One of the greatest aspects of video games is not only the ability to experience a story as the protagonist but to immerse oneself in the world with a specific profession. Some games are enhanced by the ability to role-play and immerse the player into a deeper world.
One such profession that is greatly admired in fiction is that of a bounty hunter. The ability to track and hunt sentient prey for money feels like something out of a western. Some games allow players to fully realize themselves as bounty hunters, and with a sense of great fun.
Updated January 15, 2023, by Jake Fillery: Bounty hunting is an iconic profession in video games that fans have adored roleplaying for years. The concept of being a trained hunter and killer is not a healthy practice in real life, but in video games, it adds to the infinite possibility of harmless entertainment. Over the years, developers have continued to provide players with interesting and exciting bounty hunter opportunities. Whether it’s in a fantasy setting or based upon the modern world, it’s really quite thrilling, and there are plenty of games to get that bounty hunter fix.
11 Hitman
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5){kind=tracking}
Agent 47 may be more of an assassin than a bounty hunter, but the principles are still the same. Get given a target for a reward, hunt them down, and kill them. The Hitman games are great at letting players become assassins and bounty hunters, as they carefully navigate and plan their way through the well-designed levels and maps to reach their target.
In the Hitman games, the player is provided with so many unique ways and opportunities to get rid of their target. Whether they make it look like an accident, or just straight-up shoot them in the face, Hitman has a style for everyone who wants to roleplay as a bounty hunter.
10 Skyrim
Few games can provide a sense of immersion and roleplay ability quite like Skyrim. In this fantasy game, players can become whatever they want, and choose their own faction and playstyle. As the Dragonborn, the player seems to be able to walk into any situation as the main character of every story, and with great effect.
There’s a faction in Skyrim called the Dark Brotherhood, and joining them allows the player to take on bounties from quest NPCs. Players will become fearful bounty hunters, killing for reward, and bringing death to Tamriel.
9 Hunt: Showdown
It seems that the entire point of Hunt: Showdown is to roleplay as a bounty hunter. The game is a tactical and high-stakes PvPvE game, in which players will hunt each other and AI enemies for bounties amongst an infested and desolate Bayou. Players can make teams with players, or choose to play alone with an array of weapons, traps, and skills.
With the tactics of Hunt: Showdown, players can immerse themselves in a very dangerous and intense bounty hunter game, and they can create their own bounty hunter to their specifications. Whether it’s alone or in a group, glory, and gore are certainly at the forefront.
8 Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor
As an action-adventure game, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor is set in the acclaimed Lord of the Rings universe created by J. R. R. Tolkien. The game follows Talion, a captain of the rangers of Gondor, who tragically fell in Mordor. Talion awakens; resurrected and bound to Celebrimbor to wreak vengeance across Mordor.
The game features a unique Nemesis system, where Uruk-hai can kill Talion and each other to rise through the ranks. This system allows Talion to seek out high-ranking Uruk to hunt and kill them for reward and to put fear into the hearts of Mordor’s villainy.
7 Fallout: New Vegas
There’s a lot of love for Fallout games, but Fallout: New Vegas still has people wishing away a nuclear winter over 12 years later. The game has the player venturing through the Mojave wasteland as the Courier, a player-created protagonist. There’s immense freedom in this action role-playing game.
The game features a variety of missions where players can kill other people for bottle caps. With the assistance of mods, this experience is bolstered tenfold, as players will be able to embark on player-created bounties that can test their abilities to the fullest.
6 Dishonored
Perhaps less of a bounty-hunting game, and more of an assassin game, Dishonored features an immersive first-person action game. The player will experience the story of a supernatural assassin, driven only by revenge. Corvo Attano was the royal protector of the beloved Empress. Framed for assassination, Corvo must escape and hunt down those that had a hand to play in usurping the government of Dunwall.
Despite being a game about assassins, there are a few missions that will immerse the player as a bounty hunter. Players can choose to lethally or non-lethally take down their enemies, or even embark on certain side quests for money or favors.
5 Fortnite
As one of the leading Battle Royale games, Fortnite continues to evolve. Every season of Fortnite introduces something new and exciting for returning players to the highly addictive game. One of these new features is the ability to bounty hunt.
Players can task themselves with hunting real players on the large Fortnite island and reward themselves with elimination to shorten the supply of players and a bounty of gold to spend on weapons, gadgets, and upgrades. After all, who doesn’t want to play as Darth Vader and hunt Ezio Auditore?
4 Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
When fans first watched Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones, many of them were excited to learn more about Boba Fett’s father, Jango Fett. Jango was a famed bounty hunter in the galaxy far, far away but was struck down by Jedi Master Mace Windu. Luckily for gamers, Jango’s story preludes in Star Wars: Bounty Hunter.
The game brings Star Wars fans into the gritty underworld of the criminal enterprise. Players can check their visors to see if any bounties are hiding amongst the NPCs while entering an engaging story filled with intrigue.
3 Grand Theft Auto Online
A gaming experience that remains on the top-selling list even after nine years, Grand Theft Auto Online never runs out of content for gamers to enjoy. Since its release, players have been able to put bounties on each other. Killing other players with a bounty grants the victor a monetary reward, as well as annoys the other player, making it a win-win.
Players are also able to use the in-game smartphone to call up iconic Grand Theft Auto characters and request missions. Some of these missions involve actively hunting NPC characters that can be found around the map. Players will need to be careful though, as other players will be alerted and will be rewarded for defending the NPC.
2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Despite the fate of the world depending on the safety of Geralt’s daughter, Ciri, players can enjoy a few side activities as Geralt the Witcher. Even though the story of The Witcher 3 revolves around the Wild Hunt and their quest for Ciri’s power, players can enjoy simpler times with Gwent and experience what being a Witcher is about.
It may not be the truest form of bounty hunting, but killing and resolving issues that involve monsters and a silver blade is quite the bounty-hunting activity when money is involved. There’s a lot of witching to be done and a lot of fun to be had.
1 Red Dead Online
Bounty hunting feels like the purest experience of being a legendary gunslinger in the old west, and Red Dead Online rekindles that experience. The player can purchase a bounty hunter license and, from there, begin their journey as a bounty hunter through their means. There’s a lot of exciting content for bounty hunters in Red Dead Online.
Players can experience a great set of replayable missions that involve hunting fiends and crooks. These can range from men who frolic with wolves in the wild or criminals that use strong narcotics to make their victims hallucinate. Or, if players have a bounty on them, other players can hunt them down for the price on their heads.