Starship Troopers: Extermination review - It's a bug fest, but of the good kind

When the announcement of Starship Troopers: Extermination was made for the first time, it got me reasonably excited. I still remember the 1997 classic, which I watched many times as a kid. I have lost count of the days when I have imagined being in the shoes of the mobile infantry, taking on the Arachnid Empire on their planets. It feels strange that a game developer has taken nearly 25 years since that movie to make a game accurately based on it.

It's better late than never, as Offworld Industries has developed the latest PvE shooter. As a player, you are part of the Mobile Infantry, taking on the pesky bugs and the challenges they bring. Let's dive into why you should be excited about the game and how it holds up in this competitive world of modern shooters.

Starship Troopers: Extermination is a solid product that requires a strong vision for the future

It's worth noting that Starship Troopers: Extermination is available on Steam in early access. The game I played is far from the finished product, and its development is estimated to continue for at least a year. Once you step into a soldier's boots, you'll realize that the game is indeed an early-access product. However, it still delivers on certain key areas that make it worthy of your and my time.

Looking for Crossword hints & solutions? Check out latest NYT Mini Crossword Answers, LA Times Crossword Answers, and Atlantic Crossword Answers

Story

Missions are pretty limited due to the game being in early access (Image via Offworld Industries)

Starship Troopers: Extermination is purely a squad-based PvE shooter, and there's no story in a strong sense. Whether the game eventually gets a campaign is a matter of speculation. Offworld Industries hasn't explicitly stated anything in that respect so far.

While the missions are generic to some extent, it's not just run and gun. You must coordinate with your squad, complete the activities, and ensure survival. The battle rounds feel reminiscent of the action-packed movie scenes in many ways.

Gameplay

I have always felt that PvE shooters have a complex balancing act to do. Unlike competitive shooters, they can tend to become boring after a while if there's not enough variety. It's also commonly accepted that the challenges offered by human opponents are far more significant. Regarding the Arachnids in Starship Troopers: Extermination, they're no weak sheep.

The presence of multiple squads together makes it quite interesting (Image via Offworld Industries)

You can play in the lowest difficulty, and survival won't be an issue. After all, the game interestingly approaches the squad aspect – each round includes five separate squads. Each squad has four members; all players must communicate and plan to complete the objectives.

Unfortunately, it felt that the missions are similar – you complete the objectives, which leads to the final task of base defense. Interestingly, the implementation of building mechanics feels rather lovely. It's also imperative because your weapons can only handle so much. A carefully constructed defense could be the difference between you and your squad returning safely.

You can pick from three classes of soldiers – assault, tank, and support. Having played all of them, the key differences will reflect more as you level them up. Initially, things like loadout and the gun being used are more or less similar and basic. You can access more unlocks as you level up along the progression path. These will not only help your in-game class strengthen, but the key differences will also become much more transparent.

Progression and game balance

The game modes are primarily limited since Starship Troopers: Extermination is in early access. Thankfully, a progression system in play will give you some purpose. Playing with a particular class will provide XP after each successful mission. This will help you unlock more items for that respective class.

Leveling up will help you to unlock more equipment (Image via Offworld Industries)

The progression system is fundamental, given the current state of things. Without it, the game will have broadly felt meaningless once someone finishes the initial burst of fun. Moreover, the reward paths seem well thought off when judging the unlocks.

The early impressions regarding the game's overall balance are also quite positive. The bugs (the literal monsters) don't feel broken or overpowered. The gap between the two difficulty levels is understandable, and the scaling also feels on point. Playing on a higher difficulty is recommended to enjoy the true challenge of the Arachnids.

I tried all three classes, and I can say that each of them is well-balanced. You can choose to go with any of them, but it's preferable to choose one and master it properly. It will also help unlock the different equipment and empower your character.

The final round can be pretty frantic (Image via Offworld Industries)

I wish that the game modes had more variety. Yes, the objectives differ from game to game, and the last mission can be pretty fun. However, the game felt tedious during the long session I undertook to write this review. While I understand that Starship Troopers: Extermination is in early access, I would have preferred a wider variety.

Performance, music, and bugs

I didn't encounter any significant bugs (software-related ones) while playing Starship Troopers: Extermination. Yes, there are times when the gameplay feels clunky. There were also minor moments when I witnessed minor stutters during the presence of multiple high-level Arachnids on the screen. However, I am unsure if it was due to a bug or caused by high pings. At the time of writing, players outside Europe and the United States will face issues due to the lack of support in their regions.

Given that Starship Troopers: Extermination is a PvE co-op shooter, the gunplay does feel satisfying. This is despite the simple nature of the basic weapon you'll have access to initially. Using the advanced guns after unlocking them feels much more admirable.

Offworld Industries has also done a great job with the sounds and music of the game. It brought back my sweet memories while watching the movie in my youth. The choice of a retro-style theme certainly fits well with what the developers wanted to achieve.

In conclusion

Despite being in early access, Starship Troopers: Extermination works well on many accounts. It provides the same levels of carnage that we witnessed in popular movies. There's a healthy amount of difference between the classes, and individual progression paths add to the overall purpose of the game.

However, there's a lot of work left for Offworld Industries. For starters, more regions, including Asia, need to be supported. Despite being a PvE shooter, I could easily detect the lags, and it's not a very welcoming experience.

There is also a need for a higher number of game modes to keep the players engaged. I will be keen to see Offworld Industries' roadmap to the fans. It could be a big difference in Starship Troopers: Extermination becoming a cult hit or another promising launch that quickly loses its fizz.