A handheld gatling gun, a heavy weapon that your suit's just powerful enough to carry around. It takes time to start up and doesn't boast tremendous accuracy, but its rapid-fire properties are reliable in a pinch

- A vibro-drive hammer that smashes anything in the vicinity

- An armor-piercing hand cannon that deals a powerful blow, but leaves you unguarded for about a second after firing due to recoil absorption

Plainly the aliens have no idea what's in store for them. We will, though, once mid-summer rolls along...in Japan, anyway.