Starship Troopers: Extermination is a 16 player co-op FPS for PC that has just recently been released in early access. Players can experience the thrill of battling hordes of bugs alongside fellow troopers.
The cooperative nature of Starship Troopers: Extermination allows players to squad up and take on the Arachnid threat together, bringing the teamwork and camaraderie that is integral to the Starship Troopers universe. The experience so far has been a very positive one, with the community having an amazing population of players that are in on it, and just purely embraces the team-based fun that is the game.
Starship Troopers: Extermination features a class-based system for the players, which offers three distinct roles: Hunter, Bastion, and Operator. The Hunter class excels at mobility, utilizing a jetpack to navigate the battlefield with ease. Bastions, on the other hand, are the fortified tanks of the squad, boasting heavier armor and the ability to deploy an instant 360-degree shield for impromptu defenses. Operators focus on objectives, providing support to the team through healing and reviving fallen comrades.
Starship Troopers: Extermination features a multi-phase mission structure that keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging. The offensive, defensive, and survival phases offer different objectives and challenges for players to overcome. During the offensive phase, players undertake randomized objectives such as securing landing zones, capturing territories, or repairing structures, or delivering resources .
The ARC objective at the end introduces a frantic base building element that adds an exciting layer of strategy and urgency. Players must construct defenses within a tight time limit, creating an adrenaline-fueled experience as they scramble to fortify their position against the incoming hordes of Bugs, making players move faster than they can think . The satisfaction of successfully defending the base, especially on higher difficulties, is satisfying and amplified by the cooperative nature of the game.
As with many early access titles, Starship Troopers: Extermination does have a few — possibly temporary — shortcomings. The lack of text chat and limited customization options can hinder communication and personalization. I’ve also encountered some bugs such as delayed sound of guns firing, or clipping through objects or structures. Nevertheless, it's encouraging to know that the developers have plans to expand the game with more game modes and additional locations or planets to explore.
Overall, the game is already fun to play, even with its highly repetitive form, especially if you're playing this with friends. However, don’t expect a lot of variety when it comes to the maps and missions, as it only features one map and two missions for now.