Right off the bat, it must be said that “Starship Troopers: Extermination” was in the unfortunate situation of releasing after the critically beloved “Helldivers II,” which was heavily inspired by the Starship Troopers franchise. I had hesitation that it could compete, but as a fan of the IP I couldn’t help but give this a shot. Developed by Offworld, the game is a 16-player co-op first-person shooter that aims to capture the chaotic and action-packed spirit of the Starship Troopers universe. The premise is simple: as a member of the elite Deep Space Vanguard, your mission is to take on hordes of Arachnids and reclaim planets overrun by these insectoid foes. The action kicks off fast, and it doesn’t take long for you and your squad to find yourselves knee-deep in the bug-ridden chaos.
At its core, “Extermination” is a solid co-op experience that thrives on teamwork. It pulls you into massive firefights with hordes of Bugs, and you’re constantly kept on your toes. The game’s squad-based system encourages close collaboration, and with 16 players working together, you feel the weight of the mission as you coordinate with teammates to build defenses, reclaim territory, and survive wave after wave of enemies. It’s frantic, relentless, and when everything clicks, it really captures the “all-out war” feel that fans of the Starship Troopers franchise crave. I appreciated the variety in the playable classes. There are six different roles to choose from, ranging from the versatile Ranger and deadly Sniper to the heavy-hitting Demolisher and life-saving Medic. Each class comes with its own unique playstyle and progression system, which kept things interesting as I switched between them depending on the needs of the mission. Unlocking new weapons, perks, and cosmetic upgrades provided a sense of progression that kept me motivated to keep playing. However, the balance between the classes felt a bit off at times, with certain roles feeling much more critical than others, especially in late-game scenarios.
The maps are another highlight, with large, detailed environments that offer a sense of scale befitting the interplanetary conflict. Each map is divided into distinct zones, which adds variety to the missions and provides plenty of replay value since you will be on these maps frequently. I also appreciated how a lot of areas looked like the same ones from the original film. The base-building mechanics, which include the ability to set up walls, towers, and ammo stations, added a strategic layer to the game, but this is never a mechanic I particularly love when it’s implemented in any game. Fortifying a position and hold off wave after wave of bugs as we awaited extraction does make sense for this franchise, but I didn’t love actually doing it.
That said, the game’s biggest selling point is, without a doubt, the sheer scale of the enemy swarms. “Starship Troopers: Extermination” delivers on the promise of massive, overwhelming bug hordes. At times, there are hundreds of enemies on screen, and the sense of being completely outnumbered is both exhilarating and terrifying. Though having said that, this is one of those scenarios that I couldn’t help notice that “Helldivers II” did this same thing, but better. The Arachnid designs are ripped straight from the source material, it’s clear that Offworld has a deep respect for the Starship Troopers universe, and they’ve done a fantastic job in recreating the look and feel of these terrifying creatures. Extermination does fall short in a few key areas. For one, the game’s technical performance leaves much to be desired. Server issues are frequent, and lag can be a real problem during more intense firefights. Bugs (the technical kind) are also an unfortunate reality, with clipping, crashes, and other glitches often detracting from the overall experience. This is particularly frustrating during moments when the action is at its peak, as it can completely break immersion.
While “Extermination” offers a lot of nostalgia for fans of the franchise, it feels unfinished in its current state. The core gameplay loop—shoot Bugs, build defenses, survive—becomes repetitive after a while, and there’s not much depth beyond that. There’s potential here, especially with the developers being actively involved with the community—but as it stands, the game feels bare-bones. I had fun while playing, especially during those tense, all-out battles against overwhelming bug forces, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. The game just lacks that extra layer of finesse and depth that would elevate it from a good co-op shooter to a great one. “Starship Troopers: Extermination” offers a solid but flawed co-op experience. If you’re a fan of the franchise or enjoy horde-based shooters, there’s certainly fun to be had here, but if you’re in such a mood, it’s easy to just play “Helldivers II” instead. Here’s hoping that with future updates and continued development, the game can live up to its full potential. Until then, it’s a decent bug hunt that may not have enough legs to last in the long term.
7/10
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Related: Reviews by Nick Navarro
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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