Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! Review (Switch 2)

Really child? "Boomer Shooter?"

@Spider-Kev Lol I thought the same. Very surprising way to call it.

I played the demo. It's a lot of fun. Will buy

Didnt see it in motion, but those screenshots look like OG XBOX style graphics.

Love Starship Troopers so I've been eyeing this game but might go for Deadzone: Rogue first. Let's see how that one does on reviews. Hopefully the Switch 2 version runs well.

Game reminds me of Onslaught for the Nintendo Wii. Like Onslaught it exterminate bugs in a first person perspective and doesn't had online or offline multiplayer at all. Unlike this game though, Onslaught is only play using motion control.

@the_beaver my dad is an actual baby boomer, and I seem to remember him playing Duck Hunt once. Is that a "boomer shooter" I wonder?

So many better and more accurate terms than "boomer shooter":

90's FPS
Gen X FPS, Gen Y FPS
pretty much anything

My Dad is a boomer and he was already getting pretty up there in age when Atari came out. Most boomers back then went to bowling alleys and stuff like that.

I was born in the early 80's, and am one of the oldest millennials (gen Y). So, it would be more like a Gen Y and late Gen X, if anything.

Seems good enough to wishlist but, as Ive never seen more than about 5 minutes of the movie, I don't have the sort of connection to the IP that would force my hand at release. I'll see how the word-of-mouth and sale prices do at getting me involved.

Kinda nice to see a game like this release that isn't obsessing with multiplayer though.

Dammit. A key card? Grrr

@Davestator I don't think the term 'Boomer shooter' is a reference to the baby boomer generation though.

think this is by the people that made Boltgun, which was a very decent effort I thought

No mention of frame rate or whether there are gyro aim options. Disappointing!

@Spider-Kev this term has been around for years

It's been my favorite genre for months. I've beaten like 20 of em, haven't burnt out yet

Looking forward to this one

@gcunit

I'm normally not the contrarian type, but it is a direct, albeit, inaccurate reference, to the boomer generation - those born between 1946 and 1964. However, it's meaning is basically "old guy shooter", which I think would at least be somewhat accurate.

The issue I have with the term, is that people will choose something that sounds catchy, rather than have concern for its accuracy. The term itself promotes misinformation within and outside of the context of generational understanding in game culture.

"Everyone older than thirty is a boomer".

Just the very core of it is inaccurate and anti-intellectual. That said, the review is otherwise well-written, and the game seems like a good time.

@gcunit Yes, my understanding of the term is that boomer shooters are FPS games defined by an emphasis on run-and-gun gameplay with lots of explosions (or "booms").

So I assume the game doesn't have any bugs. Or does it

Damn a lot of people triggered by the term that is used by fans of these retro shooters

This looks really fun. Focus on single player--no multiplayer--is a big plus in my book and kind of rare in the FPS genre. There's a demo, I hear?...

@gcunit It is a reference to the baby boomer generation. It refers to shooters without modern objectives - Doom and Quake and other 90's style shooters. I'm not sure if Half-Life counts.

Even though all those games were created by GenX and had boomers decrying them for being too violent

@Davestator maybe so, but boomer shooter has been established as the official term for quite a while now.

GKC, I would like to know less.

@Iconoclysm That's not true at all.

FPS count? Practically the most sought after metric of the Switch porting industry and you skip it.

@Misima And you're making this claim based on what? I can find sources that appear to agree with my assessment. Can you find anything that would even agree with yours, let alone prove it not true at all?

@Misima "The 'boomer' epithet was probably a reference to the 30-year-old boomer meme. Boomer shooters weren't played by boomers but by Generation X and Millennial gamers, who (in the eyes of younger players) were behaving like boomers by looking down moderns games and constantly complaining that things were better in their day, particularly in the Arena FPS community,

In that sense 'boomer' was used in a pejorative sense simply to mean old (pre-Halo, say). The term 'retro shooter' might make more sense (or 'X shooters?' '90s FPSs'?), but 'boomer' has stuck as fans of the genre reclaimed the term amid the growing revival of throwback FPS games since around 2018. After all, there's a nice assonance in that repetition of the double 'o's."

@Lucami

"Anyone who disagrees with something is triggered"

Also, if a lot of people don't like something, there might be a good reason for its polarization and unpopularity.

Added to list of games I picked up this weekend lol.

@the_beaver
Should be renamed to Gen X/Elder Mellennial shooter. lol
Over 95% of boomers weren't playing First person shooters back in the early 90's, or any video games for that matter. lol
Some were making them, and some were smoking ciggerettes in their living rooms listerning to Ingle Engelburt Humperdink.
Second hand boomer smoke always equals a good time.

So, as far as controlling goes, is it more akin to doom/quake or more like timesplitters/goldeneye etc??

@DennyCrane
No Gyro, no buyo. And it has to be quality Gyro with high sensitivity, like in some of Night Dives shooters, like Power Slave being one of the greatest examples. I'm allergic to first person stick aiming, have been since the the mid 2000's. It's like operating some jerky tank nozzle. Where as quality gyro(Now with 9-Axis, which I haven't tried out yet) feels smooth and seemless, as if there's a 3D mouse implanted in a NS2 Pro Controller.

Anyways, seems like Starship Troopers as a brand in the video game la la landscape, has redeemed itself with this one after the mediocre decent at best Quest 3 VR game. Could of been so much more, but the budget, talent at play and graphical restraints of Q3 really hold it all back.

Glad Starship Troopers is finally getting what looks like a decent adaptation, hopefully the rest of the movie's spirit makes it over because the action is just a small part of what made it so good. Stuff like Bronski going from casual stroll to whooping on Kitten, Rico screaming medic at Breckenridge taking a spray of bullets to the face, pretty much every Jake Busey line, the entirety of Zim, the ridiculously on the nose visual of NPH walking in wearing that yahtzee jacket, Mazzy Star playing during a bar fight with discount Rob Lowe, that's the real fun of Starship Troopers. If there's more of that kind of stuff, I'll be doing my part.

Lol, how are yall acting like you've never heard the term: boomer shooter and why are you all acting like it's a big deal? - Proud fan of boomer shooters (also not a boomer)

@Spider-Kev Hilariously (or not), I read the term 'boomer shooter' quite literally and was thinking of shooters with weapons that go, "boom"

The term "Boomer Shooter" has been around for years. I'm surprised there are people who didn't know this. It's also a tag on Steam, and, unsurprisingly, this game is tagged there as one. So yes, boomer shooter appears to be an accurate way to describe this.

From Wikipedia: "Boomer shooter is a term used to describe newer FPS games (2010s and later) that are purposely designed to emulate the style and design principles of 1990s FPS games like Doom and Quake. The name "boomer shooter" is derived from the baby boomer generation, where "boomer" has since become slang for anything old or antiquated."

No multiplayer? 9/10 in my book.

Rico! You know what to do!

I've been waiting for a Starship Troopers console game for years. Ever since they announced one for Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox in 2004, my hype had been through the roof. But out of nowhere, they canceled them all, and it only came out for PC (unfortunately, it was never released on Steam). Then came strategy games that I wasn't interested in playing, then the online game, which, although interesting, feels incomplete and like it was made by just one person (I still wonder how my PC could handle so many polygons with all the dead insects on screen). Now they're releasing a game that I'm sure isn't better than the 2004 one, and I'm still going to try it because I love Paul Verhoeven's movie (thank goodness it's on my country's eShop). But I'm disappointed that the physical version is a keycard.

@StyrofoamCup YES SIR!
(Rico proceeds to shoot him in the chest, and the bullet enters through his stomach).

Who the HECK makes a Starship Troopers action/shooter game and makes the asinine decision to make it single player only?

@NeonPizza No Gyro no buyo was one of the main reasons I got myself an Ally after falling in love with gyro on my Switch. Being able to set gyro to function as right stick aiming on ANY game and tweak it to perfection has been a total experience changer like nothing else in my decades of playing.

@BleakStuff
Is it comparable to the quality of 9-Axis Gyro like with the NS2 Pro Controller? Based on what's currently available, for me personally, nothing tops motion based aiming in VR with Quest 3 & PSVR2. it's on a compeltely different level than what you get with consoles. Go figure, since you're in a VR world with three dimensional 1:1 motion controls. In the end it just isn't a fair comparison.

But for TV play, for those looking to get close and mimick the Wii remote/plus's pointer based aiming, it seems like the upcoming Mobapad 12S or maybe the Hyperion3 detached right joy-con is the best thing we've got, if their 9-Axis Gyro can match the reliabity and accuracy of the official Joy-Con 2's.

I'll have to look into that Ally you mentioned. To be able to force 9-Axis Custom Gyro aiming into any first or 3rd person based title for ex that doesn't officially include Gyro seems to good to pass up.

This is a very good game and a huge surprise. Been playing on Steam.

@Spider-Kev It's a term. Google it.

I didn't know this event existed in any way. Looks cool! They need a better marketing team, though

Lack of multiplayer is a huge miss on this one. When the trailer first came out for this I was pretty excited to have a new game to play with my buds, only to that that excitement get crushed by disappointment upon learning it was single player only.

Seems like a previous obvious choice to have it in the game. Perhaps they didn’t have the development resources to work on it to be ready out of the gate. I can appreciate that if they’re a small studio.

Hopefully, this is something on their roadmap. It would immediately elevate it to a ‘must buy’ for me.

@Davestator OK boomer

@SuperWarioWorld

I don't play first person Shooters. I don't follow game development.

So, term is brand new to me.

Is that UK box art reversible as it’s bloody awful.

@NotoriousWhiz
See my most recent comment above...

@SuperWarioWorld
I've never played or browsed anything on steam

@axelhander

I don't use Google or Apple ... But thanks

@Mortenb

I hope that whatever generation you belong to isn't as lazy as your attempt to insult me.

Does this launch on physical media?

I'm the generation just after baby boomers, and Boomer shooter is NOTHING at all to do with it.

Boomer = Boom Boom, it go boom. And that's all - a simple dumb name for simple dumb style of games from the 80s and 90s that are often created today (so WAY after the baby boomer generation - hence nothing to do with it).

I personally love the genre name - describes those games that I love so much very well.

@badmotorfinger74 I used to play duck hunt too but with my good eye closed

💯 buying this soon here. Once I finish up legends ZA.

I just started the first mission after basic training and the audio is skipping and performance is tanking. So far the game feels completely broken on my Switch 2.

As a huge fan of Starship Troopers the movie, I'm definitely interested. Would I like to know more? Of course! I'll try the demo first, and note the price, before deciding when to jump in.

@Spider-Kev I agree! "Boomer" is another of these dopey terms in modern gaming lexicon. When I first heard it from a friend, I told him he's not 70! Then he said it doesn't literally mean a baby boomer, only an older game that younger players might feel is too archaic. So, I said, "Retro?" He said yes.

Anyway, I'm now adding it to my list of gaming expressions that must die (and provide their alternative:
Cosy (Casual)
Roguelike (Re-runner)
Quality of life (Modern features)
Shmup (Shooter)
Boomer (Retro)
Loop (Game play)
🤭

@Spider-Kev How have you never seen that before? Boomer shooters has been used to describe 90s style FPS for a few years now. Although it is wildly inaccurate. My parents are boomers and they were most definitely not playing Doom, Quake, Duke Nukem, etc. They didn't grow up with video games and thus had no interest in them. It was primarily Gen X and Millennials playing the early FPS back in the good ol' 90s. Whomever coined "boomer shooter" clearly just liked the way it sounded.

Also in the camp of “boomer shooter” = shooters that go boom (and first person and of ‘an era’)

@vio
Because I don't play modern shooters. Metroid Prime and 10 minutes of Metroid Prime 2 and an hour of Prime 4, Medal of Honor Frontline on the Cube are the only modern ones I've played.

I played the original Doom, Quake and the X-Men game based off of Quake back when they were new.

Looks rad.
Rad, I say.
This game has more in common with sixth gen/early 2000s shooters than the boom shoot era. Big gunses and asplosions, but you aren't secret hunting through labyrinthine levels. Usually big slaughter maps where you run around planting bombs on objectives.
These guys still have a problem making interesting levels, imo.

@Lucami the boomers tried to ban these games, and also are kind of trying to destroy humanity currently.
The term is dumb. It's here to stay so whatever, but pretty dumb.
@mercilessrobot this team did Boltgun, and it had serious audio and performance issues at release (at least on Switch).

I thought a boomer shooter was a game in the style of the original doom era. This looks like an Xbox game, although the term millennial shooter does not have the same ring to it.

Is there some info on physical release? I have seen trailer where physical is announced but no info on release date.

@Rusllan
No release date yet, but it's listed on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Starship-Troopers-Ultimate-Bug-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B0GH2S8VF2

@-wc-
The term boomer shooter should just be renamed to Gen X/Edler millenial shooters. lol Or just NewWave Retro Shooters.

Most boomers in the early to mid 90s were smoking cig's in their living room listening to Engelbert Humperdinck. Then again, boomers were the ones also creating these games!

Killing Time Ressurected here i come!...After I wrap up the 3rd season of the mega smash hit TV series Monsters.

@the9000
I looked it up and it says it supports Gyro Aiming. Unless Google AI flubbed that up. If it doesn't have Gyro, than I'm out.

Anyone else constantly getting the game crashing? It’s a nightmare

Back in the late 90's me and my cousin was obsessed with the first starship troopers film, I remember we both went mad for that game body harvest on the N64 because we thought it looked like a starship troopers game lol

Anyways, I actually downloaded this last night on switch 2 and played about an hour of it. It's a very fun shooter but if your a fan of the films you'll definitely like it.

It ran great too, a solid 60 even when things got hectic

@Styledvinny79 not yet, what you playing on ?

@DKG-85 switch 2 constantly crashes

Can’t complete a level whatsoever but nothing in the review about this at all?

@-wc-
My goal is to eventually play a PCVR mod for Killing Time Remastered using the upcoming Steam Frame. That would be taking the Boomer(ew! I said it again) shooter genre to whole new heights, even though i appreciate what NightDive and whomever else have and continue to do with these recent and prior optimized Console ports with Gyro Aiming, WideScreen, HD Rumble(etc).

There's also a retro styled shooter called Compound for Quest 3, PSVR2 & PCVR and it's easily thee' most fun I've had with anything within the genre in years. Although the recent update for Doom + Doom II on NS1 is a good time, as long as you're using fine tuned Gyro/Yawn aiming controls, imo. Another VR retro shooter I'm really looking forward to is Wrath: Aeon of Ruin VR, which takes a bit of a cue from the Quake series.

Also, 15 years from now, the new generation will sweep in and label the genre as Rotter' Shotters'

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin VR >
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czytcVoNMhU

@NeonPizza
No gyro, no buy yo

Mouse controls are great, but I need gyro. Hear Deadzone Rogue has excellent gyro on Switch 2 (and mouse controls), and is only $19.99. Metacritic only has 3 reviews across PC, PS and Xbox (85, 80 and 80) so we can estimate it around an 82.

Seems like the no-brainer FPS buy for Switch 2 right now. Or better yet, use Boost Mode for Doom, Doom Eternal, Wolfenstein 2, Metro 2033, Metro Last Light, Crysis Trilogy, etc. Or Indiana Jones which is right around the corner.

@JaxonH
Can't play FPS's with a Stick anymore. I've felt this way since the later 2000's, after experiencing Prime 3 on Wii. Religious experience as I've said numerous times that rivaled the initial OMFG moment of experiencing Mario 64 back in 96.

Give me that 9-Axis gyro inside the NS2 Pro controller with quality sensitivity slider settings so i can dial it in to my liking.

And Mouse controls aren't really my jam unless they're used outside the FP genre, utlized in weirder more odd ball ways just like in Mario Paint or the more current robust and varied stuff you can do with Single/Dual HD Rumble 2-Gyro mouse controls on NS2.

Anyways, hopefully they patch StarTroopers with quality Gyro, otherwise i won't be biting. DOOM 64, Killing Time Ressurrected and Duke Nukem are still in desperate need for a Gyro Patch. They include it, but you can't get enough sensitivity out of the settings to get them feeling every bit as good as they can in titles like Power Slave, DOOM + DOOM II, Quake 1&2, just to name a few. The former 3 wind up with looser less responsive Gyro aiming even after maxing out the sensitivity. Makes it near impossible to fully enjoy them knowing what could be.