Bounty hunters are a large part of science fiction, both in film, television, and games. The Wild West nature of many science fiction universes makes the role of the bounty hunter all the more relevant.
Games That Let You Role-Play As A Bounty Hunter
Ever fantasized about being a Bounty Hunter and taking down criminals? These great games let you do just that.
From massive sci-fi franchises such as Star Wars, to iconic video game characters such as Samus, there are plenty of bounty hunters to be found in the sci-fi genre. Video games as a whole are no exception, with many titles - both old and new - putting players in the shoes of a space-faring bounty hunter.
Some games included here may feature bounty hunter gameplay, while others will feature a character themed around it without the gameplay. Both categories have been considered for this list.
7 High On Life
Intergalactic Bounty-Hunting With An Acquired Taste
High on Life
- Released
- December 13, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Squanch Games
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- FPS
High On Life is somewhat of an acquired taste, with some absurd, often inappropriate humor that some players may find grating. However, the colorful environments and fast-paced nature of its single-player narrative should appeal to fans of the game's low-brow humor and sci-fi FPS games alike.
High On Life also puts players in the role of an intergalactic bounty hunter, with each mission being themed around a unique bounty. The light-hearted tone and atmosphere, combined with competent, fast-paced action, results in an adventure that won't be for everyone but hits the mark for its target audience.
6 Lonestar
A Turn-Based Rogue-Like With A Bounty-Hunting Theme
- Platform(s): PC
- Released: 2024
- Developer(s): Math Tide
- Genre: Rogue-Like
This unique, turn-based rogue-like puts players at the helm of distinct, laser-firing spaceships. The game features deck-building elements, a rogue-like structure, and a unique combat system that revolves around overwhelming the opponent's lasers. This results in combat encounters that are consistently easy to read, allowing the game to feel relatively fair most of the time.
Lonestar also features a bounty-hunting theme, with players choosing from a broad range of available pilots and hunting down criminals in space. The spaceships in Lonestar are also extremely customizable, resulting in a highly strategic experience throughout.
5 Metroid Dread
A Stand-Out Metroid Side-Scroller
Metroid Dread
- Released
- October 8, 2021
- Developer(s)
- MercurySteam
- Platform(s)
- Switch
Throughout the Metroid series, it is understood that the protagonist - Samus - is a space bounty hunter, in some capacity. This is especially referenced at the beginning of Metroid Dread and helps to provide context for the game's narrative.
Metroid Dread: Complete Guide & Walkthrough
A complete guide for Metroid Dread, featuring boss fight tips, story solutions, and the location of every power-up and equipment upgrade in the game.
Many Metroid games are worth a look, especially the expansive FPS title, Metroid Prime. However, Metroid Dread excels with its combination of classic gameplay and modern action, as well as its consistently impressive environments. However, Metroid Dread is only related to bounty hunting in theme, so players looking for gameplay mechanics that tie in with this theme will likely be disappointed.
4 SteamWorld Heist
Turn-Based Combat With A Rag-Tag Crew
SteamWorld Heist
While players don't exclusively play as bounty hunters in SteamWorld Heist, the space pirate crew and bounty hunter characters will appeal to fans of space bounty hunters and pirates alike. These flavorful characters are wrapped in an evocative combination of science fiction and Steampunk, offering a unique setting that's reminiscent of shows such as Firefly. Furthermore, one of the playable characters, Sally Bolt, is themed as a bounty hunter.
SteamWorld Heist is a distinctively light-hearted adventure through space, with a unique combat system that keeps things engaging throughout. SteamWorld Heist features turn-based gameplay but allows players to manually aim and take shots with each of their characters, resulting in a particularly fast-paced experience. While there's not much in the way of direct bounty hunting, players can expect to take out plenty of bad guys with their rag-tag crew.
3 Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter
Pulp Science Fiction That Blends Space And Ground Combat
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation, Xbox
- Released: 2003
- Developer(s): Warthog Games
- Genre: FPS
This pulpy science fiction action-adventure game is an old-school FPS from 2003 that may have been somewhat derivative of its contemporaries but managed to offer a unique experience. It did this through its combination of spaceship battles and boots-on-the-ground combat. In the game, players take on the role of the titular bounty hunter, Mace Griffin, who joins up with the Guild of Bounty Hunters towards the start of the game.
The gameplay is fairly straightforward throughout Mace Griffin, both in space and on the ground, but will likely appeal to fans of shooters such as Halo. Though Mace Griffin features a bounty-hunting theme, many of the missions are fairly linear FPS affairs. However, the unique blend of gameplay styles and the pulp sci-fi narrative make it a worthwhile, bounty-hunting adventure.
2 Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
Adventuring As An Iconic Bounty Hunter
- Platform(s): GameCube, PlayStation
- Released: 2002
- Developer(s): Lucasfilm Games LLC
- Genre: Action-Adventure
This iconic old-school Star Wars game puts players in the shoes of the notorious bounty hunter, Jango Fett, fighting through a narrative set before the events of Star Wars: Episode 2 - Attack Of The Clones. The game's iconic character and setting do plenty of heavy lifting in making Star Wars: Bounty Hunter a memorable experience, but its gameplay is strong enough to make it worth playing through for any fan of the Star Wars franchise.
Gameplay-wise, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is a third-person action-adventure game that combines 3D platforming (made fun through Jango's jetpack) and fast-paced combat. The jetpack is also tremendously helpful during combat, allowing players to be extremely agile if they manage its fuel correctly.
1 Freelancer
Bounty-Hunting In An Old-School Space-Sim
Freelancer
Freelancer was one of the first true open-world space-sims, featuring great space combat and mechanics for trading. While the game's narrative was linear, the gameplay featured many sandbox elements. More specifically, players had the option to collect and trade valuable cargo, become pirates, or hunt down bounties.
Bounty hunting is a regular activity in Freelancer, though the protagonist - Edison Trent - isn't exclusively a bounty hunter, rather than a jack-of-all-trades Freelancer. However, the pulp science fiction story, combined with the sandbox-style gameplay, makes for a consistently compelling experience.
Best Open-World Sandbox Games, Ranked
Players who enjoy more open-ended, sandbox experiences can't go wrong with the following games.