Aspyr has released a remaster of the 2002 game Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, focusing on enhancing visuals and minor gameplay elements. The updated version features improved resolution and textures, particularly benefiting modern monitors. Despite these enhancements, the core gameplay remains largely unchanged. The game’s single-player mode, starring Jango Fett, stays true to its original form, including third-person shooting mechanics and various tools at Jango’s disposal. Fans of the original may find the tweaks beneficial but not transformative.
Visual and Gameplay Enhancements
The remaster brings visual improvements, sharpening textures and adjusting resolution. Cutscenes only receive partial graphical upgrades, while gameplay sections boast more consistent high-resolution textures. A new lighting system and a flashlight enhance visibility, addressing issues present in the original game. A slowdown effect during scanning has also been introduced, providing a less frantic gameplay experience. However, the original sound score and voice acting remain untouched, preserving their initial quality.
Control and Platform Specific Features
The remaster supports the PS5’s DuelSense rumble capabilities, offering an immersive experience with adaptive triggers. Weapons rumble with varying intensities, making combat more tactile. A modern control scheme is available, benefiting both console and PC players, the latter now enjoying dedicated mouse and keyboard optimization. Trophies and achievements have been integrated, rewarding players at a steady pace throughout the game. The remaster includes a ‘modern’ control scheme, optimizing it for current gaming standards.
Aspyr’s previous remasters like the Battlefront Classic Collection had issues with multiplayer servers, but Star Wars: Bounty Hunter avoids these problems by focusing solely on single-player gameplay. Earlier remasters focused more on multiplayer fixes, whereas this latest effort emphasizes visual and control improvements. Additionally, lighting has been a recurring issue in past updates, which this remaster addresses with new lighting systems and a flashlight feature.
In former updates, control schemes often lagged in modernization, a gap this remaster attempts to fill by offering better support for contemporary gaming devices. Moreover, prior remasters had mixed reviews concerning graphical upgrades, which Star Wars: Bounty Hunter appears to tackle more comprehensively. The addition of features like adaptive triggers and keyboard/mouse optimizations demonstrates a shift in focus towards enhancing user experience rather than just visual fidelity.
Gameplay Mechanics and Storyline
Gameplay mechanics such as the lock-on feature and jetpack functionality remain true to the original. Jango Fett’s arsenal includes dual blasters, a jetpack, a flamethrower, and other tools for collecting bounties. However, weapon switching remains cumbersome, as the remaster did not implement hotkey abilities, making quick transitions between weapons a chore. This issue persists from the original game, representing a missed opportunity for improvement.
Despite the gameplay’s shortcomings, the storyline continues to be a strong point. Temuera Morrison reprises his role as Jango Fett, delivering a compelling performance. The story provides insight into Jango’s journey and his acquisition of the Slave I ship. Although the plot is no longer considered canon, its engaging narrative and well-directed cutscenes make it a highlight of the remaster.
The 2024 remaster of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter offers a visually enhanced and somewhat modernized version of the classic game. While the improvements are noticeable, they are not substantial enough to transform the overall experience. Fans of the original game will appreciate these updates, but newcomers may find the unchanged core gameplay less appealing. For those looking to relive Jango Fett’s adventures with a bit more polish, this remaster provides a satisfactory experience, albeit with room for further enhancements.
