Bounty Star preview - A unique hybrid of mech combat and farming sim

Bounty Star is an upcoming title that combines Wild West aesthetics with sci-fi mech action for a distinct combo, and we had the opportunity to go hands-on with it, courtesy of publisher Annapurna Interactive. Developed by DINOGOD, this game puts players in the hardened boots of mech pilot Clem as she survives the rough desert outskirts as a bounty hunter.

Here are our impressions of the demo slice for Bounty Star.

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Bounty Star looks to be a promising marriage of two different genres

Clem has settled down in a quiet piece of land with everything she needs to sustain herself in these challenging conditions (Image via Annapurna Interactive)

After a brief introductory cutscene, Bounty Star gives players control of Clem almost immediately. The game begins at a quaint farmstead, where Clem is trying to start a new life after her troubled military past. After answering a phone call from a friend, the ex-soldier is ready to dive into her daily chores.

The sandbox hub is accessible from the get-go, offering a variety of activities. From watering crops growing at the back of the warehouse to cooking meals to empower Clem's mech during bounties, players are guided through a long checklist of tasks.

A handy shop lets players purchase tools and consumables using in-game currency, while the mech station allows customization of both the mech’s color and its equipment.

This is where the meat of Bounty Star is. As a mecha RPG, the game allows players to equip a range of tools on Clem’s suit, from melee weapons and firearms for offense to support items like a stationary shield generator and a healing module.

Once I had seen everything the hub had to offer, it was time to begin bounty hunting. Interacting with the map in the workshop revealed two bounties for me to undertake: The Full Moon Gang and Bad Business. Both are set in different external areas, where Clem must search for chests with rewards and enemies to take down.

Taking down foes before they get close is the ideal way to avoid trouble (Image via Annapurna Interactive)

What surprised me most was the difficulty of Bounty Star's combat. It has a very Soulslike feel, thanks to hard-hitting and well-telegraphed enemy attacks. While the gunfire and melee options to retaliate with are serviceable, they don't pack a punch. Thankfully, the shield and cooldown healing ability kept me going even in challenging moments.

This is on top of Clem’s maneuverability to dance around those attacks. While a dodge is useful to evade an enemy attack, using the gun-cancel move, initiated by combining the melee strike with primary fire to launch the mech in the air, seemed more handy. Note that all mechs operate on a temperature system, determined by the type of tools equipped, as overheating can be problematic.

If nothing else, the practice range back at the farm offers the opportunity to engage with most of the game's mechanics, except for features not included in the demo, such as jumping.

What felt less polished was the overall layout of the experience. There is no mini-map, and although the levels are self-contained, it is still hard to gather bearings in bland, repetitive-looking environments.

After clearing a bounty target, players can return to base or stick around to fight optional enemies and uncover more hidden treasure chests scattered across the map.

Each level has various collectibles in chests, but otherwise, they are quite compact in size (Image via Annapurna Interactive)

Ultimately, Bounty Star has some neat ideas, but the short time spent with the demo is not enough to determine whether this mecha-adventure is a home run.

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Bounty Star launches on October 23, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S platforms.