On October 31, Starship Troopers: Continuum will be launched on the PS VR2 platform. This new multiplayer co-op shooting game is the first of its kind to bring the Starship Troopers universe into virtual reality. In this informative post, we will delve into what the game’s name signifies and what players can expect. But first, let’s hear from a special guest—the face of FedNet and the hero of Klendathu, General Johnny Rico, portrayed by Casper Van Dien.
A Word from Casper Van Dien
“I guess I’m the closest thing Starship Troopers has for a hero. My character, Johnny Rico, has been with me for nearly 30 years. He spends most of the first movie surrounded by death. He’s responsible for a death in training. He’s mistakenly considered K.I.A on Klendathu. He’s promoted when Troopers die around him, falling upwards through the ranks.
‘A citizen accepts personal responsibility for the safety of the body politic, defending it with his life; a civilian does not.’
In the end, Rico’s changed. He takes that quote to heart and becomes willing—even keen—to die for the cause. He becomes harder, stronger, more pragmatic… but at what cost?
In Starship Troopers: Continuum, Rico’s a figurehead for FedNet’s ‘Klendathu 25’ celebration. I’m helping recruit new meat for the grinder, and you’re the meat. You play Mobile Infantry Troopers as they battle the opposing Arachnid force. Thousands will die on both sides. You’re disposable. Mobile Infantry does the dying, and that’s what this game is all about.
VR puts you right there, on the battlefield with your squad, facing big, fast, mean, and lethal bugs. Like Rico, you’re surrounded by death. So eyes front, Trooper! It’s your duty to take responsibility and defend the Federation with your life! Or do you wanna live forever?”
Authenticity Evolved
In developing Starship Troopers: Continuum, XR Games aimed to capture the essence of Starship Troopers. As Casper Van Dien mentioned, the game embodies the "meat grinder" aspect of war. This is a dangerous war, and the bugs are lethal—you will die.
After your Trooper dies, you can accept your rewards, choose a new Trooper, and start again. Kill bugs, earn money, gain experience points (EXP), and survive long enough to retire your Trooper into citizenship, reaping extra bonuses. If you don’t survive, you die and try again. This cyclical process is the core of the game’s mechanics.
Of course, your progress is saved. You earn new perks and guns to equip your next Trooper. These enhancements allow you to create a stronger build. This mechanism is referred to as the Continuum.
Enter the Continuum
Remember Cyrano the ferret? Starship Troopers: Continuum is set 25 years after the events on Klendathu. There has been a significant breakthrough in psychic research known as the Continuum. This technology creates a psychic interface that allows soldiers, called PsyCommanders, to control other human beings, similar to Cyrano’s control in the movie.
In the game, the moment you put on your VR headset, you’re connected to the Continuum as a PsyCommander. You control one Trooper at a time. If your Trooper dies, you can immediately take control of a new one. Your goal is to keep them alive, though accidents do happen.
As a PsyCommander, you have access to perks through the Continuum. As you level up, you gain access to more perks and super-perks, which can be injected into your Trooper to enhance their performance. As your Trooper rises through the ranks, they can equip more perks simultaneously, allowing for various build combinations to suit your playstyle. For example, you can use the Psychosis Blast perk to add damage to your dash ability and pair it with Adrenaline to reduce your dash cooldown time. Add Tactical Relocation, which increases your movement speed as you kill more enemies, and you have a speed build.
The more you use your perks, the stronger they become. Even if your Trooper dies, a future Trooper can use those perks at their advanced levels. This concept is the essence of the Continuum. Even as Troopers die, the Continuum grows stronger, justifying every Trooper sacrificed on the battlefield and redeeming every drop of blood shed.
Build Your Trooper, Form Your Squad
Starship Troopers: Continuum is an online multiplayer game that works best with 1 to 3 players. This allows you to build complementary Troopers for battlefield dominance. With more than 20 weapons and over 40 perks, you can create a unique Trooper every time. Keep them alive, meet the criteria for citizenship, and gain significant bonuses that make your Trooper even more powerful. However, do not underestimate the bugs—they are fast, lethal, and have new tricks up their sleeves.
I’m doing my part! How will you do yours?
Starship Troopers: Continuum for PS VR2 will be released on October 31.
Additionally, there are many other ways to kill bugs this October! Starship Troopers: Extermination, a 16-player co-op first-person shooter (FPS) developed by Offworld Industries and published by Knights Peak, will be available on PlayStation 5 starting October 11.
For more information, you can visit the original announcement on the developer’s website.
