Man, where do I even begin? So, picture this: I’m in this massive metal beast of a thing, right? They call it a Desert Raptor MKII, and it’s like a Frankenstein’s monster of parts. Seriously, looks like it could’ve been slapped together in some dude’s garage. Anyway, I’m swerving through this desert canyon filled with hover bots armed with rockets and bandits who mean business. It’s chaos, pure and simple, yet somehow kinda beautiful? Bounty Star, folks, it’s shaping up to be something different. I had a blast, even if my mech wasn’t exactly pulling its weight at first. Like, the whole thing had a mind of its own—or maybe it was mine being stubborn. Couldn’t tell you.
Now, you take on the role of Clem, right? This lady’s got a backstory deeper than the Grand Canyon. Imagine a war vet trying to sort out some… let’s call them “issues.” The game’s set in this place called the Red Expanse. Sort of like a Mad Max take on the American Southwest. Makes me think of those cowboy movies you’d watch with your grandpa, with some futuristic twist. There’s a word for it, surely, but it escapes me.
Had this chat with Benjamin Ruiz, the brain behind it all. While he’s going on, I’m still stuck on this image of Sedona, Arizona. Ever been? It’s like a painter decided to take a brush to nature. So, Ruiz had this “lightbulb moment” there, dreaming of creating a game set in a desert. Just like that! Crazy how inspiration strikes when you’re least expecting it. And guess what? Five years later, look where we are.
Ruiz has a thing for Westerns, apparently. Blending it with mech gameplay? Totally unexpected, yet somehow it just makes sense. It’s like mixing peanut butter with chocolate, risky yet rewarding. Trust me, it works. The game isn’t just about blowing stuff up (although, yes, there’s plenty of that). There’s this whole survival bit—base-building, managing resources, even raising chickens. Picture a lone ranger tending to cattle, but swap cows for circuits. Weird, huh?
Clem’s garage is a real dump, but it’s her dump, you know? Power lines tangled everywhere, a makeshift kitchen (probably better than my first apartment), and barrels of who-knows-what just lying around. It’s got that Firefly vibe. You either get it or you don’t. It’s rough around the edges, but there’s charm in the chaos.
Customization’s a thing here, too—plenty of it. Mechs tailored to your style, like picking an outfit but for colossal robots. So, do you armor up like a tank or sprint around like a cheetah? Depends on what kind of chaos you’re into. Ruiz mentioned something about core properties—he lost me a bit there, but it sounds like you can pretty much be a mad scientist with these mechs. Some testers aren’t even bothering with health, just gunning it at top speed. Insane, but hey, if it works…
Then there are these NPCs—characters who pop in and out of Clem’s life. The Marshall’s an old buddy, the merchant’s a bit shady. Think the Marshall’s old friends with Clem might come up later in the story? Just a wild guess.
And yup, there are bounties. Lots of them. Day-night cycles, all sorts of missions, some fights more straightforward than others. Capture this guy, clear out that area. Range of missions to keep things spicy. Ruiz talked about optional objectives for the thrill-seekers among us. Like to keep folks guessing, I suppose.
In the end, Bounty Star isn’t just another game. It’s rough, gritty, and manages to feel homey, in a strange way. Can’t wait to see how it all comes together. Hope they don’t keep us waiting too long for the Xbox Series X|S release.
