Forget Johnny Rico: In the New Starship Troopers, Bugs Rule, Not Humans! Review

To boost morale and fund the ongoing war against the Arachnids, the Earth Federation's brightest minds have developed a simulation: Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! This simulation allows aspiring soldiers to experience combat either as a Mobile Infantry trooper or as an assassin bug. However, given some questionable design choices, it feels as if the Arachnids themselves might have had a hand in developing parts of the simulation.

The Human Campaign

The simulation recreates events from the "Starship Troopers" film. Before each mission, cutscenes feature General Johnny Rico and his comrades delivering inspiring speeches. Players won't get to control Rico; instead, you command a trooper named Samantha, whose entire campaign revolves around hunting a specific assassin bug.

In every mission, Samantha is deployed onto a large, open map. Objectives primarily involve clearing and holding territory, as well as pressing buttons – a task that other troopers seemingly cannot perform. To destroy anti-air bugs, players must locate and deploy special explosives, as these bugs are impervious to other forms of attack.

Giant plasma bugs can be eliminated using tactical nuclear warheads. In the initial mission, this weapon is conveniently located near targets. However, in subsequent encounters, players must carry it for extended periods; switching weapons will cause Samantha to drop the nuclear device.

Players must fight their way to objectives through hordes of bugs, typically attacking in groups of 5–10. The core Arachnid army consists of creatures seen in the film, but there are exceptions, such as parasite-controlled troopers. Warrior bugs and armored Centurions pose the greatest threat, while flying pests are more annoying than dangerous. Surprisingly, flamethrower-spitting Tankers can even be dispatched with a knife.

A vast arsenal, including assault rifles, shotguns, machine guns, sniper rifles, and exotic weaponry, is available for bug extermination. Assault rifles, machine guns, flamethrowers, and burst-fire sniper rifles prove most effective; other weapons often suffer from balance issues. A well-placed grenade can instantly destroy a bug nest. Unfortunately, weapons and ammunition on the ground frequently blend into the environment, sometimes requiring players to wait for fallen bodies to despawn before they become visible.

Eliminating bugs triggers supply drops containing ammo, armor, and weapons. Lucky finds might even yield superweapons like a giant laser, an orbital bombardment, an electric bug zapper, or an allied mech. Some mechs are pilotable, allowing players to mow down bugs with machine guns or chainsaws. However, these mechs have limited fuel and self-destruct after a few minutes, even if the player exits them prematurely.

Other troopers can be recruited into a squad and assigned targets. However, their support is largely symbolic. These "allies" often ignore enemies until they've found a "convenient" position, while bugs prioritize attacking Samantha, easily dispatching any human obstacles in their path.

On normal difficulty, ammunition is plentiful, making missions a relatively easy stroll where death requires deliberate effort. The "Citizen" difficulty, however, drastically changes the experience: warrior bugs can kill in just a few hits, enemies absorb more damage, and ammo is perpetually scarce. Any desire to play on higher difficulties is quickly extinguished by incompetent allies who fail to provide adequate cover or support, often even shooting you in the back.

Missions contain secrets that impact gameplay. For instance, I discovered a film easter egg in one cave, activating it dramatically increased the gore level.

The Bug Campaign

The simulation offers a unique opportunity to "think like a bug" and thus learn how to exterminate them more effectively. Across five missions, players control an assassin bug, and this gameplay mode is an absolute blast!

The assassin bug can mutate into three distinct forms:

• Winged Form: Allows flight for surveying enemy positions from above.
• Warrior Form: Excels at tearing enemies apart in brutal melee combat.
• Tank Form: Enables spraying foes with napalm, though the weapon requires reloading during engagements.

These missions quickly devolve into a joyous rampage of destruction. Players can divebomb enemies from the air, systematically dismantling their bases. Objectives include breaking down gates and turrets to clear a path for allies. In combat, you receive support from hordes of warrior bugs and all special bug types encountered in the human campaign, including other assassin bugs.

Ironically, it's in the bug campaign that humans finally become competent; if you're not careful, they'll quickly overwhelm the assassin. This forces tactical thinking and strategic retreats to nests that restore health and armor.

Diagnosis

It's evident that the developers poured significant effort into making Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! a unique experience. High-quality cutscenes, large-scale battles, and accessible superweapons create an epic and patriotic spectacle on screen.

Unfortunately, the human campaign's gameplay mechanics often leave players asking, "Why are you doing this to me?" Throughout, one encounters idiotic allies and enemies, alongside numerous frustrating minor issues. Weapons and ammo are frequently hard to spot, and blocked paths to key positions force tedious detours. And who thought it was a good idea to make mechs self-destruct when they run out of fuel, even if you exit them?

However, the bug campaign is so incredibly good that it alone justifies playing the game. Finally, a Starship Troopers project allows players to control the Arachnids! And not just any bug, but a cunning and powerful assassin that leaves the "human scum" with no chance.