E3 2002: Star Wars Bounty Hunter preshow report

LucasArts will give Star Wars fans the opportunity to play as Jango Fett, the father of one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars saga, Boba Fett, in Star Wars Bounty Hunter. A third-person action adventure game, Bounty Hunter will focus on events that will provide background on Fett's place in the Star Wars universe and his involvement in the production of the clone army.

The game's plot centers on Fett's search for the leader of a mysterious cult. His task is complicated by the appearance of a rival from his past who is equally intent on finding the cult leader and collecting the sizeable bounty. The search will span 18 levels broken up over six worlds, and it will focus on combat and action. In addition to his old rival, Fett will come up against a variety of foes including crime lords, corrupt politicians, and enemies of various species. While the list of enemies is long and varied, Fett will be far from helpless. In addition to his battle armor, Jango will have access to a small arsenal of weapons that includes dual blaster pistols, a flamethrower, missiles, and a jetpack that will be an integral part of gameplay.

The game's graphics will feature a mix of sights familiar to fans of the Star Wars saga, new locations seen in Attack of the Clones, and original areas created for the game. The graphics engine is serving up impressive visuals that faithfully re-create the sights and sounds of the Star Wars universe. Bounty Hunter's production quality is kept high thanks to the involvement of ILM, who is producing the game's cinematics, and Skywalker Sound, who is creating sound effects for the game. The involvement of both companies marks the first time the LucasArts' sister companies have both contributed to a game, and it has had a positive impact on the game's aesthetics.

Bounty Hunter is slated to ship this fall for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. Look for a hands-on from the E3 show floor.