Boot Hill Bounties

About

Boot Hill Bounties is a single player and multiplayer role playing game. It was developed by Experimental Gamer Studios and was released on December 14, 2017. It received very positive reviews from players.

In "Boot Hill Bounties," Bronco County is on the brink of war due to a conspiracy, and it's up to Kid, Doc, Moon, and Rosy to hunt down five legendary outlaws to save their homes. This 2D retro RPG set in the Wild West supports single player or up to four player local co-op, and it's the second episode in a game series that can be played without prior knowledge of the first game. The game's design and development took six years to complete.

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Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 21 reviews

story11 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Boot Hill Bounties features a compelling story with rich character development and humor, making it engaging for players who enjoy narrative-driven RPGs.
The game introduces new mechanics such as a hat-based job system and cooking, which add depth to the gameplay and allow for strategic combat options.
The developer is responsive to player feedback and has shown dedication to improving the game, resulting in a significant upgrade from its predecessor, Boot Hill Heroes.

The game suffers from bugs and technical issues, including soft locks and minor crashes, which can disrupt the gameplay experience.
Some characters and story elements rely on outdated stereotypes, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and can be off-putting for players.
The art style and graphics are inconsistent, with some elements appearing low-quality or poorly designed, particularly in battle scenes.

story
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
76%
5%
The game's story is characterized by a blend of humor and serious themes, offering a compelling narrative that allows players to choose their quest order, enhancing engagement. While it features a paint-by-numbers approach reminiscent of classic RPGs, it successfully incorporates character development and a rich world, though some players may find the ending unsatisfying due to unresolved plot threads. Overall, it serves as a charming gateway RPG with a well-crafted story that leaves room for future installments.
- “Following where Boot Hill Heroes leaves off, Boot Hill Bounties brings back the exceptional soundtrack and storytelling that makes this series one worth getting into.”
- “The story is serious but still finds ways to inject humor; it has a nice balance.”
- “Unlike the first game, all of the bounties are available for pursuit in any order, but each bounty's arc must be resolved before moving on to another, with side quests unlocked each step of the way.”
- “It's just very paint-by-numbers storytelling, which isn't a bad thing if done well, like the first How to Train Your Dragon movie.”
- “While the story concludes reasonably well, it can feel a bit anticlimactic in terms of gameplay, although that may vary depending on which quest you choose to tackle last.”
- “The only reason these extra features bother me is that it takes away from the real star of Boot Hill Bounties: the storytelling.”
gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The gameplay is characterized by a charming blend of RPG mechanics, strong writing, and humor, though it suffers from pacing issues due to unnecessary flashbacks and minor technical glitches. Players appreciate the satisfying loop of main quests and side activities, but some find the overall experience lacks depth outside of combat, with a reliance on synergy between party members that can feel simplistic. While the game draws inspiration from classic titles like Chrono Trigger and Earthbound, it may not fully innovate within its genre, leading to a mixed reception regarding its gameplay complexity.
- “Overall charming game with a good story, humor, and enjoyable gameplay.”
- “A wild west themed RPG with strong writing and mechanics deep enough to keep you interested without drowning you.”
- “Synergy between companions’ skills (vantages) makes up the gameplay where party members rely on buffs, status effects, etc. to get through as a team.”
- “Bogged down by unnecessary flashbacks when getting a new party member to catch up newcomers to the series kills the momentum of the gameplay by bringing it to a standstill.”
- “While the story concludes reasonably well, it can feel a bit anticlimactic in terms of gameplay, although that may vary depending on which quest you choose to tackle last.”
- “Outside of combat, however, is where the gameplay’s shallowness begins to show.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The music in "Boot Hill Bounties" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating the exceptional soundtrack that enhances the game's storytelling and atmosphere. While some tracks are reused and not all are groundbreaking, the overall quality and charm of the music grow on players throughout the game, contributing to its unique Wild West JRPG experience.
- “Following where Boot Hill Heroes leaves off, Boot Hill Bounties brings back the exceptional soundtrack and storytelling that makes this series one worth getting into.”
- “In short, Boot Hill Bounties is a western-themed JRPG with a unique combat system that makes it ideal for local co-op, 20+ hours of playtime, and amazing music.”
- “Active-time based combat and a hat-based job system with limited attacks like Pokémon makes for an incredible mix I didn't know I wanted. The writing is great, the characters are lovable, and the music is excellent.”
- “I have to tell you that this doesn't conclude the saga, and there aren't many new soundtracks.”
- “A lot of the music is reused too, but thankfully, it is very good.”
- “The music.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The graphics in the game show a significant improvement over its predecessor, featuring more detailed 2D visuals and enhanced character portraits that highlight finer details. While some assets are reused, the overall art style is praised for its creativity, effectively balancing a whimsical aesthetic with mature themes. However, some users noted issues with smeared graphics and stereotypical character designs.
- “The art style is much better in this sequel, as is the music.”
- “The quality of the game is also top notch, and while the art style of the characters may look a bit goofy at times, the enemies look fantastic.”
- “Its novelty setting is plagued by retreads of older plots, unskippable dialogue, old-timey stereotypical characters, and smeared-looking graphics.”
- “As for graphics, everything has been touched up from the first game, with portraits being added for many of the important characters, allowing you to see the smaller details of their characters.”
- “The adultness of the world is handled surprisingly well with the kiddie visuals and perspectives as the game explores themes of war, racism, violence, religious institutions, and other matters that fit the western times.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring amusing campfire ghost stories, funny enemy encounters, and witty dialogue. Reviewers highlight the charm of the game, noting that its humor enhances the overall enjoyable gameplay experience.
- “Whatever the case may be, the game does manage to actually be funny with its campfire ghost story.”
- “A lot of the enemy encounters and combat abilities were also pretty funny.”
- “Funny dialogue, good combat, tons of variation in locations and enemy types.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that while the game offers a variety of activities like farming, weapon-modding, and cooking, these elements often feel like mere meters for increasing options rather than providing meaningful depth. The grinding aspect is particularly criticized for being repetitive, as farming primarily serves to gather resources for selling rather than enhancing gameplay. Overall, those expecting a rich JRPG experience intertwined with farming mechanics may find the grinding aspect disappointing.
- “However, skills (farming, weapon buffing, cooking, etc.) are simply meters increasing the number of options to do the same thing.”
- “Lastly, if you were expecting BHB to be a JRPG mixed with Stardew Valley/Harvest Moon, then farming will disappoint you the most; it’s simply farming for extra resources to sell.”
- “And with farming, weapon-modding, cooking, riddles... even outside of battle, there's still a ton to do.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
- “Nor is it a particularly clever way to do things since it feels more like an advertisement for the first game in the series.”
- “A schoolhouse full of riddles, lockboxes with hidden clues to find the combination, ads requesting help in the paper, help your mom upgrade the farm, and so much more (from the end credits I noticed I missed quite a few of them).”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Character development in the game is highly praised, reminiscent of classic Bioware titles, with a strong emphasis on player choice that influences the story's direction. Each main character is given depth through vignettes that enhance the narrative experience across various branching paths.
- “I was reminded of the good old Bioware days with the character development and the freedom to choose the route that the story unfolds on.”
- “This effect is largely the result of how much the game emphasizes character development for every main character, with vignettes behind every branching path.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful growth for the characters; their arcs felt predictable and uninspired.”
- “Despite the potential for rich storytelling, the character development is inconsistent and often leaves key moments unexplored.”