Bounty Star: A Charming Mech Brawler in a Cozy Post-Apocalyptic World

Alright, so picture this: I’m piloting this beastly Desert Raptor MKII mech, zooming through the canyon like it’s nobody’s business. Rugged desert scenery all around, hostile hover bots on my tail, and yeah, a horde of bandits with rocket launchers. Fun, right? I mean, it’s chaotic, but that’s Bounty Star for you. My mech, kind of looking like a DIY project — which, in a way, it is — goes head-to-head against these foes with all sorts of attacks. Melee here, cannon fire there. It took me a bit to get the hang of it, but man, by the end of that session, I was hooked. Can’t wait for this to drop on Xbox Series X|S.

You step into Clem’s shoes in Bounty Star. She’s a badass fighter, top-notch mech pilot, and, oh yeah, she’s wrestling with some past demons. It’s set in the Red Expanse. Think of post-apocalyptic American Southwest—or don’t, because who knows what that really means anyway—but that’s the vibe here.

Benjamin Ruiz, the creative brainchild behind this game, once told me about this lightbulb moment he had in Sedona, Arizona. You know that place, right? The red rocks are like something out of a movie. He saw it all as the perfect canvas for his game. Something about the beauty hit him hard, and boom, Bounty Star began simmering in his mind. Funny how nature does that to you.

Ruiz always wanted to make a Western. But not just regular cowboy stuff—he mixed it up with the mech scenes. Ever heard of Armored Core? Kind of along those lines, but with a twist. He wanted the everyday bounty hunter life to shine. You start building a base, cook up some grub (chickens included), keep an eye on resources like clean water—all sprinkled with survival vibes.

So, Clem’s home base is like a junkyard paradise. Cables everywhere, a rough-hewn kitchen corner where you whip up meals for combat boosts. Munitions stashed casually—because why not? And I got hit with this weird mix of “Firefly” vibes, where downtrodden feels kinda like home. Potential? Yeah, it’s there.

Customization is a huge thing here. It appears you can build whatever mech fantasy you have in mind. That’s what Ruiz hinted at, anyway. Whether you’re packing up with heavy armor, lumbering in like a tank, or going for a sleek, evasive build—it’s kinda your call.

The game’s got a bit of a flexible system. Think options—lots of them. You mess around with melee weapons, firearms, and other equipment. Apparently, some players are just skipping healing altogether, zooming through battles in no time.

It’s not all pew pew pew, though. You’ve got NPCs to chat with. Like the Marshall—basically, your bounty whisperer, and an old chum too. Then, there’s this merchant. Bit of a shady character but with prime gear, y’know?

Ah, the bounties. Can’t be a bounty hunter without the bounties, can you? There’s gonna be all sorts. Day-night cycles, story tasks, and side missions. All leading you to diverse combat zones.

Some targets need capturing, others are just pure battle. Timed challenges and specific loadout missions add that replay factor. Bounty Star is all about offering different ways to tackle the mess—keeps things fresh, I guess.

In a nutshell, just like Clem’s scrappy setup, Bounty Star’s got potential written all over it. Definitely excited to see how it pans out when it finally hits Xbox Series X|S.