Starship Troopers: Extermination entered early access before the release of Helldivers 2, but its upcoming 1.0 release in October will now have to compete with Arrowhead Game Studios’ popular shooter. This presents both opportunities and challenges for the game. While Starship Troopers: Extermination may be compared to Helldivers 2, it offers a unique experience as a 16-player cooperative first-person shooter with base-building elements. Developers at Offworld have the chance to learn from the success of Helldivers 2 and improve upon it in various ways.
Incorporating elements of Helldivers 2’s metagame and introducing a single-player experience, Starship Troopers: Extermination stands out as a promising title. With discontent among some players towards Helldivers 2, now is an opportune time for an officially licensed Starship Troopers game to attract a portion of that audience.
A Unique Single-Player Experience
The cooperative mode in Starship Troopers: Extermination features thrilling bug-fighting action for up to 16 players in the Deep Space Vanguard. The game offers unique features such as bugs remaining on the ground post-elimination, character classes, and a base-building system. To introduce players to these complexities, Offworld is introducing a single-player experience called Special Operations Group (S.O.G).
With only 25 missions at launch, S.O.G features Casper Van Dien reprising his role as Johnny Rico from the films, with plans for additional post-launch content. The single-player missions serve as a training ground for players, helping them grasp the game’s fundamentals without overwhelming guidance. Lead game designer Chaz Barker discusses the challenges of balancing AI bots, ensuring players feel in control of the narrative.
The focused offline experience offered by Starship Troopers: Extermination is a rarity in modern co-op shooters. This aspect of the game is especially promising, acting as a gateway to the overall experience and contributing to the broader narrative intentions for the game.
Innovative Major Orders System
While Starship Troopers: Extermination distinguishes itself from Helldivers 2 in various ways, it also draws inspiration from its metagame mechanics. Players can join Companies, the game’s equivalent of a clan system, to collaborate on company operations for rewards. Additionally, time-limited Galactic Front campaigns require community cooperation across companies to achieve objectives that shape the game’s post-launch narrative and gameplay experiences.
Lead designer Barker emphasizes the significance of player choices and consequences within the Galactic Front system, hinting at dynamic storytelling elements and ongoing narrative developments based on community actions.
Despite the competition, Offworld is positioning Starship Troopers: Extermination as a distinct and engaging experience. With a strong emphasis on single-player offerings and community-driven gameplay mechanics, the game aims to capture the attention of players seeking a fresh cooperative shooter experience.
Starship Troopers: Extermination leaves early access on PC and launches for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on October 11.
