Sure, let’s dive into the messy world of Bounty Star. So, picture this: I’m in this massive mech, barreling through some desert canyon that’s all crammed with hover bots and bandits. You know, it’s like if Mad Max and Pacific Rim had a mech-baby. My mech looks like it was built from scrap in a garage – which, fun fact, it actually was. It took a few tries and maybe some swearing, but I finally sent those baddies packing with my trusty cannons and fistfuls of metal. By the time my hands-on sesh wrapped, I could practically feel the game pulling me back in for more – can’t wait for its release on Xbox Series X|S.
So, in this wild ride called Bounty Star, you’re Clem. She’s got some hefty baggage as a war vet and is maybe, sort of, trying to make amends for the stuff she’s done. Enter the Red Expanse – think post-apocalyptic desert, but like, American Southwest style. So vivid, it almost smells like cacti.
I caught up with Benjamin Ruiz, the Creative Director & Designer, while standing in awe of Sedona, Arizona’s landscapes. Turns out, those jaw-dropping scenes were the big bang for his game brainchild. He spills about it like, “Yeah, one morning, the idea just fell into my lap, all thanks to those killer views.” And boom, Bounty Star started brewing in his mind before it exploded onto our screens.
Ruiz, clearly a Western buff, tossed in some Armored Core love – adding a softer touch to the usual mech chaos. He chats about capturing the real bounty hunter vibe: building your base, cooking up grub, rationing water, raising chickens… Yep, chickens. All that everyday stuff. It’s like a mash-up of Wild West and sci-fi, with Clem’s dusty garage as her HQ, munitions out in the open and all.
Customization? Oh boy, it’s a buffet. Ruiz lets us tweak seven core properties, and our mech’s weapon choice is like an all-you-can-beat buffet. He’s all about options – you might go big brute force with heavy armor or be the quick ninja type. I’m intrigued by the free-reign approach; almost like a playground for your inner mechanic.
Beyond the bang-bang, there’s a cast. Not a Hollywood blockbuster-size ensemble, but every character’s got weight. The Marshall’s your old buddy and bounty assigner, while the shady merchant provides killer gear, blending both light and shadow in your journey.
And then, there are the bounties – sprinkled with purpose. With a day-night cycle in place, some missions are about nabbing targets, others just want you to clear the baddies. You pick, you play, you conquer. Ruiz talks about variety, and I get it. Bonus goals, strategic combat, and enough twists to keep us on our proverbial toes.
So yeah, Bounty Star’s Clem and her home may be make-do and mended, but she’s ready with open potential. When it hits Xbox Series X|S, I’ll be the one clanking away in that garage-built mech, soaking in every bit of this offbeat Western mech mish-mash.
