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

As I’m barreling through this gnarly desert canyon, basically filled to the brim with rocketing hover bots and a bandit or two with serious attitude, I’m in my Desert Raptor MKII mech—oh, it’s a beast, patched together like it’s been salvaged from ten different junkyards. Somehow, it just works. And here’s the thing: Bounty Star might actually be onto something with this setup. Between clunky melee attacks and the boom of cannon fire, I’m squeezing out victories by the skin of my teeth. Seriously, I can’t wait to dive back into this chaos when it finally drops for Xbox Series X|S.

Now, in Bounty Star, you’re Clem. She’s one of those ace fighters, piloting mechs while wrestling with her past—a former war vet trying to right some wrongs. The backdrop? It’s called the Red Expanse, but picture a post-apocalyptic Southwestern vibe—think Arizona, but if Arizona went through the end of the world. Slightly dramatic, but you get the picture.

So, sitting in Sedona, Arizona, surrounded by actual mountains and desert that scream “action game,” Benjamin Ruiz, the Creative Director, got hit with inspiration. You know? One of those lightbulb moments. He started scribbling down notes for Bounty Star. It took a bit, like a couple of years, before things really kicked off, but hey, sometimes the best things take time to marinate.

Ruiz always wanted a Western theme, though mixed with some Armored Core-style mech action. Odd mash-up? Maybe. But it works. They wanted the vibe of a bounty hunter’s day-to-day—think survival tactics, raising chickens, and all that jazz, mixed with wild mech battles. Seriously, it’s like if Firefly and a mech anime had a love child in the middle of nowhere.

Exploring Clem’s rundown garage, which—get this—is her base and home, you’ve got wires everywhere, a janky kitchen in a corner, and barrels of munitions just chilling there. There’s something about this vibe—I mean, it feels a bit against the odds, but in a good way. Customization is also key. You can kit out your mech however you like. Want a tank? Make one. Prefer something nimble? Do it. Ruiz mentioned folks going for speed over healing. Ballsy move if you ask me.

Besides blowing stuff up, you’ll meet a few key folks like the Marshall—a mix of old buddy and taskmaster—and this shady merchant who’s got top-tier gear. They’ve kept the cast small, but they’re aiming for quality interactions. As a player, you’ve got bounties to snag. Missions shift with the game’s day-night cycle, and all across varied landscapes—sometimes it’s a simple capture, other times it’s all-out combat.

So yeah, there’s some unpredictability and raw fun in Bounty Star. It’s like Clem’s garage—nothing’s perfect, but there’s so much potential hanging in the air. Might be worth checking out when it finally launches.