Alright, so picture this: I’m piloting my rusty Desert Raptor MKII through this wide-open canyon. Imagine a chaotic jumble of rocket-packing hover bots and bandits with guns blazing at me. It’s like being in the Wild West but with mechs. I swear, this game, Bounty Star, might be brewing something quite special. I kept smashing through waves of enemies with this hodgepodge mech, like a DIY project on a caffeine bender. Took a couple of tries, sure, but eventually, I was on top of it all, and it left me itching to dive back into its gritty world when it makes its debut on Xbox Series X|S.
You’re Clem here—a battle-hardened mech pilot, juggling personal stuff from back in her war days. She’s like this talented fighter, trying to make amends and, I dunno, be a hero or something. The story unfolds in this place called the Red Expanse. Think of a post-apocalyptic American Southwest. Yep, that’s the vibe.
Speaking of vibes, I once visited Sedona, Arizona, just soaking up those desert vistas, and it hit me—this terrain is basically made for a kickass action game. So says Benjamin Ruiz, the creative mind here. He gets all inspired by those big open spaces, enough to start piecing Bounty Star together right then and there—though it took a chunk of time before the wheels officially started turning.
Ruiz has this longtime dream of making a Western. Bounty Star plays like a tribute to that, drawing from all these mecha havens that nerds like him love. And yeah, they’re big on showing the everyday gig of being a bounty hunter—building your base, making chicken stew, scrounging around for water. It’s a wild mix of cowboy fun and mech brawls, all spread wide in this open desert landscape.
Now, picture Clem’s lair: a run-down garage, wires everywhere, a little corner for whipping up grub (stat boosts, anyone?), and barrels of munitions just lying around. It’s like living in a sci-fi Western dream with hints of “Firefly” and “Serenity.” Not much to go around, but it’s home.
Customization—it’s a major pillar here. From what I’ve seen, there’s freedom to tinker around with your mech setup if you’ve got the resources. Ruiz backs this up, saying you can roll with whatever combo tickles your fancy. Want to be a tank? Go heavy on armor and slug it out. Prefer speed? Strip down to the essentials and zip around like crazy. It’s your call.
And, oh, the customization goes deep. Seven core attributes to futz around with, and loads of guns, melee tools, and gadgets up for grabs. Heard even the testers got wild with builds, some ditching healing entirely. So expect a ton of room to play around with this stuff.
Of course, Clem isn’t all alone in this barren expanse. There are some intriguing NPCs to run into, like Marshall, an ex-buddy who dishes out bounties, or a sly merchant offering top-tier gear. Ruiz notes the cast isn’t huge but aims for meaningful chats that stick with you.
Clem’s not a hunter without bounties to hunt, right? Ruiz teases a rich variety of missions. There’s a day-and-night cycle thing, sending you dashing across its world battling it out in distinct spots. Sometimes, you capture targets; other times, you clear areas. There’s a neat twist with optional challenges, too, for replay value. Bounty Star is putting a fresh spin—or should I say a chaotic mech twist—on the third-person genre. And yeah, it’s damn exciting.
In short, this Mech Western hybrid’s got potential. It’s messy, feels homemade at times, but man, it’s full of heart. Looking forward to checking it out when it hits Xbox Series X|S later this year.
