Robert A. Heinlein’s 1959 science fiction novel,Starship Troopers, may have been seen as a militaristic glorification by many, but celebrated director Paul Verhoeven’s arguably perfect skewer of the source material in his 1997 film of the same name has gone down as a cult-classic, rightfully usurping the name in popular culture.
Known for its overwhelming satire, bombastic sci-fi action, and memorable iconography, Verhoeven’s take onStarship Trooperspaints the perfect world for video games. Unfortunately, there haven’t been many titles to take on the iconic IP, but the few that have are relatively impressive, and plenty of original games have taken ample inspiration from it.
While it features three factions as opposed to two, and harnesses its own sci-fi Western theme,StarCraft 2may appeal to fans ofStarship Troopersfor its frequent spouts of classic marines-vs-alien-bugs gameplay and gung-ho atmosphere. It’s certainly lacking in satire, butStarCraft 2is still an action-packed sci-fi adventure that’s likely to satisfy fans of Verhoeven’s 1997 cult classic.
StarCraft 2’scompetitive multiplayer scene may be too much for more casual players, as it requires twitchy reactions and quick thinking to succeed. However, fans can always enjoy its single-player mode, which itself is jam-packed with pulpy action.
WhileRogue Citysees players blasting away criminals rather than bugs, there’s a good chance that fans of theStarship Troopersdirector, Paul Verhoeven, will also appreciate 1987’sRoboCop, and perhaps they already do. Similar toStarship Troopers,RoboCopis a skewer of genre tropes, while standing on its own as an outright action flick.Rogue Cityis a faithful recreation ofRoboCop’slook and feel, and the closest players will get to walking in the eponymous character’s shoes.
Of course,RoboCop: Rogue Citydoes have a distinct lack of aliens and space marines, so it won’t be for everyStarship Troopersfan. However, there’s bound to be some crossover for fans of both Verhoeven and 80s action.
Along withStarship Troopers,James Cameron’sAlienshelped to popularize man-versus-bug in film, television, and video games.Aliens: Fireteam Eliteis replete with fast-paced, cooperative action that’s best enjoyed with friends, battling hordes of the iconic Xenomorphs in explosive combat encounters from the third-person perspective.
Fighting off swarms of rapid Xenomorphs side-by-side with friends or, at the very least, with AI teammates, is a frequently visceral experience perfect for fans ofStarship TroopersandAliensalike. Of course,Aliens: Fireteam Elitelacks the satire of Paul Verhoven’s cult-classic sci-fi flick, but the frenetic action and hordes of alien bugs are more than likely to appeal to many a fan ofStarship Troopers.
AlthoughDeep Rock Galacticis closer toa workplace satirethan a military one,Starship Troopersfans are sure to appreciate its tongue-in-cheek tone and swarms of alien bugs.Featuring four-player co-op,Deep Rock Galacticshines brightest when played with friends, delving deep into its procedural caverns and blasting away at hordes of bugs side-by-side.
Deep Rock Galacticfeatures a variety of mission types, but much of the game boils down to a combination of mining and first-person action, with solid teamwork being integral to success. It’s a game that hearkens to the frenetic fun of co-op horde shooters such asLeft 4 Dead 2, but the satirical tone, excellent use of procedural generation, and unique mining mechanics allowDeep Rock Galacticto stand out.
Channeling old-schoolsci-fi B-moviesas much asStarship Troopersitself,Earth Defense Force 5is a fun-first third-person shooter that’s concerned with little else other than huge scale and constant, ambitious action.Earth Defense Force 5even features online and local co-op, allowing players to enjoy the bug-slaying action with a friend.
Players looking for an action-packed experience that focuses almost entirely on gameplay will likely have a blast withEarth Defense Force 5, especially if they’ve got a friend or two to enjoy it with. The bombastic nature of the game’s action and exaggerated tone are a perfect fit for fans ofStarship Troopers, and the diversity of classes and massive scale ensureEarth Defense Force 5stays fresh for a good while.
Both the first and secondHelldiversgames are perfect choices forStarship Troopersfans, offeringfast-paced experiencesreplete with action, aliens, satire, and even comedy. While the first game was more limited in its scope as a cooperative top-down shooter,Helldivers 2is a wholly ambitious and utterly chaotic third-person shooter.
Helldivers 2does little to hide the influence thatStarship Troopersclearly had on its development, with its satirical in-game propaganda, exaggerated tone, and focus on large-scale battles across a variety of expansive environments. The theme, comedic tone, and bug-battling action ofHelldivers 2cuts pretty close toStarship Troopers, and fans of the 1997 classic are sure to get a kick out of it.
Unfortunately, marred by performance issues after its recent 1.0 release,Starship Troopers: Exterminationmay not have been ready to leave Early Access. There are clear comparisons between this title andHelldivers 2, as well, but this first-person adaptation of 1997’sStarship Troopersis certainly worth a shot for die-hard fans, especially if further updates fix the known issues that have assisted in bringing the game’s Steam review score down.
Players who prefer third-person action, looking for a little more variety in their gameplay, may preferHelldivers 2. However, as an official adaptation of the source material,Starship Troopers: Exterminationnaturally offers an experience that better recaptures the tone of the film.
When it comes to capturing thetone and atmosphereof Verhoeven’s adaptation ofStarship Troopers, there’s nothing like utilizing the source material itself, andTerran Commanddoes this with subtle style, providing fans with large-scale battles against the Arachnid menace. Fans of real-time strategy games have plenty of meat to chew on here, though players looking for a more demanding experience may be somewhat disappointed.
Terran Commandisa real-time strategy gamewith a focus on tactics and line-of-sight, tasking players with tactically positioning their units to best defend against the alien horde. Taking control of the iconic Mobile Infantry,Starship Troopers: Terran Commandhas players battling through an old-school single-player campaign that, while not for everyone, offers a decidedly nostalgic experience for strategy fans.
