Starship Troopers: Extermination
Around this time last year, I found myself obsessing over a video game based on the Paul Verhoeven film, Robocop. This AA video game was my favorite game that I played last year and while it wasn’t going to win any awards for having the best graphics or the most modern gameplay, the game was a lot of fun. It felt like an extension of the first Rococop film and featured some great voice work by Peter Weller. Robocop: Rogue City was one of the very few games I got all of the trophies for, that’s how much I loved it.
Well, twelve months later, I found myself taking another chance of a lower-budget video game release based on yet another Paul Verhoeven film. No, no one has thought to make a Showgirls video game yet, no, I’m talking about Starship Troopers: Extermination.
Starship Troopers: Extermination (STE) was released in early access last year on PC. I saw some gameplay and I really wanted a chance to do my part against the bugs.
But I don’t own a PC that could handle a game like STE, so I decided to let my dream of being a good Citizen die.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, I saw STE was getting a console release and despite releasing without reviews, it had my attention. I mean, this isn’t a AAA production. Heck, it’s not even Helldivers, but it’s another game made by a small team of passionate fans of a franchise that I’ve enjoyed. So, despite all the mediocre reviews that eventually came out, I decided to buy the game and see how it was for myself.
Before we get into my micro-review, let’s talk about the movie, Starship Troopers. I first saw Starship Troopers when I was twelve or thirteen. I was staying at my grandfather’s house and he told me I could order anything I wanted on pay per view. The selection wasn’t the greatest, but a movie about giant bugs seemed right up my alley. So, I ordered it and was frankly blown away by the gory action and co-ed showers. At the time, the satire went right over my head, but upon rewatching it as an adult, the movie did not disappoint. It’s just fun, and has a bit to say about the media, fascism, the military, and war.
Okay, with that out of the way, let’s talk about the game. So, the game has a single player that I haven’t tried yet, but I hear is pretty terrible. It’s narrated by Johnny Rico himself, Casper Van Dien and acts as sort of a tutorial.
The main game is an online game where up to sixteen players do their best to hold off horde attacks by the bugs. Most of the games involve taking areas, building up bases, and holding off waves of attacks. The various classes are set, which I love, and the game is simple, yet fun. The developers have done a great job at making the game feel chaotic and out of control and the shear amount of bugs on screen is quite impressive.
Of course, being a lower-budgeted release (plus having just been released) means there are some bugs, pun intended. I haven’t experienced the crashing/disconnection that I’ve read about online, but I have gotten stuck occasionally in a bug carcass and one time I missed my drop ship because the I was stuck right outside the door.
Occasionally I’ll try to hop down off a wall and end up on the wrong side, but I think this has something to do with the bugs destroying the walls and my character being sort of stuck in the air until I move. It sounds bad, but it truly is a small inconvenience.
Anyone going in an expecting an AAA experience is going to be sorely disappointed. The menus are uninspiring, the music almost non-existent, and the graphics are hit and miss at times. But the game does a tremendous job at feeling like a battle against the bugs, and even a commentary on how expendable everybody is when handling the massive waves of attacks.
I am enjoying STE. It’s not as polished as Robocop: Rogue City, but like the film, it’s fun and over the top. I find it’s a great way for me to try to earn my Citizenship and the love of Dizzy. Johnny Rico was a fool.
