Bounty Bots is a new fast paced multiplayer shooter from MunkyFun; the team that brought us Archetype and My Horse. If you love robots, westerns, guns, and frantic shooters – or any selection of those – then you’ll love this game.

Bounty Bots plays out like a money fuelled version of capture the flag. In a round you have 3 minutes to collect as much of the bounty – in the form of gems and coins – that’s scattered around the map as you can, then take to a vault where it can be safely stored and added to your overall score.  The thing is, the amount of bounty you have will be shown above your head, meaning the more you carry, the more likely you are to become cannon fodder, and as the game accommodates up to 8 players, there is nowhere to hide. The bounty mechanic adds a tactical element to the game. It means that to do well you will have to be aware of your own skill level. You won’t get far if you go around collecting lots of bounty, but find you don’t have the skill to safely transport that bounty back to the bank.  Players must learn to play to their strengths, and the game really accommodates this idea.  No amount of good gameplay could save an online shooter if performance wasn’t up to par though, so allow me to put those worries to bed right now.  Throughout my time with Bounty Bots the game performed well and I never experienced a performance or connectivity issue. The game also felt nicely balanced, and I never seemed to be at a huge advantage, or disadvantage based on class choices.

There are 3 different classes to choose from that all cater towards different play styles. If you like to get up close and personal you can play as a Bushwacker, if you want to be more of an all-rounder then the Duelist is the class for you, or if you want to hang back and pick your targets you will be suited to the Sharpshooter class. Each class has its own unique weapons, and there are plenty to unlock.  You can also choose from a vast array of upgrades and special weapons that will all help your Bot survive in the Wild West.  But wait, there’s more, you can even customise your Bot from a large selection of body types, head types and headgear. It’s easy to see that the team over at MunkyFun wanted to give you the ability to design a Bot that is really unique, it’s safe to say they have succeeded.

To unlock these customisation options you’ll need to spend bounty and badges. Any bounty you earn in game will be added to your balance after the match, and you can earn badges by levelling up. Levelling up will also grant you access to more guns, upgrades and aesthetic options. The game is constantly offering you incentives and rewarding you as a player, meaning you will always want to jump into another game to bag more bounty and get more experience.

Speaking of aesthetics, Bounty Bots has a distinct Pixar-esque style that is present throughout the game. Everything from the menus – which are easily navigated –to the level and character design, and even the not-so-serious weapon descriptions, look and feel great. As a platform, the iDevice is often an outlet for stylised games, and it’s nice to see that here.  

As with most games though, there are some flaws with Bounty Bots. Currently there is only one level on offer, which means eventually you will get bored of experiencing the same environment over and over again. I also noticed a distinct lack of connectivity to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter; something which I have come to expect from any iOS title. The biggest problem however has to be the controls. Now I use the term ‘biggest problem’ to describe the controls, but that doesn’t mean they are broken, it merely means that out of the few flaws, the controls stick out the most noticeable flaw. You control your Bot using two on-screen analog thumbsticks and if you have ever used this method before you will be familiar with the drawbacks it presents .I found that the positioning of the on-screen pads sometimes hindered my turning capabilities, and left me feeling slow or restricted at times. In a hectic shooter, this can be a real problem at crucial moments.  That being said, I was still able to largely overcome this issue and enjoy my time with the game.

I imagine you are wondering how much you’ll have to shell out to try Bounty Bots. The answer is a simple and pleasant one. You’ll pay...absolutely nothing. The game is free on the App Store as it makes money through optional micro transactions. So, if you’re a fan of fun, frantic, and downright addictive shooters, you need to try this game.

This review is based on a copy of Bounty Bots provided by the developer.