This brutal sci-fi cult film was on the index for a long time – and served as the template for one of the most successful video games of the year

In “Helldivers 2” Earth is threatened by hordes of pesky alien beetles, which are opposed by the brave elite soldiers (“Helldivers”). What ’90s sci-fi hit comes to mind? Exactly, the co-op shooter relies heavily “Starship Troopers” which was on the index until 2017 and was way ahead of its time.

If you want to experience for yourself what more than 458,000 simultaneous players (via SteamDB) enthusiastic, then you can check it out Surprise hit for the PS5, particularly cheap on Amazon to retrieve.

“Helldivers 2” for the PS5

Co-op shooter inspired by “Starship Troopers”

35.99€

To the deal*

PC players get the game on Steamthe largest digital platform for computer games.

Bugs, killer robots and lots of dark humor: this is “Helldivers 2”

As in the original, Earth (a grotesquely glorified kitschy version of our planet called ‘Over-Earth’) is under attack in the future by hordes of pesky beetles. But as if one threat isn’t enough, there are also deadly robots. Humanity places its last hope on the ‘Helldivers’, elite soldiers who bravely throw themselves from their spaceships on very dangerous missions. You embody one of these probes…

This way you throw yourself into spectacular battles with up to three comrades, which are staged with fantastic graphics. “Hell divers 2“* causes one action fireworks after another and offers an incredible battlefield atmosphere. However, if you prefer single-player adventures, we don’t recommend the game, as it is consistently designed for a multiplayer experience.

The dark is also consistent Starship Troopers humor, that seeps from every pore. Would you like an example? Then watch the official trailer, which makes no secret of what the game was based on.

If you’re a die-hard fan of the original, then you should check out the action game.”Starship Troopers: Extermination” view. It works on a similar gameplay principle, but is officially licensed and closer to the original. However, the game is currently only available for PC and you will certainly find fewer players online than is the case with “Helldivers 2” But for fans it’s definitely worth checking out.

“Starship Troopers”: first misunderstood and outraged, now cult

Paul Verhoeven already caused offense with ‘Basic Instinct’ and if he wasn’t polarizing with his explicit portrayal of sexuality, it was the brutal, unvarnished orgies of violence that angered many critics. ‘Starship Troopers’, on the other hand, were not only criticized for the violence itself, but were also suspected of supporting fascism.

But if you look behind the curtain of brutal violence, you quickly realize that this is biting war satire and not right-wing propaganda. Paul Verhoeven’s war satire is now considered an absolute cult. After 18 years on the index, it was finally re-released in 2017. You can do that uncut version on Amazon Get it on Blu-ray:

“Starship Troopers” had a budget of about $105 million, which it made one of the most expensive films of its time made. Extensive special effects were used to depict the insects, combining classic special effects with miniatures and CGI. The science fiction actor was nominated for the Oscar for visual effects. In addition to being a bitter satire, the cult classic is also a brutal action fireworks display.