Bounty Star Review – Contemporary Nostalgia

Bounty Star review

On paper, Bounty Star sounds like a nostalgic dream of a robot-based 3D third-person action game, but it also features modern elements like farming and base building. At first glance, the game immediately attracted me with its gameplay and graphics, as if taken from another time. I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but what I experienced made me question what I wanted from games like this.

Bounty Star puts players in the role of Clem, a former soldier who wants to rebuild his life after the events that happened at the beginning of the game. Mechanical and fighter pilot Clem operates as a bounty hunter in a post-post-apocalyptic version of the American southwest. For a robot-based game that was seemingly plucked from the console generation years ago, Bounty Star has a surprisingly insightful narrative, giving players a glimpse into life rebuilding after tragedy. Clem's strong personality and situation provide players with a meaningful path forward throughout the story.

The core gameplay loop revolves around three key gameplay elements: customizing your Desert Raptor MKII, combat, and base building. While the early part of the game is a bit slow due to the number of tutorials and game systems, it picks up over time and it really picks up as you unlock more. Customizing your mech is a must in any mech game, and Bounty Star does a good job of giving players a variety of weapons and upgrades, including melee weapons, siege weapons, high-speed engines, and more.

Gameplay comes first

A key component of any mech game is combat, and Bounty Star strives to keep combat simple but fun. Each enemy type has its own weaknesses, and each weapon feels different enough to matter. Different reward conditions also play a role in how a particular mission can be approached.

Earlier in my review I mentioned nostalgia, as well as the feeling that the game originated on the previous generation of consoles, and it was the combat part that I had in mind. The combat isn't exceptionally fast-paced or methodical like in the simulation, but it feels more like an action-adventure platformer/third-person shooter than anything else. Of course, some modern quality of life improvements and gameplay elements round out the core gameplay, but the game's combat does feel a little more “arcade-like.” This isn't a criticism or even praise for the game, but a nice throwback to simpler times if that's what you're looking for.

The farming and base building element was something I personally didn't enjoy, and at times it feels like it's an extra aspect of the game designed to give players more time to spend on the game. While the base building elements can be very interesting, it doesn't seem like they should be a core part of Bounty Star. However, I really appreciate being able to purchase the missing materials needed to craft an item without having to search for the item or purchase it separately.

Aesthetically, the game has beautiful graphics and runs very well. The game's setting also combines a clear recreation of the American Southwest with some of its more fictional aspects of a post-post-apocalyptic atmosphere, such as neon-lit trees. While the graphics won't be what you'd expect from big-budget games, they're more than enough to enjoy.

Overall, Bounty Star provides players with an arcade-like experience with customizable mechanics, which is surprisingly not yet an oversaturated niche. Robust combat and customization options highlight an overall polished product, accompanied by generally insightful storytelling and smooth console gameplay. Any mech fan should check out Bounty Star, which at the time of writing is also part of Xbox Game Pass.

*** Review code provided by publisher ***