Would You Like To Know More?
I still remember going to the cinema to see the original Starship Troopers, way back in 1997. But what I only found out recently was that the film was based on a book by Robert Heinlen, which came as a bit of a surprise, mostly as it struck me at the time as a brainless action flick.
Anyway, fast forward almost thirty years and there is a game based on the film franchise, going by the name of Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! Coming from Auroch Digital and Dotemu, this arrives claiming to be an “authentic retro FPS experience”. But is this the reboot that the series needs, or are we still waiting?
Service Guarantees Citizenship
Kicking off with the story, it is always good to see General Johnny Rico appearing on the screen, looking pretty much the same as he did all that time ago! Alongside him, a new character called Major Sammy Dietz introduces the game as a training tool for young people, coming from FedDev, state-sponsored software developer of the United Citizen Federation. This is actually a tricky smart move, as the propaganda ties in well with the original message of the films. Basically, we have a training tool, designed to get the people to fight to be citizens. And this works very well.
Presentation is a bit more hit and miss, if I’m honest. I get that it is meant to be a retro experience, I’m just wondering why. The maps that we explore are very large and well designed, with multiple points of interest as we explore, and the sheer amount of bugs on the screen makes the game look dynamic. The design of your fellow troopers puts me in mind of the early enemies from the original Doom, being kind of 2D sprites in a 3D world, and the bugs we fight look kinda similar. The guns available for wielding all look great in an FPS kind of way, and seem to be canon with the films, so nothing to moan about here. All in all, the look of the game works, but I’m surely not alone in thinking that a Starship Trooper game that pushes the Series consoles to their limits would be pretty cool, no?
Sound is again bang on, from the voice overs and the acting on display in the cutscenes to the bugs screeching as they die. The guns sound great, the bugs skitter about unpleasantly, and everything works. I still wonder about what could have been though…
Grab A Rifle And Join The Fight
So, onto the actual gameplay, and here the news is as expected. It’s hard to bring surprises to an FPS game, especially one with such a well known franchise, but the developers have had a go. We kick off with a training section, because that’s how the first film started, and this sets the scene well for what we are about to do. From there, it’s a case of heading off into space to take on the bug menace, and here the game opens up.
First of all we have to mention the weapons that are included in the game. This includes the Morita rifle, which in sound has to be second only to the iconic Aliens pulse rifle – it feels good to fire, and this is the best compliment that you can give a virtual gun, surely? Add in other weapons ranging from the short range tactical nuke launcher all the way through to a massive walking mech, and there is no shortage of ways to bring the pain. Grenades, other devices to stun the bugs, a shotgun: you can certainly have a lot of fun shooting the enemy, that’s for sure.
Each mission sees us trying to tick off various objectives, with multiple set pieces to survive. The missions range from rescuing other troopers to destroying certain enemies, and the set piece battles usually involve us standing in a location and trying to survive: not easy or certain, given the amount of bugs that pour out the ground. There is generally a bigger, nastier one to take out at the end as well, just to keep you on your toes.
Death From Above Comes In Many Forms
As you shoot, you’ll obviously use ammo, and running out is a really bad idea. Luckily, killing bugs lets us call down a supply drop, and aiming the beacon correctly can even relieve some of the pressure, as when it lands, it will kill any bugs it hits. This does however work the other way, so don’t stand underneath the container as it comes down. I learned this lesson the hard way.
The surprising part of this Ultimate Bug War! comes when you get to play as the bugs, and this is as odd as it sounds. We play an Assassin Bug, which seems to be able to change its form depending on what is required. Do you need to break a door down or destroy an installation? There’s a form for that, and another for jumping and flying. These sections are more of a third person camera affair, with us able to see the bug we are controlling, and I have to be brutally honest, once the novelty had worn off, I wasn’t too fussed on these bits. The controls feel clunky and changing form is a bit hit and miss, so death seems almost inevitable.
The Closest Thing To The Real Thing
All in all, Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! Is a pretty good entry into the series. It works best when fighting the bug, rather than being one, but if you want a shooter that you don’t have to think too much about, then this could be the game for you.
Important Links
The Arachnid War Begins In Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/the-arachnid-war-begins-in-starship-troopers-ultimate-bug-war/
Do Your Part in Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/do-your-part-in-starship-troopers-ultimate-bug-war/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/starship-troopers-ultimate-bug-war/9P7RW7V55LF0/0010
