Star Wars Bounty Hunter
Score: 60% ESRB: Teen Publisher: LucasArts Developer: LucasArts Media: GCD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Action
Graphics & Sound: Anyone with an ounce of love in his heart for Star Wars can attest to how much we all wanted to be Boba Fett after his first appearance in the original trilogy. I had the big action figure as a kid. The one where you could launch a grappling hook and look through Boba Fett's helmet like you were sighting in on an enemy. It was way cool. After Episode I and II, Boba's father Jango only seemed more cool, if a little less mysterious. So, to jump into Bounty Hunter on Gamecube gave me no end of pleasure. This is one damn fine looking game, and I really envy you HDTV or EDTV owners with your fancy progressive scan mode... Those of us mortals without the couple of g's to drop on a big T.V. can still enjoy great graphics and sound, though. The beauty of LucasArts is that they can develop a product that integrates completely with the Star Wars universe. The look and feel of Bounty Hunter is sheer perfection, and you'll see events play out that provide backstory to the movies and show things you would have wanted to see in the movie if you'd even known about them. Count Dooku, Zam Wesell (Jango's accomplice in the first part of Episode II...the one he hastily dispatched after she was caught), and several other immediately recognizable characters from the last movie appear, but characters dating back to the original appearance of Boba Fett also show up in Bounty Hunter. Musically, the drama and orchestral surges of the movie are part of the action, and the sound effects are pulled right from the movie as well. Some of the commentary can come off a bit cheesy, but that pretty much fits in with the movie anyway, doesn't it?
Gameplay: Bounty Hunter covers a period of time predating Episode II, and among a host of other 'secrets,' explains why Jango ended up as the model for the Clone Army. To avoid spoiling any of the story, I can say that the premise of the action is a hunt for a rebel Jedi leading a fringe group against the plans Count Dooku and Darth Sidious have to sow discontent and confusion within the Republic. The prize is huge, and Jango is pulled in along with other bounty hunters intent on being first to claim the prize for Dooku and Sidious. Lots of little story points are sure to please Star Wars' fans, but the question of whether Bounty Hunter could stand on its own without the license is up for debate. Personally, if this didn't have Star Wars stamped all over it, I don't think it would be viewed as more than a solid 3D action title. There are many good things and some very frustrating things contained here, so even true fans may find themselves throwing up a controller now and then. The high points are in the 'cool' factor Jango has with his gadgets and his 'take no prisoners' persona. During the course of a level, you'll have to make your way toward one or more objectives, but you are always on the lookout for a bounty. Slipping into a special mode allows you to look around in first person to see what bad guy (or creature) might have a price on his head. Once you identify a possible bounty, you mark him and grab him. Dead or alive? Just shoot to kill. But, when a live capture is needed, you can use whipcord to bind him and take him in still breathing. Special weapons you gather during the game help keep life interesting, such as the cluster missiles and sniper rifle. The dark side is when you find that using all the cool weapons and mastering Jango's moves is harder than molasses in January. No, that's not really correct. Getting through the game is not as challenging as it is cheap and sometimes just plain boring. Experiences with poor control and awkward design choices may trump the great story for all but the most dedicated Star Wars fans. An example is the device used to I.D. possible bounties. Pressing a button puts you in this mode, but doesn't do anything to stop enemies from coming at you. So, it is worthless once a battle starts, and ends up being a different twist on sniper action at best. From afar, before anyone knows you're there, scouting for bounties is a good idea. Just don't get any ideas about doing too much scouting in a big fight or you'll find yourself scouting the floor as a dead body. Clambering over obstacles and doing lots of fancy maneuvers is a nice idea, but too much of the time Jango handles like a Geo Metro in a dry river-bed. Falls, slips and unpredictable controls really rob much of the fun, and relegate the later levels to none but the faithful.
Difficulty: Enough to have mentioned the sloppy control and unpredictable effects your actions can sometimes have in Bounty Hunter, but there's another weird piece of the game. Enemies sometimes seem very weak and other times seem unstoppable. The 'official' explanation is that some weapons are best used on certain enemies, but let me tell you not to spend too much time using your fists against anything but an R2 droid... ;) Lack of much depth in customizing or building weapons leaves Bounty Hunter with the same kind of button squashing frenzy we can get in lots of places these days. Not that good gamers won't be able to overcome the glitches and help Jango realize his destiny, but too often the challenge feels forced and a result of poor design than smart puzzles and well-tooled AI.
Game Mechanics: The control scheme is straightforward. Typical actions are attached to the buttons on front, like jumping and shooting or taking action during the game. A lock-on helps to keep enemies in your sights during battles or in a crowd, and the jetpack is used with a shoulder button. Selecting items and turning on the I.D. Scanner for bounty recognition is handled on the D-Pad, but not elegantly. Something like a Quick Select or simple 'wheel' concept would have helped things greatly, especially since selecting items in Bounty Hunter this way causes a break in the action. I like the fact that each item takes some getting used to and has a unique feel to it, and also that Jango has some fancy moves he can use against enemies or bosses. The dual-action pistol effect looks and feels nice, but it's just window dressing. There are really nice things done in the levels to create a sense of immersion, not just graphically but with the interaction NPCs have as you move around and chase your bounties. When innocents happen to fall in the crossfire, there doesn't seem to be a harsh penalty, but playing through the game and exploring each level fully can open up bonus items like a comic, outtakes from the making of the game, still graphics and other goodies. Fans may look through the muddle and find the game they've dreamed of playing, but only the hardcore will be able to handle the inconsistent action in Bounty Hunter. I was pumped up to play it, and I still have the sense that a great game was in the making. What emerged was a great amount of commitment to story, mood and action. But, while the first 2 goals are realized and make Bounty Hunter a killer game for the pure Star Wars fans, the action took a left turn and went in the wrong direction. Instead of really creating something special that would be unique to Jango Fett and the Star Wars universe, Bounty Hunter in action comes across as a wolf in sheep's clothing. It sure isn't some crappy licensed game trying to pass off substandard material by cloaking it in a brand, but it fails to realize the potential it had to be truly great. The argument on the opposite side could be that my expectations were too high, so I'll concede Bounty Hunter is probably a solid experience for fans who really just want to sit and soak in the Star Wars-y goodness. It's too bad LucasArts couldn't have made something that stood out on gameplay and overall quality, instead of relying on the Star Wars brand to get them under the spotlight.
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
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