Best Games For Fans Of Starship Troopers

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.

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By  Barrett Edwards Smith

Known for its overwhelming satire, bombastic sci-fi action, and memorable iconography, Verhoeven's take on Starship Troopers paints 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.

8 StarCraft 2

Pulpy Action Across The Stars

While it features three factions as opposed to two, and harnesses its own sci-fi Western theme, StarCraft 2 may appeal to fans of Starship Troopers for its frequent spouts of classic marines-vs-alien-bugs gameplay and gung-ho atmosphere. It's certainly lacking in satire, but StarCraft 2 is still an action-packed sci-fi adventure that's likely to satisfy fans of Verhoeven's 1997 cult classic.

StarCraft 2's competitive 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.

7 RoboCop: Rogue City

A Faithful Recreation Of 80s Action In Line With Verhoeven's Original

While Rogue City sees players blasting away criminals rather than bugs, there's a good chance that fans of the Starship Troopers director, Paul Verhoeven, will also appreciate 1987's RoboCop, and perhaps they already do. Similar to Starship Troopers, RoboCop is a skewer of genre tropes, while standing on its own as an outright action flick. Rogue City is a faithful recreation of RoboCop's look and feel, and the closest players will get to walking in the eponymous character's shoes.

Of course, RoboCop: Rogue City does have a distinct lack of aliens and space marines, so it won't be for every Starship Troopers fan. However, there's bound to be some crossover for fans of both Verhoeven and 80s action.

6 Aliens: Fireteam Elite

Explosive Combat Against Alien Bugs In Online Co-Op

Along with Starship Troopers, James Cameron's Aliens helped to popularize man-versus-bug in film, television, and video games. Aliens: Fireteam Elite is 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.

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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 of Starship Troopers and Aliens alike. Of course, Aliens: Fireteam Elite lacks 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 of Starship Troopers.

5 Deep Rock Galactic

A Tongue-In-Cheek Tone, Satire, And Swarms Of Bugs

Although Deep Rock Galactic is closer to a workplace satire than a military one, Starship Troopers fans are sure to appreciate its tongue-in-cheek tone and swarms of alien bugs. Featuring four-player co-op, Deep Rock Galactic shines brightest when played with friends, delving deep into its procedural caverns and blasting away at hordes of bugs side-by-side.

Deep Rock Galactic features 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 as Left 4 Dead 2, but the satirical tone, excellent use of procedural generation, and unique mining mechanics allow Deep Rock Galactic to stand out.

4 Earth Defense Force 5

Large-Scale Bug-Slaying Action With An Exaggerated Tone

Channeling old-school sci-fi B-movies as much as Starship Troopers itself, Earth Defense Force 5 is a fun-first third-person shooter that's concerned with little else other than huge scale and constant, ambitious action. Earth Defense Force 5 even 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 with Earth 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 of Starship Troopers, and the diversity of classes and massive scale ensure Earth Defense Force 5 stays fresh for a good while.

3 Helldivers 2

A Highly-Polished And Wholly Ambitious Multiplayer Homage

Both the first and second Helldivers games are perfect choices for Starship Troopers fans, offering fast-paced experiences replete with action, aliens, satire, and even comedy. While the first game was more limited in its scope as a cooperative top-down shooter, Helldivers 2 is a wholly ambitious and utterly chaotic third-person shooter.

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Helldivers 2 does little to hide the influence that Starship Troopers clearly 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 of Helldivers 2 cuts pretty close to Starship Troopers, and fans of the 1997 classic are sure to get a kick out of it.

2 Starship Troopers: Extermination

A Visceral First-Person Shooter That Recaptures The World Of The Film

Unfortunately, marred by performance issues after its recent 1.0 release, Starship Troopers: Extermination may not have been ready to leave Early Access. There are clear comparisons between this title and Helldivers 2, as well, but this first-person adaptation of 1997's Starship Troopers is 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 prefer Helldivers 2. However, as an official adaptation of the source material, Starship Troopers: Extermination naturally offers an experience that better recaptures the tone of the film.

1 Starship Troopers: Terran Command

Classic Starship Troopers Meets Old-School Real-Time Tactics

When it comes to capturing the tone and atmosphere of Verhoeven's adaptation of Starship Troopers, there's nothing like utilizing the source material itself, and Terran Command does 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 Command is a real-time strategy game with 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 Command has players battling through an old-school single-player campaign that, while not for everyone, offers a decidedly nostalgic experience for strategy fans.

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