Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is a cult classic from the PlayStation 2 era that finally made its return in a cleaned-up form on modern consoles. It puts players in the boots of Jango Fett, the galaxy’s most fearsome bounty hunter (and the genetic blueprint for the Clone Army), in a gritty, cinematic prequel-era adventure. On PS5, the game benefits from some performance polish, but the core experience remains largely intact, blemishes and all.
What’s new?
The PS5 version is an upscaled port of the PS4/PS5 remaster, which means you’re getting sharper visuals, crisper UI, and a smoother frame rate (now locked at 60fps). Textures and geometry haven’t been modernised, so it’s very clearly a 2002 game under the hood. Lighting is a bit improved, and cutscenes look a little better, but don’t expect anything approaching a full remake.
Still, the stylised environments, grimy underworlds, industrial facilities, and populated commercial districts hold nostalgic charm. Along with the improved aiming and control of Jango, it makes for a great time to jump into this all-time classic.
The voice acting (featuring Temuera Morrison) is a major plus, lending authenticity and continuity to the game’s story. The sound design, laser fire, jetpack bursts, and alien languages are pure Star Wars, and the music blends original themes with new compositions effectively. This game feels like Star Wars, through and through. All with the enhancements received by the graphics.
Never played Bounty Hunter? Now’s a good time
At its core, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is a third-person action-adventure game built around shooting, light exploration, and bounty collection. The player is armed with a deadly array of Mandalorian weaponry, starting with dual WESTAR blaster pistols, and unlocking more weapons/tools as the game progresses. Players will also be introduced to a jetpack very early on, which allows for brief bursts of flight. A key part of both platforming and combat. Though its fuel is limited and regenerates slowly, it adds a verticality that was uncommon for its era.
One of the game’s most unique systems is the bounty scanner, a first-person view mode where you can scan NPCs, identify bounties, and choose to capture them dead or alive. There are over 50 optional bounties scattered across the levels, and finding them adds a layer of side content that rewards careful exploration and attention to detail. Capturing bounties alive earns you more credits. However, it is riskier, as it often requires disarming the bounty in the middle of a firefight, with the potential for them to get caught in crossfire.
Level design is mostly linear, but each mission features sprawling, multi-tiered environments like Coruscant slums, prison ships, and spice mines. Objectives vary from assassinations and chases to arena-style boss fights and multi-part infiltration missions. However, checkpointing is inconsistent, and some longer missions can be punishing if you die near the end.
My conclusion
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter on PS4/PS5 is a loving time capsule. It’s not a modern game in structure or control feel, but for fans of Star Wars lore, especially the prequel trilogy and The Mandalorian-style bounty hunting fantasy, it offers a compelling ride. The upgraded performance makes it the best way to experience the game today, and the budget price makes it a fair pick-up for curious newcomers and nostalgic fans alike. manoeuvre.
