In 2002, after the release of Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones, legendary game publisher and developer LucasArts released a wave of Star Wars games. From the vehicular combat-focused Star Wars: The Clone Wars to the space flight sim Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, there was no shortage of playable adventures set in the galaxy far, far away during the early 2000s.
The best game based on the divisive prequel wouldn’t release immediately following the film, however, but some six months afterward. Starring arguably the coolest character in Attack Of The Clones, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter for the Gamecube and PlayStation 2 lets players live out the life of a ruthless, planet-hopping bounty hunter unlike any game before it. And luckily for those who missed it the first time around two decades ago, developer Aspyr just re-released the action game on modern consoles.
In Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, players assume the role of Jango Fett, the legendary bounty hunter and father of series fan-favorite Boba Fett. Taking place after the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, it documents what Jango was up to before we met him as the genetic basis for the Republic’s secret army. Across six missions, players learn about Jango’s relationship to the galaxy’s crime syndicates, the origin of his iconic starship, and why he was chosen as the perfect person to clone for the galactic conflict ahead.
While Bounty Hunter is technically not canon in the Disney-era of Star Wars, little about its plot contradicts what we know. It makes for a fun look at one of the best parts of the prequel films and is one of the few Star Wars video games to place a Mandalorian front and center. Despite the early sketchiness around Jango’s Mandalorian heritage in Star Wars Legends, the game doesn’t shy away from his origins both in plot and gameplay.
Speaking of gameplay, Jango has access to the standard, anti-Jedi loadout expected of any great Mandalorian. And if there’s any reason to revisit this game, it's to get the chance to role-play as a skilled Mandalorian. Using these items in the game’s third-person action is a blast even all these years later. From jetpacks and flamethrowers to mounted shoulder missiles and Jango’s signature dual blasters, this game is the closest you’ll get to playing an action-packed episode of the popular Disney Plus series.
With this recent reissue, some of the original game’s worst aspects have been tweaked for the better. Aspyr mercifully included an updated control scheme so players aren’t forced to tap a face button to fire off individual shots, but can instead pull the shoulder trigger for continuous fire. The game’s camera has also been readjusted and Jango’s version of detective vision now slows down in-game time, allowing you to identify targets and strategize better during chaotic firefights.
Visually, the game has been given a fresh coat of paint. Character models and environments have been updated with higher resolutions that look great in the game’s new 4K display modes. Unfortunately, the game’s audio did not get the same treatment. While the authentic Star Wars sounds are there, the mixing of the game sounds is less than stellar. It’s an unfortunate shortcoming, especially coming after Aspyr’s abysmal Star Wars: Battlefront re-release from earlier this year. Hopefully, Jango’s adventure will sound a lot better sound after launch with the help of a patch.
Still, issues aside, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is a blast from the past that mostly holds up. It’s not going to feel like Respawn’s excellent Star Wars: Jedi series or Ubisoft’s upcoming Star Wars: Outlaws. But it’s a fun interquel that fills in some interesting story gaps for one of Star Wars’ most underrated characters. And for the asking price of $20, experiencing this retro classic is well worth a weekend.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter launches on August 1 on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
