Starship Troopers – PC – Preview

In 1959
legendary science-fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein had a book published called
Starship Troopers. The book took stock sci-fi fare, alien invasion and war of
extermination, and interjected some real human concerns and ideals into the
affair.

In the
1990s, aliens invasions were big box office draws – including Alien 3 and Alien
Resurrection, Predator 2, and Independence Day. All these had something in
common – the aliens had reptilian or bug-like qualities. And then there was Paul
Verhoeven’s entry into that bug-alien invasion theme of films. Verhoeven’s
production strayed from Heinlein’s introspective look at the motivations of the
human race and dealt with the war itself, filling the screen with violence,
pop-out monster attacks, and fresh-faced young actors – some of whom delivered
angry(ish) proclamations with all the emotion of a street mime walking against
the imaginary wind.

Eight years
have passed since that film’s debut – eight years in which lines like “do you
want to live forever?” have passed from meaning ‘gut-check time’ to becoming
just another cliché.

Now Empire
Interactive and Strangelite Studios have brought the war home, in the form of
the first-person shooter based on the movie, which is based on the book. If you
liked the movie, you will get a kick out of this game because the majority of
cutscenes in this game are culled from the film.

The game
begins with the player’s introduction to the Marauders, a supposedly clandestine
and highly skilled fighting unit, outfitted with special armor and weapons. You
get a sense that while it is commonplace for you to be part of this unit (does
not seem too secretive a group), it comes as a bit of a surprise to some members
on the star transport that you are there. But there is little time for that. The
transport serves as a quick tutorial to the controls and in moments you are down
on the surface of Klendathu, blasting bugs.

“Welcome to
the first day of the rest of your war,” intones a voice, somewhat reminiscent of
Michael Ironside’s from the movie. Allergic to clichés? Better take your
medication because the voice acting is rife with them.

The missions
begin with making it to and supporting a group of soldiers at a besieged
outpost. If you are looking for action, and wave-after-wave of targets, this is
right up your alley. The bodies start to pile up quickly and just when you think
that had to be the last wave, here comes more.

The control
scheme of this game is stock for the FPS genre. The mouse allows the camera to
free look, the W-A-S-D keys work for movement, G is for grenade, the mouse wheel
will allow you to swap weapons on the fly and so on. Weapons are key and varied
in the game. There is a lighter machinegun that does not run out of bullets but
can overheat – which requires a cool-down period – if you just rattle off round
after round, and there is a heavier weapon which does bigger damage but has
finite rounds. Using the dip-in, see mob, back up to maintain distance and fire,
works well in choke points, but when the game opens up an area and you have bugs
rushing in like high tide, it can get a pretty intense.

While the
voice work has some minor problems, the game’s music underscores the tense
atmosphere, the bugs squeal like piglets, and the sound of explosions and
weapons fire punctuates each minor victory. The audio is also determined by
proximity. If you are standing closer to a plasma barrage than to the officer
issuing orders you may miss something.

The game has
some solid graphical elements, with very good animation, well-rendered
environments. Waypoints are given so players won’t stray too far from the game’s
mission-driven path. However, some of the elements make this game stand apart
from the rest of the space shooters. In one instance the controlled soldier took
a short cut around a ridge and found himself sort of wedged between a rock and a
dead bug. Movement was restricted, so the bug body was targeted, a few rounds
later and the trooper could move forward.

The AI, for
the most part, seems very well done and the dynamic lighting effects work
particularly well in adding mood to this desperate battle.

Starship
Troopers does not look like it will be the type of shooter that will appeal to
everyone. Even at the easy settings, the game spares no bugs for assaults at the
higher difficulty levels. Battles can go on and on and just when you think it
won’t ever end, they seem to subside.

But for
those who are looking for intense combat situations, seemingly non-stop action,
that is graphically pleasing, Starship Troopers may be just the title you are
looking for.