Lucasarts was once well-known in the gaming industry for creating some of the most compelling, innovative, and outlandishly fun experiences in history. As sad as it is to see them go, you can always do yourself a service by going back and seeing what made them so great in the first place. Bounty Hunter is one such example that shows their prowess in crafting an intricate and original story housing some of the most memorable (if not the most memorable) characters seen in any of their games. Following Jango on an adventure that includes him assassinating corrupt senators, infiltrating a crime-lord's barracks, delving into Coruscant's underworld to find where certain dangerous drugs are being smuggled, and breaking into an asteroid-based prison are only a few of the levels you'll have a blast playing through, however challenging they may be. Rest assured you won't feel disempowered or bored on your travels; Jango has access to all of the galaxy's more sophisticated weaponry and gadgets, from silent toxic darts, to a whipcord for roping up enemies, to his signature flamethrower and dual pistols. You'll even get jetpack upgrades along the way. In addition to the already-stellar narrative, you can take on side-missions in each level by scanning NPCs (who roam the map, going about their daily business), and find out whether any of them have a bounty on their head. Once they're marked, you can cash in for the reward, dead or alive, but the ensuing chase is where the real fun comes in. All in all, Bounty Hunter serves to show us just how fun a Star Wars game can be, and makes Episode 2 just a tad more bearable when you understand who Zam Wessel is, and why Jango ever decided to join Count Dooku (which the game's CG cut-scenes serve to explain in fine detail). Prepare to be dazzled. You owe it to Lucasarts to play one of their greatest games.
Where do I begin with this game? For all those fruitful game champions out there, be prepared to meet your match. Not only is this game hard as hell, but at times you'll almost be glad it's kicking your ass. Now don't get me wrong, it's not all fun and games. While playing through the sometimes treacherously long and always confusing levels, you cant help but just yell in frustration at the 44th death in the chapter. It's a learning experience, the more you play, the more you want to beat the challenge of the game. Each level is carefully crafted and beautiful in its own way from vast open landscapes (dune sea levels) to the gritty innards of labyrinth-style building complexes (prison levels). To say the least, no matter what environment Jango is stacked up against, it's an absolute blast to navigate him to the end. Oh and speaking of blast... be prepared to build some callus's on your right hand fingers. Jango's blasters fire only as fast as you can press the button and let me tell you, he needs to fire them fast! The controls are amazing for the year this game was released. The bounty hunter can perform all sorts of moves and tricks and the jet-pack dynamic is additive to fun combinations of game-play. Play around with him and you'll end up finding epic and sometimes hilarious game moments. One last note: this game is not for the weak. You WILL Die. If you think you're up to the challenge, trying taking this beast **** on and see if you come out on top. If I could give this game a 9.5 I would. My friend and I marathoned the entire game off and on over the course of a month or so. We found endless hilarity and epic encounters. All in all, I strongly recommend this game
It is also, bizarrely, needlessly fiddly to walk in a straight line. Its almost as if the game is expecting you to strafe as your viewpoint veers to the left and right, causing you to correct the movement on a constant basis.
A horrible camera often shakes uncontrollably like a drunken Corellian, and sloppy controls tend to make you feel just as uncoordinated. [Feb 2003, p.138]
The extra-large level maps offer vertiginous expanses to traverse, and since half the game forces you to zip from ledge to ledge, this leads to nagging depth-perception problems. [15 Nov 2002, p.143]
This game literally makes you become Jango Fett. The levels are also insanely hard, and a lightning fast trigger finger is required, prepare to die ALOT. But that is how it should be, because being Jango Fett isnt a walk in the park. Probably my favorite third person shooter, the controls and weapons provide you with everything you need to take down thousands of enemies.
A fun shooting game, this is the game of my childhood, however there are quite clearly the dumbest of flaws present in this game.
The fighting mechanics are decent, and the graphics are decent for the time it was made back in 2002, but sloppy AI and the unfinished final chapter took a steaming dump on this almost masterpiece.
6/10 - Ben Hazelden
Based on my 10-Point System, I have concluded that the game deserves a rating of 4/10.
Graphics - As the starting point for what you first see when starting this game, it opens up with some really good cut-scenes. Where the game loses it for me is in the actual game-play. Graphics wise this feels like the most rushed title Star Wars has put out. Considering the size of the game it seems like more work could have been put in on the graphics. 1 Point.
Sound/Music - I feel like this game tries to earn a pass by being a Star Wars game. So it does nail the sounds of Star Wars, but there was very little in the way of anything new. Just the same old tracks played over cut-scenes and in game. 1 Point.
Level/Map Design - This is one I can't give any pass on. This might be one of the worst games I have ever played as far as the map/levels. Every location feels the exact same and you constantly get lost due to not really knowing where to go. The levels are 3 times bigger than they need to be for no reason. Very barren and dead. 0 Points.
Performance - Flawless as far as I could tell, but it didn't really have to do much either. So although there weren't any technical issues, this was not anything impressive about this game. 1 Point.
Enjoyment - I hated every moment of this game past the intro level. I did not get a sense of immersion in this world and this felt like the most rushed and pumped out title in the Star Wars universe. There was very little to nothing to be enjoyed here. I would recommend watching some cut-scenes to get the story, but don't waste your time with this. 1 Point.
If you like hunting bounty then look no further than bounty hunter. Unless you want a good video game.
The idea of playing as boba fett in the star wars underworld on paper sounds like one of the best ideas of all time. Unfortunately a boring story, linear progression and stifled gameplay make this a slog rather than a joy to finish.
SummaryThe Hunt Begins! You are Jango Fett, the galaxy's most dangerous bounty hunter, hired to hunt down the elusive leader of a mysterious cult - dead or alive. Through 18 action-packed levels across six diverse worlds, face off against galactic scum, fearsome beasts, and brutal competition that stands between you and your prey: a deranged da...