Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Review – Jango Fett Returns

As a seasoned gamer with over three decades of gaming under my belt, I must admit that Star Wars: Bounty Hunter has certainly taken me on a journey through memory lane. The game harkens back to a time when exploration was key and levels felt more like puzzles than linear paths.

If you’re acquainted with Aspyr’s recent remastered games, it won’t shock you to discover that the remastered version of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter doesn’t push the boundaries set by its previous projects significantly. This makeover primarily enhances the graphics and smoothens out the camera controls slightly, while preserving all the 2002 quirks. Fortunately, they didn’t botch things up nearly as much here as they did with the multiplayer servers of the Battlefront Classic Collection; since there is no multiplayer mode in Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. Instead, it offers a single-player experience, featuring Jango Fett and his tales preceding the events of Attack of the Clones. The gameplay centers around third-person shooting as you navigate through various locations across the Star Wars galaxy using your jetpack. We’ll delve deeper into collecting bounties, Jango Fett’s toolset, and the updates Aspyr has implemented to give a fresh coat of paint to this 22-year-old game once we’ve covered all the improvements they’ve made.

In terms of appearance, the updated version of “Bounty Hunter” truly shines like never before. As anticipated, Aspyr has enhanced the resolution to align with contemporary monitors, offering clear textures and high-definition visuals. Since it’s not an emulation but a native port based on Gamecube source code, the cutscenes see partial graphical improvements compared to the consistently high-resolution textures in gameplay scenes. The original game struggled with lighting issues, but this remaster introduces a flashlight for Jango, which isn’t used frequently due to an improved lighting system that effectively illuminates hidden areas. Another welcome improvement is the slow-down during scanning, making it less hectic than before, especially during intense firefights when selecting bounties. The sound remains unchanged, with Jeremy Soule’s original score and identical voices as in previous versions.

As a thrilled admirer, I’m excited to share that this enhanced version offers not just one but two control schemes – the classic Legacy mode and the innovative Modern scheme! The latter takes full advantage of the haptic feedback capabilities embedded in the DualSense controller from the PS5.

As a long-time gamer who has dabbled in various consoles and platforms over the years, I must say that the recent remaster of this game truly caters to the PS5 and PC enthusiasts like myself. Having grown accustomed to the adaptive triggers on my DualSense controller and the fluidity of keyboard/mouse functionality on my gaming PC, I find it quite refreshing to see a game that fully leverages these features.

In this remastered version of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, the new trophies and achievements are doled out at a satisfying pace. Each chapter rewards a silver trophy/achievement, while basic milestones also grant trophies in an even flow. This makes it a great game to ‘platinum’ and collect every last achievement. However, please note that you can’t unlock trophies/achievements by simply using the level skip cheat codes. Fortunately, all the codes from the PS4/Xbox One port of Bounty Hunter are still available here, so if you find yourself struggling with a particularly challenging level or wish to explore all concept art and hidden secrets, you can still use these codes to help you out.

Reflecting on the recent remaster, I must admit that while it’s a welcome improvement, it doesn’t quite revolutionize the gameplay experience. The graphics update was definitely needed for this 22-year-old title, but the DuelSense enhancements and modern control scheme feel more like aesthetic upgrades rather than significant improvements.

Starting from now, this review will focus on the mechanics and design aspects of the original 2002 “Star Wars: Bounty Hunter”. Since it’s an older game, I’ll strive to be fair in my analysis; after all, there are limits to what a light remaster can achieve.

“Locking onto targets is preferred, though it can get janky as you jump around a sea of enemies.”

Upon entering the first battle in the game’s arena, you’ll swiftly discern the straightforward shooting mechanics. Locked targeting is usually advantageous in most conflict scenarios due to the unruly camera and overwhelming number of adversaries. Although the lock-on system targets enemies accurately, it may occasionally lead to awkward situations when switching to the closest enemy. I’ve experienced numerous instances where the lock-on system went on a frenzy searching for the next target, causing the screen to spin wildly and abruptly cut away. Additionally, locking onto enemies while performing rolls or using the jetpack can cause the camera to jerk severely, frequently resulting in death. Fortunately, this remaster introduces adjustable camera sensitivity, but the two-setting meter isn’t always sufficient when the camera lacks precision.

Jango’s gear is packed with diverse tools that every bounty hunter would find handy. His famous dual blasters dominate gameplay due to their rapid firing rate and endless ammo supply. To add to this, his jetpack is a standout feature, providing thrilling aerial combat as you soar above environments and attack enemies from above. While the jetpack does have a cool-down period and doesn’t allow for simultaneous vertical and horizontal movement, it offers classic, enjoyable gameplay.

Changing weapons can be quite tedious because the same old weapons interface from 2002 is still in use. Regrettably, the remaster fails to introduce a system for quick key assignments for weapon combinations.

I’ve been a fan of the diverse weapon selection in the game Bounty Hunter, but I find it challenging to switch between them swiftly in the remastered version. The quickest way to change specific weapons is by using the last weapon used button, but setting this up involves navigating through a complicated weapon selection screen, which requires pausing and scrolling separately. To improve gameplay, dedicated hotkeys for switching between weapons would be beneficial. Ideally, custom loadouts could have been introduced in the remaster to make mid-fight weapon swapping faster and more seamless, but this feature is still lacking.

As a devoted Star Wars: Bounty Hunter fan, I must admit that the game’s rapid pace has me leaning towards relying on the trusty duel blaster for most of my adventures. It’s no secret why; the frequent waves of enemies serve as significant hurdles in progression. Unfortunately, these enemy mobs aren’t particularly captivating. Mostly, they shoot at Jango or engage in close-combat brawls, leaving me with little choice but to rapidly tap the shoot button to take them down.

“You’ll often have to use your torch to cut open vents leading to where you need to go.”

Advancing through levels in ‘Bounty Hunter‘ can also be achieved by the classic method of exploration. Jango’s torch cuts through tight spaces like vents and sewers, which frequently lead to the next destination. The game’s layout gives a sense of authenticity as you often find the path forward is a hidden edge or an unlabeled platform beneath your current position. However, this organic level design can sometimes result in immense perplexity about where to go next due to the lack of clear guidance. There are few signs pointing the way, with nondescript blast doors among many unmarked doors often being the only option. Interactive elements like elevator lifts and console buttons that open doors are scattered throughout the game, but these interactive spots offer no hints about their use initially. The absence of a minimap in this game adds to the confusion and frustration. I appreciate well-designed organic levels, but the abundance of similar-looking doors and lack of highlighted objects can cause both puzzlement and annoyance.

It’s good to know that checkpoints are scattered across the game levels if you find yourself lost during your mission. Each level usually has two or three checkpoints, but they can be a bit sparse at times, as seen in the asteroid prison break level. This stage is filled with large rooms crammed with cells containing mixed crowds of inmates and police. If you spend too much time trying to decide where to go in one of these rooms, new enemies start appearing, forcing you to fight them repeatedly. The excessive enemy spawn rate, combined with poor guidance and checkpoints that are a bit too far apart, can make the game feel tedious at times. On the other hand, levels like the Coruscant chapter have a better balance of enemies, providing you with opportunities to explore the environment and search for bounties without much hassle. In summary, the level design could use some improvement.

“This tale is remarkably well done, featuring exceptional voice performances and expertly crafted cinematic scenes.”

In contrast to the gameplay, I have nothing but praise for the narrative of Bounty Hunter. The voice acting, with a few minor exceptions in line delivery, is exceptional. Temuera Morrison re-emerges as Jango Fett from Attack of the Clones and delivers an outstanding performance. Similarly, all other characters and villains are portrayed exceptionally well. Jango’s character development, notably his interactions with Toydarian informant Rozatta, is skillfully executed. The story unfolds at a steady pace, with engaging cutscenes between each level in the game, which makes for an enjoyable experience despite some challenging levels. Although this tale is no longer considered canonical, it effectively explains how Jango obtained his Slave I ship and became the prototype for the clone army, making for an intriguing backstory.

The 2024 update of “Star Wars: Bounty Hunter” serves as the ultimate experience for playing this 2002 original, even though Aspyr might have taken additional steps to emphasize its strong points. Despite its minor flaws, “Bounty Hunter” delivers the classic fun from the early 2000s and a rich “Star Wars” ambiance that any fan would appreciate.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

2024-08-02 18:12

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