Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Remaster vs Original

The original version of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter received a mixed reception and average reviews when it launched in 2022. It featured an intriguing story that made it engaging and an overall fun gameplay design. However, it also suffered several significant technical issues that made it frustrating to play. Most notably, the camera was wonky, the NPCs were awkward, and bounty hunting was cumbersome.

A remaster of Bounty Hunter was always on the cards and is finally here. Developed by remake specialists Aspyr, the remastered version features several improvements that were long due. However, it also has a few notable shortcomings carried over from the original version. Here is a comprehensive comparison of the Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Remaster versus the original version.

What is Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Original?

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is a third-person action-adventure game. It is a prequel of the film Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. However, the video game adaptations are not a 1:1 mirror of the film, making it slightly different and unique. Interestingly, the game is also a continuation of the comic book Jango Fett: Open Seasons.

The original Star Wars: Bounty Hunter was developed and published by LucasArts. It was released in 2002 for PS2 and GameCube and re-released again in 2016 for PS4 with a slightly better resolution but the same of everything else.

Unfortunately, the original version is frustrating to play because of various technical issues. Most notably, the camera is wonky and can hinder your view when moving around and fighting enemies. Additionally, the game’s weak enemy AI system makes the NPCs awkward as they move around without strategy or direction, even falling off ledges at times. This also makes the fights feel somewhat repetitive, as enemies mostly attack without strategy and usually in groups.

Moreover, bounty hunting, the game’s core gameplay task, feels more frustrating than rewarding for three reasons. First, you must scan all NPCs to fight viable targets. Second, you are vulnerable to attacks when scanning for targets. Finally, you don’t get the bounty if you kill targets before scanning and marking them.

The jetpack is also an issue as it packs only enough charge to propel Jango over short distances. Additionally, finding your way around can be difficult because of the game’s limited direction, and it is common to get lost.

What is Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Remaster?

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Remaster is a slightly improved and polished version of the original game. It was developed and published by Aspyr, which specializes in remasters and remakes, and released on 1 August 2024.

The remastered version retains most of the original game’s aspects. Most notably, the story and gameplay design remain unchanged. The environments and most of the weapons and gear are also the same. Moreover, some technical issues also persist, such as awkward NPCs, limited jetpack utility, and general aesthetics.

However, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Remastered also improves some of the original version’s aspects and introduces a few new features. Most notably, the camera works slightly better but still goes wonky at times, albeit not too much that it ruins the experience. Moreover, the visuals are better, thanks to improved graphics.

The game also adds a few new modern visual features, including dynamic lighting, dynamic shadows, motion blur, ambient occlusion, anti-aliasing, bump mapping, and bloom. Interestingly, you can toggle these visual flurries off if you prefer the classic visuals. Additionally, you get a torch to find your way around dark places.

The remastered version also upscales the original game’s texture with mixed effects. On the one hand, the environments and background elements look slightly better. On the other hand, the cutscenes look and feel dated.

The new game retains the original version’s legacy console controls but also introduces new controls for better handling. You can toggle between the legacy and modern controls in the settings. Moreover, the PC version has easy-to-use mouse and keyboard controls. Interestingly, you can shoot continuously by holding down the fire button instead of clicking it repeatedly.

Bounty hunting is also easier now because of the improved targeting mechanics. Time slows down when using the bounty scanner so that you don’t get blindsided by enemies. However, you must still scan and mark targets before killing them.

Story

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter features an intriguing story that remains unchanged in the remastered version. Darth Tyranus contracts Jango to find and kill Komari Vusa, a Dark Jedi, for five million Republican credits. Besides eliminating the Dark Jedi, Darth Tyranus also intends to use Jango as the blueprint for his master’s army of clones.

Jango Fett serves as a mercenary and detective in the game. He travels to different worlds interrogating hundreds of characters to find clues to the Dark Jedi’s plans and location. Interestingly, the game’s plot also gives an insight into Jango Fett’s background, including his childhood life and history with the Slave I ship.

Character

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is one of few Star Wars games that don’t star a Jedi. Instead, it stars Jango Fett, a Mandalorian warrior working as a bounty hunter/mercenary. Interestingly, a line in the film describes Jango Fett as “just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe.” While he may come off as a villain, his life is difficult and is guided by survival and honor. Interestingly, the game’s story covers Jango Fett’s relationships with other Star Wars characters.

Gameplay

The gameplay in the original and remastered versions of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter focuses on adventuring, storytelling, and action. Jango Fett serves as both a mercenary and detective as he travels across different worlds looking for the Dark Jedi.

You come across dangerous enemies and wanted criminals along the way, setting the stage for exciting fights. You can use diverse weapons to fight enemies, including blasters, poison darts, a flamethrower, missiles, and more. Besides the main campaign, you can also undertake extra bounties on the side. Moreover, you interact with over 120 characters during your adventure.

Verdict

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Remaster is a slightly improved version of the original game. It features better graphics and visuals and overcomes some of the original game’s greatest shortcomings, including the camera and bounty targeting system. However, it also retains many of the original game’s aspects, including the story and gameplay.

So, what’s your take on our comparison of the original and remastered versions of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.