Star Wars Bounty Hunter

"Forget about nobly saving the universe and thwarting the Empire and give in to the lure of the Dark Side"

I could never be a Jedi. Apart from the fact that I'd probably lop off my own appendages with a lightsabre, Yoda and his mates would boot me out of order within days. The temptation to dodge tube fares with a bit of Jedi mind trickery and convince women I'm their wildest fantasy come true, is far too strong. How can you have all that mind power and not loosen a few bikini tops while innocently lying on the beach?

You see, being a Jedi isn't all it's cracked up to be. All that power is plain torture if you have to live and dress like a monk. Being dull and sensible like goodie boy Luke just isn't for me. If I could be reincarnated in a galaxy far, far away I'd have to be born to be bad.

The Fett clan have got it spot on however. Don't align yourself to any side or particular faction, strike fear into the very soul of anyone who even looks at you by being an all-round badass and earn a living by dishing out pain to the scum of the galaxy. The usually ultra-cool Samuel L Jackson picked the wrong role.If you want to be cool in the Star Wars universe look no further than the bounty hunters.

Following in the footsteps of his son Boba (I know that's not evolutionary correct but in my eyes Boba came first) Jango gives us the first opportunity to say ''sod the force'' and do things a little bit wickedly. The ongoing war between the Empire and the rebels takes a back seat in Bounty Hunter as you're given the opportunity to explore the grass roots of the universe and mingle with the dregs of society.

This game slots neatly into the Star Wars timeline just before Episode II. With Darth Sidius getting a little bit peeved that his plans are being scuppered by the corruption and disorder running rampant throughout the galaxy, he calls on Jango Fett to carry out a bit of business. A mysterious and deadly cult called the Bando Gora are crippling the galaxy's industries with their attacks and illegal activities, so Sidius slaps a huge price on the leader's head.

The story cleverly ties in a number of sub plots that keep things interesting throughout. the plans to create a clone army are still in their infancy so Count Dooku is tasked with finding a suitable host. Here we get to see just how Jango found himself caught up in and hugely responsible for the most turbulent and bloody period in Star Wars history. But more immediately sinister is the mysterious figure from Jango's past who is secretly informed of the Bando Gora bounty.

With these old foes set on a collision course and the Bando Gora led by a deranged former Jedi, the plot is genuinely compelling and eminently watchable thanks to the skills of Industrial Light and Magic. The actual geniuses behind the special effects and computer generated visual excesses of the Star Wars films have taken time out to produce the story scenes in Bounty Hunter, and it shows. Every movie segment looks absolutely superb, but, unfortunately, creates a stark contrast with the actual in-game action.

When the story sequences end and the action kicks in things become a lot less graphically resplendent. They've tried very hard to capture the feel of Coruscant's teeming, over-populated streets and towering skyscrapers - the grimy, filth-ridden underbelly of society that live within the bowels of other less familiar locations - and the sandy, dust-filled alleyways of Tatooine, but sadly they're all blighted by an intruding sheen of blandness.

Coruscant is the most striking location but even its neon-lit, twisting concourses give you a constant sinking feeling of déjà vu. nothing leaps out and slaps you in the face with a ''remember me'' sting. A feeling of despondency sets in pretty quickly as you find yourself wandering around in circles, failing to recognize any significant landmarks and succumbing to the lethargic tedium of it all. Samey looking buildings, confusing path layouts and indistinct, bland features make for a seriously uninspired, traipsing experience.

The level design is particularly disappointing. I found myself walking up to sections of wall pressing every button on the pad in the vain hope that it might be some sort of door access way. Getting lost is a frequent occurrence purely because the intended path through the game is so ineffectively sign posted. This certainly isn't a case of a game offering too much freedom. On the contrary, Bounty Hunter is a rigidly linear game. The problem is that when you lose the scent of where to go next nothing else is going to happen until you try every single path, back alley and dimly lit dead end, until eventually stumbling upon the next triggered event.
Getting to where you need to go is not an enjoyable experience. It'll test your patience and require dogged perseverance to stick with it through the numerous bad times.

Early on you'll get the opportunity to equip Jango with his legendary rocket pack. Understandably, use of this pack is limited to short three second bursts in order to give the pack time to recharge. This stops the player from waltzing through the entire game in a couple of minutes by simply flying through the air and avoiding all of the dangers on the ground. Fair enough.
What really grates is the developer's insistence on using this as a tool to make many of the levels feel like bog standard platforming. His jet pack is relegated to the role of a Crash Bandicoot-esque super jump as you bound from teetering platform to precarious ledge with numerous, infuriating death tumbles along the way. This enables them to get away with some seriously lazy level design and basic, repetitive challenges that'll suck your enthusiasm dry within the first few hours of play.

At one point you're required to chase an escaping ship through the streets before apprehending your prey. However, the level is designed in such a way that progressing through on your very first attempt using skill alone is pretty much impossible. Only by falling into the depths below and then having to do it all over again, will you learn by trial and error where to jump and what direction to take.

Still, his twin pistols aren't simply there for aesthetic effect. Surely the shooting bits will crank up the fun-o-meter, right? Well, don't get too excited about Bounty Hunter's frantic battles. Most of the skill required to fight your way through the relentless gunfights is taken out of your hands courtesy of the mindless auto-aim. Gluing your finger to R1, repeatedly hammering the fire button and leaping about a bit is the extent of your shooting skills. it all lacks any sort of subtlety or considered approach. Every facet of Bounty Hunter feels shallow and underdeveloped so that overall it gives the impression of a missed opportunity that simply hasn't been taken far enough.

The setting provides the perfect opportunity to add depth to the adventure portions - along with character interaction and story development that could've really drawn you into the intriguing plot - but sadly it's never capitalized on. More strategy and skill could have been added to the shootouts, especially when there are already so many class examples of quality gunplay to feed off. Challenges could have amounted to more than just following someone through a series of similar corridors and leaping your way to the exit of a tediously-designed room full of identical looking furniture and features. The only novel addition is the ability to stray from your overall goal and snap up a few well-paying supplemental bounties along the way.

Among your arsenal is a nifty piece of kit that identifies criminals and the bounties on their head. Once you've located your prey and stated your intention to apprehend them you need to sneak up and get close enough to tie them up with your whipcord. Alert them before you're close enough to pounce and you'll have embark on a manic chase through the winding streets. Finding a criminal who's wanted dead or alive is always enjoyable as you can simply shoot first and snap up the cash later, but these are rare. It's an excellent way of adding longevity to the game and it lends each area a greater sense of realism with people going about their business unconcerned about your overall quest. All they're bothered about is keeping their wanted hide concealed from the likes of Jango and co.

Unfortunately, the nature of Bounty Hunter's mindless shooting makes apprehending these villains much more of a chore than a distraction. Wandering about with your guns holstered is meant to arouse less anger and attention from the populace, but sooner or later someone always takes a pot shot at you and all hell inevitably breaks loose. With so many trigger-happy citizens about, you end up mistakenly shooting your prey before you get the chance to tie them up or even identify them. Try the passive approach and you'll just end up dead long before you've clamped eyes on a juicy target. Bounty Hunter simply refuses to reward any attempts at stealth so it's guns blazing all the way and blind hope that you bag a few bounties before they get unintentionally splattered to pieces.

The game does have some nice touches, such as Jango's ability to target two enemies with his twin pistols during a gun battle and the sound which is authentic atmospheric. But it also has a host of negatives, like the clumsy manner in which Jango selects and switches weapons, to completely eradicate the few positives. Prepare for much lost health as you try to locate bounties with your computer and then fend off the Bando Gora while desperately searching for your guns.

Ultimately, Bounty Hunter isn't so much a piece of entertainment as infuriatement. With poor level design, bland environments, over-simplified shooting and irritating platforming sections, Bounty Hunter is an even bigger disappointment that Episode 1. There is some fun to be had, it's just that you'll require the self-control and mild temperament of a Jedi Knight to experience it.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 01/17/03, Updated 01/17/03