Sci-fi survival game Starbound (opens in new tab), still one of the best space games on PC (opens in new tab), has finally added bounty hunting. First announced way back in September 2017 (opens in new tab), the 1.4 Bounty Hunter update adds a new Peacekeeper faction aimed at corralling criminals and restoring law and order to the universe. You're their newest recruit.
The gangs you're hunting won't be easy to find. You'll have to follow a trail that leads between planets, picking up clues as you go. Each gang has a final hideout where you fight a boss to complete the bounty.
There are new story missions linked to the update, and if you follow them you'll rise through the ranks of the Peacekeepers, who have snazzy bases set up around the universe. Along with these story missions for specific gangs, the update adds procedurally-generated bounties and criminal gang "microdungeons" to battle through.
Update 1.4 isn't just about bounty hunters, though: it adds rare elemental variants of certain monsters, and you're encouraged to catch them and add them to your Rare Pets collection.
It also introduces plenty of new items including drones, seven new weapons, a mining laser, and eight new armor pieces. You'll find plenty of new furniture, too, much of which is related to the Peacekeepers.
The full list of new monster variants, items and furniture can be found in the patch notes (opens in new tab). I haven't touched Starbound for years, but this may well draw me back for at least a few hours.
Thanks, RPS (opens in new tab).
