Starship Troopers: Terran Command is the latest real-time strategy game from Slitherine Ltd that launched on Jun 16, 2022. For the low cost, you receive an incredible amount of content across the Starship Troopers universe. While it’s only single-player at the moment, you have campaign and scenario modes to enjoy.
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Despite Starship Troopers: Terran Command not having a multiplayer mode, there are plenty of levels and maps to play that will keep you busy. The main point of the game is to destroy the Arachnids on planet Kwalasha while you mine resources and establish new bases.
Destroying the Arachnid swarms in Starship Troopers: Terran Command
Starship Troopers: Terran Command takes us back to similar environments as we saw in the ST movies. Seeing the planet and creatures appear sends goosebumps up my spine every time. Here are some details of the stories without spoiling the RTS game experience for you.
Meet your new home
Welcome to planet Kwalasha. There are plenty of resources to mine on the planet, and there are a few established bases on the surface. The problem is that there’s an Arachnid population that isn’t happy with your presence there. After all, this is their home.
Each level has the same basic premise: land on the planet, expand your operations and clear the creatures from their nests. However, there’s always a unique twist, and you may need to backtrack to get some supplies or new troops. The campaign certainly keeps you interested to see what’s coming next.
Establishing bases
Unlike other RTS games, such as Dune: Spice Wars, your ability to create massive bases is not available. Instead, you’ll find them along the way in campaign mode, fitting in nicely with the story. It’s a pity there’s no sandbox mode, as it would have been a nice touch to build bases and eradicate the Arachnid horde.
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Scenario mode
What Starship Troopers: Terran Command does have besides the campaign is scenario mode. It has a few extra missions that tie in with the story, set separately so you can play it when you wish. It’s possible that we may see more scenarios appear in the years ahead.
How long to play Starship Troopers: Terran Command?
There are about 21 campaign missions. Each one will take you about 15 to 30 mins at the start, but it may extend to 50 mins at a later stage. The time to complete Starship Troopers: Terran Command depends on how quickly you finish the levels. It can easily take up to 20 hours in total.
Starship Troopers: Terran Command is all about strategy
I’ve only given you a taste of what to expect in my Starship Troopers: Terran Command review so far. In this section, I’ll dig deeper into the gameplay mechanics and what it’s like to play the RTS game.
Learning how to play Starship Troopers: Terran Command
When I started playing Starship Troopers: Terran Command, I was surprised to see there wasn’t a tutorial mode like most RTS games have. However, it didn’t take long before I realized it was built into the campaign levels. As you play towards your objectives, it teaches you how to perform specific actions.
Study your troops and abilities
You’ll begin with the basic troops, unlocking more as you progress through Starship Troopers: Terran Command. Each one has specific abilities I recommend you study before continuing. They’ll help you later down the line.
For example, the engineer can place a turret on concrete surfaces to help repel the Arachnids. The trooper can throw a grenade when the action gets a bit tight. You’ll also have snipers that can clear spitter bugs from afar.
Capturing and enhancing bases
There was one moment when I saw a base and became excited at the thought of expanding it. However, you’re limited to the platforms they provide you with a few open slots. With the resources you receive from completing tasks, you can unlock new facilities to upgrade troops or weapons.
Unlocking troops and equipment
The buildings you find and unlock in Starship Troopers: Terran Command are what give you access to new troops. There’s no tech tree, unfortunately, so you’ll have to settle for the abilities each level gives you. Still, that means you can save your resources for summoning more troops or turrets when you need them the most.
Calling in reinforcements
When you fight the Arachnid horde, your troops will lose a few soldiers. There’s a health bar per group, revealing how much you’ve lost. Fortunately, you can call reinforcements at one of your bases to replenish them, delivering maximum strength again. You’ll need to use this to your advantage in the critical parts of each level.
Destroying hives and holes
You’ll notice quite quickly that you’ll spend plenty of time destroying Arachnid hives and smaller bug holes. It’s a game mechanic that enforces progression in the game. Basically, you’ll end up in a situation where you need to clear a hive before you can proceed to the next base.
If you don’t, they’ll just continue to multiply and attack your troops at the closest base. Alternatively, they’ll keep hunting you down. The best solution is to take them down the moment you find them.
Similar games to Starship Troopers: Terran Command
I’ve already mentioned Dune: Spice Wars as a viable alternative, and it has a vast story and base-building mechanics you’ll love. A 4K turn-based strategy game also by Slitherine you should try is Warhammer 40,000: Gladius, with brutal troops and stunning environments. Other RTS titles you to try include Northgard, Command & Conquer: Generals, and Company of Heroes 2.
What you’ll need on your PC
You’ll need quite a bit of space on your PC for Starship Troopers: Terran Command, as well as decent memory. It works well on Windows 11 without any performance issues. Here are the minimum requirements:
- OS: Windows 7, 8, 10 (64 bit), 11
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Processor: Intel Core i5 or equivalent
- DirectX: Version 9.0
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 1050/ Radeon RX 560
- Storage: 10 GB
Enjoy the Starship Troopers: Terran Command visuals and effects
As I usually do with my reviews, I’m covering the visual and sound effects of Starship Troopers: Terran Command as the last portion. Let’s take a quick look at what you can expect.
Gorgeous planetary and creature details
The one aspect you’ll notice from the start is how stunning the visuals are on the planet. Even the water details are impressive that you can zoom in close for a better view. The Arachnids are frightening and stunning at the same time. The bases and hives also have gorgeous graphical detail.
Incredible interface and menus
The interface and menus aren’t distracting, and you’ll find all the tools you need with ease. When you discover a new unit, Arachnid type, or equipment, a small icon appears with more information. If you click on it, it takes you to the archive room where you can read about strengths and weaknesses. There are also a few stats.
Sounds almost exactly like the Starship Troopers movie
If you’ve watched every Starship Trooper movie like I have, you’ll smile at some of the sounds and effects in Starship Troopers: Terran Command. Besides some familiar voices, I’m referring more to the Arachnid sounds that may send chills down your neck. I’m also glad there was voice-acting, as I’m a lazy reader in games.
Final Verdict of Starship Troopers: Terran Command
Starship Troopers: Terran Command is an excellent bow to the brand. The RTS game lets you clear the planet of the Arachnid hosts while you establish your base once again. The game mechanics are easy, with a click here and there. I hope to see sandbox and multiplayer modes appear in the near future, but it’s a fantastic game to keep you busy for days on end.
Be sure to check out my Dune: Spice Wars and Mirror Forge reviews if you liked this guide!
Pros
- Stunning graphics and sound
- Large variety of troops and creatures
- True to the Starship Troopers universe
- Plenty of levels and game time
- Impressive effects
- Story compels you further into the game
- Excellent information hub
Cons
- No multiplayer mode
- No sandbox mode
Developer: The Artistocrats
Publisher: Slitherine Ltd.
Game Modes: Single-player, Campaign, Scenarios
Platform reviewed: Windows 11 – Steam
