'They Did Their Job Well' - Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Remastered Review

[Call of Craig]

🕹️ Game Type: Single-player

🎮 Playstyle: Casual

💡 Introduction:

First and foremost, I'll set the scene. It’s March 2003, and it's my birthday. As a self-confessed Star Wars fan, you can only imagine my jubilation when opening a DVD-shaped present that introduced me to Jango Fett and the go-to Star Wars game of the moment, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. Fast-forward to 2024, being older and not necessarily wiser, I was again extremely excited to learn that this childhood game had received the remaster treatment. Having now experienced this, the main question I ask myself is, does it still stack up to the experience I remember from 2003, with all its new bells and whistles? To answer: it’s both yes and no. Let me delve in…

🎨 Visuals and Art Style:

From the outset, the character models and animations remain very reminiscent of the time period when the game was released. There hasn’t been any update in this regard; the game still plays and feels as it did back in 2002. For those of you who played the original, this won’t be a problem, though newer players might struggle as the controls sometimes feel cumbersome and outdated, though they are still fairly direct in nature.
In terms of graphics and shaders, the game has definitely benefitted from a bump in pixel count, and Jango’s armor now has a nice, noticeable shine—something I recall was missing in the original. However, one issue with the resolution bump is that you may notice image stretching at certain points, likely due to the original game’s 4:3 aspect ratio not being fully adapted for this re-release. Thankfully, this mostly applies to the HUD and in-game overlays, so it’s not too noticeable, but it's there.
One major upgrade over the original is the lighting. HDR has been implemented fantastically well; every ray of light and laser bolt that whizzes past you is vibrant and noticeable, and in-game icons stand out much better, which was a struggle in the original. Bloom effects can feel overdone, but there’s an option to reduce or disable them, so it’s not a detractor. The big question remains, "Is this a Star Wars game?" and the answer is definitely yes. The lore, characters, and overall experience pay direct homage to the early 2000s Star Wars prequels, so fans will relate and enjoy the enhanced experience.

🎵 Soundtrack and Audio:

Jeremy Soule’s soundtrack, crafted from the ground up, deserves notable praise as it maintains the feel of the Star Wars universe. Additionally, soundbites and snippets from John Williams’ original and prequel trilogy scores are interwoven throughout gameplay sections for thematic effect, and it’s done very well. As a fan of the series, you couldn’t ask for more from the music department.
Regarding sound effects, all the classic Skywalker Sound hallmarks make a return, from the iconic blaster sounds to the unmistakable Wilhelm scream when an enemy falls from a ledge. It’s undeniable that this sounds like a Star Wars game through and through.
Voice acting is another area where Bounty Hunter excels. Temuera Morrison’s portrayal as Jango in video game form is as stellar as his performance in Attack of the Clones, and he has undeniably made the character his own. Other characters, while notable, have briefer appearances. Overall, the sound holds up well, even after 20 years, although it’s clear the audio was only polished from the original, with no new recordings added. What was originally released is more than adequate when reintegrated into the remaster.

🕹️ Gameplay and Mechanics:

This is where the crux of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter comes to fruition. Many classic games receive the remaster treatment, only to be let down by dated control schemes and gameplay mechanics that don’t meet current standards. Bounty Hunter, unfortunately, falls into both traps.
One original complaint was the control scheme, which felt lacking, especially as camera control had already become widely adopted by that time. The game’s auto-centralizing camera was cumbersome. Fast forward to today, and a manually controlled camera has been implemented, though it’s evident this feature has been tacked on due to slow response times. The originally cumbersome controls are still slightly evident, although not as frustrating as in the original.
Controls aside, there are some noticeable bugs in the release version, including:

Missing or no longer functional lip-syncing in certain in-game cutscenes.

T-posing on certain idle NPCs.

Manual aiming may turn itself on and off at random when pressing the assigned button.

The startup display defaults to the CPU, not the GPU; if you’re using an AMD CPU or one without integrated graphics, the game may crash until you manually change this in display settings. Some of these, while nitpicky, should not have made it to the release version, especially the startup display issue, which could have benefited from better quality control. While still rated as teen-appropriate, the game’s difficulty curve from Act 2 onwards may feel especially frustrating to newcomers. With only five tries per level before you’re booted back to the beginning, the game’s intensity feels as unforgiving as ever. Although part of the original, this mechanic could have been tweaked to make it more welcoming to new and returning players alike. As for the enemy AI, it can be erratic, sometimes killing itself, but it can also one-shot you with sniper-like precision from unseen positions. Enemies frequently swarm, trapping Jango in damage cycles with no recourse, which can be frustrating. This often pushes you to take out enemies from a distance, dulling the semi-exhilarating action sequences.

Although by no means perfect, Bounty Hunter retains a certain charm. Here are some golden features that both new and returning players will enjoy:

Complete loyalty to the Star Wars franchise, especially the prequels, with character and environmental details true to form. Star Wars fans will feel right at home and appreciate the attention to detail.

Versatile level design, with environments that perfectly match the game’s tone. One caveat: some levels can feel confusing due to their maze-like structure.

A perfectly written and paced story, with action or exposition never far apart, ensuring players get their next dose of excitement.

Very replayable, especially with the underused bounty hunting system, though this can also be seen as a minor drawback.

However, no game is without flaws. Here are a few issues where Star Wars: Bounty Hunter stumbles:

The bounty hunting mechanic still feels like a tagged-on afterthought; you can complete the game without realizing it’s even there. While the developers tried to improve this by slowing down gameplay in this mode, there’s still little incentive to engage.

No ability to remap controls natively in-game, though Steam profiles are available, albeit less than ideal.

Features added, like user-operated camera control, were intended to modernize the game but only minimally succeed. It’s still noticeably a 22-year-old game under the hood.

Noticeable bugs in the game that could have been ironed out before release, issues not apparent in the original version.

The AI sometimes exhibits unintentionally suicidal behavior, an oversight from the original that should have been addressed but was left unchanged.

📜 Story and Characters:

Warning: Spoilers
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter tells the story of Jango Fett (voiced by Temuera Morrison) as he competes to become the “Kingpin” of the Clone army by hunting down an elusive rogue Jedi/Sith. Side characters, especially Clancy Brown’s antagonist, are well-voiced and memorable. If you’re someone who values strong storytelling in the Star Wars universe, you’ll find it here, especially if you’re fond of the movies from the era of the game’s release. Overall, I’d rate the story a solid 8/10 in terms of narrative, for its feel and spectacle for die-hard fans.

🔄 Replayability and Endgame:

After completing the game, there’s a decent amount of content to revisit, especially if you’re aiming for that elusive 100% completion. The bounty hunting system is the main draw for replayability, along with some light collectibles and a scoring system. While there’s no New Game+ mode, the chapter and level selection functions well enough that it doesn’t feel like a loss. Completionists can expect 12-15 hours of gameplay for full achievements, making it fair value for the price.
As an achievement hunter myself, I’d rate replayability 7/10, taking challenge and difficulty into account.

⚖️ Final Verdict:

Pros:
• Great story with a fantastic lead.
• Captures the essence of early 2000s Star Wars.
• Authentic sound effects, paying true homage to the series.

Cons:
• Bitingly difficult.
• Noticeable bugs.
• A “soft remaster” rather than a complete overhaul.

🎯 Should You Buy It Rating: 7 out of 10

Review Hardware:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7800X3D [amzn.to]
GPU: Nvidia RTX 4080 Super [amzn.to]
RAM: DDR5 G Skill Flare X5 32GB [amzn.to]
MOB: ASRock 620I Lightening WiFi [amzn.to]
PSU: Corsair SF750 [amzn.to]

[Drain]

The general forum is not the place to dump your reviews.

[James5095]

Great review, thanks for this.