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Intro The race is on! Count Dooku is putting a bounty on the head of a cult leader who is interfering with his plans, and the winner will become the basis for his and his master's clone army. With this latest companion to Episode II, LucasArts shines some light on the mysterious Jango Fett in an enjoyable title that manages to entertain more than it dissatisfies. Gameplay: 8/10 While Boba Fett will be the one and true Star Wars bounty hunter to countless fans, Jango's presence in Episode II didn't go unnoticed, and viewers were treated to the beginning of an endearing legacy for a character that was in so little of the movies. The mythos of an intergalactic badass isn't one that is easy to live up to, but thanks to a killer story, suave moves, and an impressive arsenal, Bounty Hunter does justice to its namesake. With the assistance of Rozatta, Jango starts out doing a simple enough job and soon unravels a plot involving death sticks, senators, and a dangerous cult that's gaining momentum and a reputation for being extremely dangerous. Throughout his journey, Jango will traverse skyscrapers, break in and out of a prison that's built within an asteroid, and brave the wilds of a jungle. To pick up some spare cash, he can pick up extra bounties; using data provided by Rozatta, Jango can use his visor to zoom and pan areas, as well as check out the status of characters, which is also somewhat interesting as those with a bounty will have background information displayed and how much they are worth - dead or alive. Jango has to keep his eye on the prize however, as these are secondary and the immediate bounty will always take precedent, as will their limitless henchmen. It's a bit of a shame that the aspect of side bounties was treated haphazardly; while it's cool to partake in some side activities, the rewards don't go towards anything worthwhile. While combating the hordes, Jango will utilize grenades, darts, dual blasters, grenade launchers, heavy rifles, sniper rifles, invincibility power-ups, and his jetpack, complete with a flamethrower accessory. There are other guns that can be picked up off dead enemies, but for some reason they are very random, even though 99% of them will have weapons on them. That isn't a problem though as his arsenal is more than satisfying. Complementing his weapons is a manual targeting system and a lock-on mode, and although the latter works surprisingly well, it can - and will - disrupt the camera, making it jerk or pan in the wrong direction. Those who find themselves at the wrong end of your rifle are a motley crew, as well as a pestering duo of competing bounty hunters, Montross and Zam Wesell - the latter of whom appeared briefly in Episode II. The standard baddies consisted of jailers, rioting prisoners, hired thugs, security, and more, all of which tended to be unimaginative and more cannon fodder than anything else. Likewise, the levels share in this insipid trait to an extent with portions that are poorly designed with repeated sequences and made needlessly difficult with obscure passageways. Thankfully, though, they also have moments of pure brilliance that are sure to make plenty of foreheads break a sweat; imagine hanging off a pole and sliding from one building to another, with nothing but clouds and endless space below you, and speeders zipping all around - it's those moments that really make the game as adventurous as Jango's profession. If there's one thing that the developers did right, it's that they gave Jango some style. Not content with simply running a la Hard Boiled and doing a few side rolls, he uses those dual blasters with some Kiefer Sutherland "24" - or, if you prefer, Steven Seagal - flair. The lock-on mode doesn't have to be engaged for Jango to automatically target one or multiple targets, as he will do an under-the-arm move or even an 'x' position when he cross his arms, all while he runs through the masses, blasting away. There are also grates that exist for the sole purpose of forcing you to use the blow torch to cut a passage and kick it in, which I didn't mind as there aren't many and it did add to his character. The standard side rolls, flips, and ledge grabbing - which are also implemented well and saved my life a good number of times - are in good form. While Jango is a killing machine, there comes a point and time when one wonders why he doesn't even attempt to be stealthy. A sniper rifle doesn't cut it. With 18 levels, Bounty Hunter isn't overly long, and the goodies aren't really up to LucasArts' par, and although the later outtakes are downright hilarious, tedium does set in at times. The segments of the level that seem to be there as filler hurt the overall package, as well as the camera's tendency to go berserk when Jango was back in a corner or trying to target a certain area, and the lack of stealth cut back on the game's variety. However, Bounty Hunter succeeds in one important aspect - the story. This isn't something thrown together, as the story is well told with plentiful and beautiful cutscenes that are paced very well. It's implemented so nicely that this is really an excellent companion to Episode II, rather than a simple tie-in. Despite its flaws, the enjoyable arsenal - love that flamethrower! - along with an exceptional story and an absolutely chilling last chapter combine so that Bounty Hunter proves to be a solid title for not just Star Wars, but for anyone who enjoys a solid action title. One question though: what was with the pathetically easy end boss? Graphics: 8/10
Sound:
8.5/10 Control:
7.5/10 Overall:
7.5/10 [ top ] | |||
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