Steam's latest Next Fest has begun, and we're jumping in head first like we did last time by trying out a few demos to see what the future of strategy games has for us. Last time we brought you some early thoughts on Wartales, and now we're kicking things off with a brief look at Starship Troopers: Terran Command.
I'm a massive fan of the original '90s film (although the book was a bit highbrow for my sci-fi sensibilities), but even I recognise that its under-utilisation as an IP is mainly down to how unique that same film was. The bombastic score, the over-the-top characters and action, the fact that it didn't take itself too seriously... It's no wonder that subsequent attempts to bottle that magic have kind of fallen flat.
Enter Terran Command. It's the first Starship Troopers videogame since the 2012 mobile spin-off Starship Troopers: Invasion - Mobile Infantry, and before that there was the 2005 game simply called Starship Troopers. It's published by Slitherine and created by the same studio that brought you hardcore WWII war game Order of Battle. Let's set expectations early: based on the demo, this is easily the best Starship Troopers game ever, but that bar is pretty low, and this still may not tick all of the boxes.
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Upcoming tactical RTS Starship Troopers: Terran Command wants you to live forever
Starship Troopers gets a survival RTS in 2020