To train soldiers and boost morale in the war against the arachnids, the Earth Federation developed the simulation Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! It allows future soldiers to experience combat either as a Mobile Infantry trooper or an Assassin Bug. However, some peculiar design choices suggest the arachnids themselves might have had a hand in its development.
The Human Campaign
The human campaign in the simulation re-enacts events from the film “Starship Troopers.” Before missions, video briefings feature motivational speeches from General Johnny Rico and his comrades. Players, however, control a trooper named Samantha, whose primary objective throughout the campaign is to hunt down an Assassin Bug.
In each mission, Samantha is deployed onto a large, open map. Objectives primarily involve clearing and holding areas, as well as activating switches – tasks that seemingly only she is capable of. To destroy anti-air bugs, special explosives are required and must be located, as there’s no other way to neutralize them.
Giant plasma bugs can be eliminated using tactical nuclear warheads. In the first mission, these weapons are conveniently located near objectives, but subsequent encounters require Samantha to carry them, with the caveat that switching weapons will cause her to drop the nuke. Progressing towards objectives means battling through hordes of bugs, attacking in groups of 5-10. The arachnid army primarily features species seen in the film, but also includes surprises like parasite-controlled troopers. Warrior Bugs and armored Centurions pose the greatest threat, while flying bugs are mostly an annoyance. Even napalm-spitting Tankers can surprisingly be dispatched with a knife.
To combat the bugs, a vast arsenal is available, including assault rifles, shotguns, machine guns, sniper rifles, and exotic weapons. Assault rifles, machine guns, flamethrowers, and burst-fire sniper rifles prove most effective, while other weapons suffer from balance issues. A well-placed grenade can instantly destroy a bug nest. However, weapons and ammunition on the ground often blend into the environment, sometimes requiring players to wait for corpses to despawn just to spot them.
Eliminating bugs triggers supply drops containing ammunition, armor, and weapons. Occasionally, players might find superweapons: a giant laser, an orbital bombardment, an electric bug zapper, or an allied mech. Some mechs are controllable, allowing players to mow down bugs with machine gun fire or a chainsaw. However, after a few minutes, the mech runs out of fuel and self-destructs – a fuel consumption that oddly continues even if the pilot dismounts.
Other troopers can be recruited into a squad and assigned targets. However, their support is mostly symbolic. These allies often ignore enemies until they’ve found a “convenient” position, while bugs prioritize attacking Samantha, easily sweeping aside her squad as mere “meat shields.”
On normal difficulty, ammunition is plentiful, and missions are a breeze; you practically have to try to die. On “Citizen” difficulty, the situation drastically changes: Warrior Bugs can kill in a couple of hits, enemies are more resilient, and ammo is constantly scarce. Any desire to play on high difficulty is quickly squashed by incompetent allies who fail to provide proper cover or support, often even shooting you in the back.
Missions also contain hidden secrets that influence gameplay. For instance, in one cave, a film reference was discovered, and activating it significantly increases the level of gore.
The Bug Campaign
The simulation offers the chance to “think like a bug,” which theoretically should help players better destroy them. Across five missions, players control an Assassin Bug, and playing as one is an absolute blast!
The Assassin Bug can mutate into three forms:
- Winged Form: Allows for aerial reconnaissance of enemy positions.
- Warrior Form: Ideal for tearing enemies apart in close combat.
- Tank Form: Enables showering enemies with napalm, though the weapon requires reloading during combat.
Missions quickly devolve into chaotic and joyful destruction. You dive from the air, systematically dismantling enemy bases, smashing through gates and turrets to pave the way for your comrades. In combat, you’re supported by hordes of Warrior Bugs and all the special bug types encountered in the human campaign, including other Assassin Bugs.
Ironically, it’s in the bug campaign that humans surprisingly demonstrate competence: without caution, they can quickly eliminate the Assassin Bug. This forces players to think tactically and retreat to nests for health and armor regeneration.
Verdict
It’s evident that the developers invested significant effort to make Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! a distinct game. High-quality cinematics, large-scale battles, and readily available superweapons create an epic and patriotic atmosphere on screen.
Unfortunately, the human campaign’s gameplay mechanics often provoke the question, “Why are you doing this to me?” Players encounter the incompetence of both allies and enemies, along with numerous frustrating minor issues. Weapons and ammo are difficult to spot, crucial paths are often blocked forcing detours, and who thought a mech should self-destruct upon running out of fuel, even after being abandoned?!
In contrast, the bug campaign is so excellent that it alone makes the game worth playing. Finally, a Starship Troopers title allows players to embody an arachnid – not just any bug, but a cunning and powerful Assassin that leaves humans no chance whatsoever.