There are few things quite as satisfying as standing shoulder to shoulder with a squad of heavily armed soldiers as an apparently endless tide of enormous, razor-toothed insects charges towards your position. It is the sort of gloriously ridiculous military science-fiction spectacle that the Starship Troopers universe has always been capable of delivering, blending explosive action with a knowing wink at the propaganda-driven world created by Paul Verhoeven’s cult classic film. Starship Troopers: Extermination understands that appeal, putting players in the boots of the Mobile Infantry and asking them to do what any good citizen should be prepared to do: pick up a rifle, defend the Federation and kill every last bug in sight. Beneath the spectacular carnage, however, lies a cooperative shooter that depends on teamwork, preparation and a willingness to stand your ground when everything around you seems determined to tear you apart.
Developed by Offworld, the game takes the franchise’s central conflict and expands it into large-scale battles against the Arachnid menace. Its cooperative focus is the real draw, with players working together to complete objectives, gather resources, construct defensive positions and survive the terrifying moments when the bugs finally overwhelm the battlefield. The appeal is not simply in how many enemies can be thrown at you, but in how quickly an organised operation can descend into glorious chaos. One moment your squad is reinforcing a wall, and the next you are scrambling to plug a breach while the rest of your team desperately tries to keep the enemy away from the base.
Hold The Line, Trooper!
The heart of Starship Troopers: Extermination lies in its blend of objective-based missions, resource gathering and defensive combat. Players venture into hostile territory to complete assignments, collect valuable materials and prepare for the inevitable assault that follows. These resources are particularly important because the Mobile Infantry cannot rely on firepower alone. Buildings, walls, automated turrets, ammunition supplies and other defensive installations can make the difference between a successful extraction and an embarrassing last stand in the dirt.
Base construction is one of the game’s strongest ideas, giving the fighting a purpose beyond simply emptying magazines into the nearest creature. A well-positioned wall can slow an approaching swarm, while a thoughtfully arranged defensive perimeter can funnel enemies into more manageable firing lanes. Engineers and other players who take the time to prepare properly can make life considerably easier for the entire squad. Naturally, even the best preparations can unravel when the Arachnids arrive in overwhelming numbers, but that is precisely where the game’s cooperative design comes into its own.
There is particular satisfaction in watching a defensive position hold under pressure, with players covering different approaches, repairing damaged structures and trying to prevent the enemy from reaching vulnerable objectives. It creates those memorable multiplayer moments when everyone appears to understand their role without being told what to do. Of course, not every squad will be so disciplined, and a team that neglects its responsibilities can turn a promising mission into a desperate scramble for survival. The difference between success and failure often comes down to whether players recognise that they are part of a larger fighting force rather than a collection of individual heroes.
Strength In Numbers
The game’s large-scale cooperative battles are its biggest selling point. Fighting alongside up to 15 other players gives the action a sense of scale that smaller shooters often struggle to reproduce. The battlefield can become a nightmarish sea of chitinous bodies, with Warriors rushing towards barricades and other Arachnids threatening to turn a carefully prepared position into a mass of broken walls and panicking troopers. When the shooting starts in earnest, the noise, movement and sheer volume of enemies can be genuinely exhilarating.
Different classes and combat roles help give the team structure. Hunter, Operator, Engineer, Medic, Demolisher and Sniper offer different ways to contribute, encouraging players to think about what the squad needs rather than simply choosing whichever weapon looks most appealing. A Medic can help keep the team fighting, an Engineer can strengthen its defences, and damage-focused roles can concentrate on thinning out the enemy before it reaches the walls. That mix gives cooperative play a welcome sense of interdependence, even if the experience can become less satisfying when teammates ignore objectives or fail to work together.
Communication is especially valuable when the pressure rises. Knowing when to reinforce a position, where to concentrate fire and when to retreat can save an operation that otherwise looks doomed. Playing with friends or a coordinated group can make these moments particularly rewarding, but the basic appeal remains even when the squad is made up of strangers. There is something wonderfully chaotic about finding yourself surrounded by unfamiliar troopers and realising that your collective survival depends on everyone doing their bit.
The drawback is that large-scale combat can occasionally become messy in ways that are less entertaining. When the screen fills with enemies, explosions and defensive structures, it can become difficult to read what is happening around you. The spectacle is impressive, but spectacle alone cannot carry every encounter, and the underlying mission objectives need to remain engaging if players are to keep returning for the long haul.
The Enemy From Above
Update 13, titled Hoppers Take Flight, gives the ongoing fight a fresh threat by introducing the Hopper, a large flying Arachnid capable of moving with frightening speed and carrying off a fully equipped trooper. It is a particularly fitting addition to a game that already places so much emphasis on maintaining defensive positions and protecting your fellow soldiers. Ground-based enemies can be dangerous enough, but the arrival of an aerial predator forces players to consider a different direction of attack.
Hoppers can appear in Advance and Secure, Horde and ARC missions, with additional encounters possible through specific mission mutators. Their ability to snatch a trooper gives them a more personal menace than another creature simply charging towards a wall. A soldier who becomes separated from the group is suddenly vulnerable, while teammates must remain alert and react quickly if they want to prevent an unfortunate comrade from becoming an airborne snack. The instruction to keep both eyes on the sky is more than a catchy bit of Federation bravado; it captures the sort of additional pressure that can make familiar missions feel less predictable.
The update also introduces the Warrior Swarm mission mutator, adding another variation to the Arachnids’ behaviour. Mutators are a useful way of changing the conditions of a mission without requiring an entirely new mode, particularly when players have become accustomed to the usual rhythm of gathering resources, fortifying a position and fighting through an assault. Their long-term value depends on how meaningfully they alter encounters, but the idea of introducing new battlefield complications is a welcome one.
Training For The Front Lines
One of the most useful additions in Update 13 is Camp Rasczak, a new training environment designed to prepare recruits for the horrors of real combat. New players are prompted to complete a Horde Defence Training mission that teaches the fundamentals of base construction and defending a position against waves of bugs. It is a sensible improvement for a game whose cooperative battles can be intimidating to newcomers, especially when experienced players are already busy trying to keep an operation from collapsing.
A proper introduction matters here. Understanding how to contribute to a defensive position, where to place structures and how to respond when enemies attack can make the difference between feeling useful and wondering what everyone else expects you to do. The training mission gives new recruits a chance to become familiar with those fundamentals before being thrown into the wider conflict. Returning players can also launch Camp Rasczak via the Solo Missions menu, making the new area available without forcing veterans to repeat the introduction.
The accompanying Shooting Range is another worthwhile addition. After completing the training simulation, players can experiment with weapons they have not yet unlocked through their normal progression, allowing them to try different options before committing to a particular loadout. They can also jump into a pit to engage bugs at closer range, giving the facility a little more personality than a collection of stationary targets. For a game that relies so heavily on understanding weapons and choosing the right tools for a particular situation, this is a practical improvement that should benefit newcomers and experienced troopers alike.
More Firepower, More Reasons To Experiment
Update 13 also expands weapon progression, introducing new mastery levels for the TW-2 Sp.L.I.T Shotgun, its automatic variant, and the Morita XXX. The standard shotgun receives a 10-Gauge Bore modification, increasing its pellet count by 30 per cent, doubling recoil, reducing its rate of fire by 15 per cent, and removing one magazine from its total ammunition supply. It is a clear trade-off, offering more punch per shot at the expense of control and sustained fire. Players who enjoy getting close to the enemy may find that extra payload appealing, but it is not an upgrade without consequences.
The automatic TW-2-FA Sp.L.I.T Shotgun receives Frag Shells, turning it into something closer to a rapid-firing grenade launcher. Direct damage is reduced by 60 per cent, but explosive damage increases by 50 per cent, and the modification changes its armour-piercing rating and weakpoint multiplier. That creates an interesting alternative for dealing with groups of enemies, although the reduced effectiveness against thicker armour means players will need to think carefully about their targets. These changes are most welcome when they encourage experimentation rather than simply making one weapon universally superior.
The Morita XXX can now progress to mastery level 12, with its armoury unlock moved to the same level. These additions may not transform the entire arsenal overnight, but they give dedicated players more progression to pursue and provide further room for future modifications. The free Third Wave cosmetic pack, meanwhile, offers a helmet decal, weapon skin, visor, and uniform palette to mark the game’s third anniversary. Players who want more customisation can purchase the separate Gore Supporter Pack, which adds its own selection of cosmetics, including helmet and weapon designs, uniform colours, nameplate options, and player banners.
A More Polished War?
Not every worthwhile improvement needs to arrive with a new monster or a bigger gun. Update 13 increases climbing and vaulting speeds by 100 per cent, a change that should make movement feel considerably less cumbersome when players need to get over obstacles or reposition during a hectic battle. In a game where a few seconds can determine whether a defensive line survives, smoother traversal can have a meaningful effect on the pace of combat.
The update also brings a range of interface improvements and bug fixes. Mission selection has been reorganised, mission details now provide additional regional information, and Company Operations receive clearer contextual presentation. Fixes affecting repair interfaces, utility fabricators, weapon behaviour and equipment interactions should help reduce some of the small frustrations that can interrupt the flow of a mission. The developers have also increased the Horde mode backfill pause from Wave 2 to Wave 8, creating a longer window for players to join during the more demanding later stages.
These changes demonstrate a useful understanding of what keeps a cooperative shooter enjoyable over time. New content attracts attention, but the smaller adjustments can be just as important to the experience of playing repeatedly. Nevertheless, an update containing extensive optimisation work and bug fixes does not automatically guarantee flawless performance in every large-scale encounter. The game’s most ambitious battles remain dependent on how well all their moving parts come together, and technical hiccups or repetitive objectives can still take some of the shine off an otherwise exhilarating session.
Service Guarantees Citizenship
Starship Troopers: Extermination succeeds because it understands the appeal of fighting an overwhelming enemy alongside fellow soldiers. Its blend of cooperative combat, defensive construction and enormous Arachnid swarms creates moments of genuine excitement, especially when a squad holds its ground against seemingly impossible odds. It captures the spirit of the franchise’s militaristic science fiction while giving players a practical reason to work together, rather than simply dressing up a conventional shooter in familiar armour.
There are limitations. The mission structure can become repetitive over extended play, and the sheer scale of the action sometimes makes encounters feel chaotic rather than carefully controlled. The experience is also at its best when teammates cooperate, so uncoordinated groups can miss out on much of what makes the defensive gameplay so satisfying. Update 13 does not reinvent the formula, but Hoppers, the new training facilities, weapon modifications, movement improvements and interface fixes give players worthwhile reasons to return to the front.
For fans of the franchise, there is a particular pleasure in being part of a desperate defensive line, hearing the weapons roar and watching the bugs pile up outside the walls. For everyone else, the appeal rests on whether large-scale cooperative warfare and repeated bouts of frantic survival are enough to keep them invested. When the squad works together and the Arachnids pour over the defences, Starship Troopers: Extermination can be tremendous fun. The Federation may promise glory, but the real reward is surviving long enough to fight another day.
