Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War Switch 2 Review

Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

Starship Troopers, in my opinion, is one of the most misunderstood action movies of all time. Based on the book of the same name, it is a satirical portrayal of a dystopian society that utilises dark comedy and aggressively sanitised propaganda to trivialise ongoing violence and authoritarian governance, all while presenting a scathing critique of elitist patriotism, the erosion of societal values in favour of the enthusiastic embrace of militaristic ideologies by those who are perhaps a little too comfortable with them. Thankfully, this is all a work of fiction… right? Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War continues those proud traditions of unwavering patriotism by delivering what the Federation confidently assures us is the most realistic depiction of war ever recorded. Would you like to know more? My only rule for this review is simple. Everyone watches, no one quits, as we review Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War on Nintendo Switch 2.

Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War is set several years after Starship Troopers, and opens with Casper Van Dien, the original star of the film, now serving as a General in the Federation army. He is interviewing the soldier you play in the game, Major Sammy Dietz, as she recounts her experience in the bug war, and how it ultimately inspired the game you are about to play – Ultimate Bug War. It is incredibly meta, and really, kind of a glorious return to the franchise. It knows exactly what it wants to be, and it carries a very similar tone to the film, with actors fully committing to the over-the-top patriotism. The whole thing plays out as a game within a game, broken up by interviews, advertisements, and plenty of Federation-approved propaganda.

There are two main modes on offer here. Human missions are played in first person, while bug missions shift to third person and put you in control of the Assassin Bug, a surprisingly versatile creature that can fly, spit flames, and tear through enemies with brutal melee attacks. The Starship Troopers missions are easily the highlight. They are chaotic, fast-paced, and often see you getting completely overrun, unloading into waves of enemies like a classic boomer shooter. You can call in resupply drops to keep your ammo topped up, or scavenge crates scattered across the open-ended maps. There are plenty of throwbacks here, but newcomers will not need a deep understanding of the lore. Load in, lock and load, and remember that the only good bug is a dead bug. It is great fun while it lasts. Calling in bombing runs never gets old, and jumping into the Razorback mech suit to carve through hordes of bugs is exactly as satisfying as it sounds.

Then there are the bug missions. These have you reclaiming territory by destroying Federation assets across a series of areas. On paper, it is a neat idea, but in practice, they never quite clicked for me. The combat just is not as satisfying as the first-person shooting, and it ends up feeling like a somewhat superfluous addition. The game does attempt to justify this through its in-universe propaganda, but I would have much preferred more missions playing as the Starship Troopers. Which leads to the biggest issue with Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War… There simply is not enough of it. Each open-ended mission runs for around 25 minutes, and the full game can be completed in roughly four hours. While I really enjoyed the meta concept and the chaotic battlefield action kept me engaged, it all wraps up far too quickly. The bug missions, in particular, feel like they are there to pad out the runtime rather than meaningfully expand the experience.

My favourite part of the entire experience, however, is how General Rico and Major Samantha Dietz repeatedly hammer home that this is the most realistic depiction of war ever recorded, only to throw you into a deliberately retro, PS1-style aesthetic. The Starship Troopers themselves are rendered as 2D sprites, while the bugs are made up of chunky, low-poly models. It lands somewhere close to Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun in terms of style, and it works incredibly well. Textures are heavily pixelated, the ground is littered with flat assets, and yet it all comes together to create a distinct and cohesive look. Even the chaos holds up visually. Explosions, mini nukes, and constant gunfire fill the screen, and with so many friendlies and enemies packed into each encounter, it is not uncommon for your own squadmates to end up on the wrong end of friendly fire. They explode into 2D gibs, usually while delivering one last patriotic one-liner before taking their final breath. It’s all very well done.

This does, however, lead to performance, which is far less consistent. The game targets 60 frames per second, but it can fluctuate quite heavily, often dipping into the mid-30s during more intense moments. These drops can feel like stutters, especially when the action ramps up, and the screen fills with enemies. I also ran into a few frustrating crashes. The most notable one came right as I was heading toward the evac ship after a gruelling 30-minute mission, only for the game to crash back to the home screen, forcing me to restart the entire mission from the beginning. It is a shame, because much like Federation propaganda, the game had me completely hooked early on. These technical issues, combined with the short runtime, slowly start to wear that goodwill down over time.

For my roughnecks looking into accessibility, I’m pleased to report that the Federation has included several options to accommodate its soldiers. These include isolating audio sources, changing the field of view, turning off motion blur, adjusting weapon and look inertia, removing screen shake and flashes, reducing on-screen effects, scaling the HUD, and more. You can also use Joy-Con mouse mode, rebind buttons for accessibility controllers, and even enable God Mode or unlimited ammo to tackle the game at your own pace. It’s reassuring to see the Federation looking out for its troopers, but as always, I recommend further research to determine if Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War suits your needs.

At just under $38 AUD, Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War sits in the mid-range, almost budget tier price point. It’s great fun while it lasts, and seeing General Rico return makes the game feel almost like a playable sequel to the original film. It’s always satisfying when a game respects its source material, and Ultimate Bug War not only understands it but fully commits to continuing the satirical take on blind patriotism, with both storyline and actors going all-in. As a shoot-’em-up, it delivers solid, chaotic fun. The bug missions, in my opinion, are a swing and a miss, but the first-person sections capture the excitement and carnage of the film perfectly. Between missions, propaganda clips and in-universe lore help create a truly authentic Starship Trooper experience. If you are a fan of the movie, this is most likely going to be a must-play. If you’re just after some shooting action to fill a weekend, Starship Troopers will still probably be a good pick, especially when it goes on sale. Would you like to know more?

So, What’s it Like? Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War is like Helldivers, crossed with Warhammer Bolt Gun.

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