Whoa, so there I was, drifting my hefty Desert Raptor MKII mech through this canyon that’s absolutely teeming with rocket-toting hover bots and bandits with guns. Picture this: parts of my mech look like they were slapped together in, I dunno, your uncle’s cluttered garage. Anyway, Bounty Star – yeah, that’s the game – it’s definitely cooking up something intriguing. After a few messy tussles, I finally came out on top. By the time my hands-on session wrapped, I couldn’t help but itch to dive back into its world later this year on the Xbox Series X|S.
So, there’s Clem. She’s our protagonist – a fighter and mech pilot juggling some heavy personal baggage as a vet trying to make amends. Her playground? The Red Expanse. Imagine a post-apocalyptic American Southwest – dusty and expansive.
Oh, sidebar! I was having this chat with Benjamin Ruiz, the Creative Director – and you wouldn’t believe it – he stumbled upon the idea of Bounty Star while in Sedona, Arizona. The landscapes were so captivating that he thought, “Geez, wouldn’t this be perfect for an action game?” And, pretty much, that’s how the spark ignited.
Ruiz – he’s got a thing for Westerns, and you’ll feel it in this game. At first glance, it mixes a lighthearted Armored Core vibe with the gritty Western style. Life as a bounty hunter in Bounty Star is about the everyday struggles. Cooking up meals for some boost, collecting clean water, raising chickens – yup, you heard right.
Clem’s shabby garage? Total hub of operations. It’s got this kitchen in the corner; you could say it’s a creative chaos, with military barrels lying around. It gave me some serious “Firefly” feels – like, not much to look at, but it’s home.
Customization is a big deal here. I got the nudge from Ruiz that you can tailor your mech’s makeup – provided you’ve gathered the bits and bobs required. Imagine running into battle with the swag of heavy armor or skirting around all swift and sly. Play it your way.
Funny, some testers opted to skip healing, barreling through fights – bold strategy, let me tell you. The game lets you mess with seven core properties. Choices, baby!
Let’s not forget the characters. There’s the Marshall, a buddy assigning your bounties – gotta love those friendships, huh? And the shadier merchant selling high-tier gear – always a catch. Small cast, big impact.
On missions, get ready for a mix-up. About nabbing criminals or simple clean-sweep types. There are day and night cycles too! Play out story bounties or side gigs and stir up some unique strategies.
Anyway, Clem’s life out there looks promising, and I’m hyped to see how everything shakes out when Bounty Star launches. Fingers crossed it’s just as adventurous as it sounds!
