9 Legendary Gaming Bounty Hunters Cooler Than Star Wars’ Mando

First popularized by the appearance of Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back, the Mandalorians are among the most iconic groups of bounty hunters across all media. Easily identifiable by their Beskar armor, helmets, and massive jetpacks, Mandalorians have been present in just about every Star Wars-related show, game, or movie in some form or another.

In fact, the most well-known bounty hunter may actually be Mando, also known as Din Djarin, the main character of the TV series The Mandalorian, and co-lead of the recently released The Mandalorian and Grogu. The titular Mandalorian is certainly an exceptional character, and one of the coldest bounty hunters ever to grace the screen.

That said, video games have also been home to a great number of interesting bounty hunters, with many cementing their place as iconic in their own right. While there may be many to choose from, these nine stand out as the coolest of them all.

Geralt (The Witcher Series)

Monsters Aren’t the Only Target

Although Geralt would scoff at someone calling him a bounty hunter, he quite clearly fits the definition in The Witcher games. As a Witcher by trade, he takes on missions to hunt down monsters and break curses for coin. Even beyond monster contracts, Geralt has involved himself in taking down human foes, especially in the games.

Where the book version of Geralt would try to avoid taking on missions that would explicitly involve killing humans, the game version of Geralt plays a bit more loosely with this rule. Many quests that are available to Geralt involve hunting down, killing, or putting a stop to people, with Geralt cutting down Witch Hunters or even bandits along the way.

Geralt maintains his stoic attitude and calm demeanor throughout these contracts, even when confronted with uncomfortable circumstances. If Geralt says he’s arrived to kill monsters, the villains nearby better hope he doesn’t mean them.

Urdnot Wrex (Mass Effect Series)

A Living Legend Among a Dwindling Population

You could count the Krogan of the Mass Effect universe on a short list of the most terrifying organic species you could ever face. They are extremely hardy thanks to their redundant organs, secondary nervous systems, nutrient humps, and thick, armored hides, and their aggressive nature and tenacious attitudes lend them perfectly to the bounty hunter profession.

If a normal Krogan is scary on its own, Battlemasters are Krogan with biotic abilities, meaning they essentially can use magic on top of their physical advantages. Among the Krogan, few possess as much power or command as much respect as Urdnot Wrex, a Battlemaster whose skill with a shotgun matches only his wit.

In Mass Effect, Commander Shepard meets Wrex when both are looking to stop the gang leader known as Fist. If Wrex is in your party, he makes quick work of Fist, gunning him down before any conversation takes place. This is the type of no-nonsense attitude one would expect from one of the most notorious bounty hunters in Citadel space.

Stranger (Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath)

Hunter Turned Protector

As the namesake of the video game Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath, the Stranger is a bounty-hunting Steef, and possibly the very last of his kind. While the image of a bounty hunter often conjures up thoughts of swords and guns, the Stranger utilizes a crossbow that fires creatures rather than arrows to bring down his targets.

The Stranger is a classic example of a stoic hunter, never betraying his thoughts on a situation without cause. He carries himself straightforwardly, listening to others intently while keeping his own voice under wraps unless he needs to speak, and is patient enough to abide every day annoyances in the course of his hunts.

Despite this, the Stranger has a softer side, as well. By the end of the game, he takes up the mantle of protecting the Grubbs, fulfilling his part as a Steef worthy of admiration.

John Marston (Red Dead Redemption Series)

The Hunted Becomes the Hunter

While making his first chronological appearance in Red Dead Redemption 2, John Marston made his name as a notorious bounty hunter in the original Red Dead Redemption. The Van der Linde gang inducted John as a member at a young age, and he became known as an outlaw, committing robberies, kidnappings, and killings in the name of his gang. After falling out with Dutch and later enacting his revenge against other gang members, John leaves to start a family with his wife, hoping to put his past behind him.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t last long, as the chief of the Bureau of Investigation kidnaps John’s family to force him into hunting down his former gang. Unfortunately for his old crew, John is just as capable as ever, taking them out one by one. While John’s ultimate adherence to honor and his ideals largely comes down to player choice, none could ever question his skill with a rifle.

Samus Aran (Metroid Series)

Taking On Intergalactic Missions

Samus Aran is at once both the most recognizable bounty hunter in gaming history and one of the most iconic characters, period. As the lead character of the Metroid series, Samus has made appearances across multiple generations of hardware in dozens of titles. From the original Metroid all the way to the Super Smash Bros. games, Samus has made her name by utilizing powerful weaponry to bring down her targets.

Despite her most iconic look being that of her massive Power Suit, Samus is just as capable outside of it. Her taciturn nature and cold demeanor belie her strength and desire to see the job through. Even when only equipped with her Zero Suit and a Paralyzer, very few targets could ever consider themselves safe from her reach.

Ba’Gamnan (Final Fantasy 12)

Tenacious and Relentless Pursuit

Image: Square Enix via GameRant

Harboring a deep desire to capture the Sky Pirate Balthier, Ba’Gamnan relentlessly hunts down the party in Final Fantasy 12. Hunting alongside his Bangaa siblings Gijuk, Bwagi, and Rinok, Ba’Gamnan will use any means he deems necessary to secure his prey, including kidnapping, bribery, and subterfuge. At one point during the story of Final Fantasy 12, he kidnaps party member Panelo in order to draw out Balthier, though he does let her go when she fulfills her usefulness.

Despite his tenacity and seeming ruthlessness, Ba’Gamnan is not a bloodthirsty monster. He won’t take lives unnecessarily, as he values the hunt above all else. Still, he is not above lying his way into advantageous situations, such as posting fraudulent hunt bills to ambush the party. Despite his repeated failures, Ba’Gamnan is exceptionally resilient, surviving multiple near-death experiences in his pursuit of Balthier and crew.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)


Start

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)Start

Zegram Ghart (Rogue Galaxy)

Loyalty Isn’t Part of the Contract

Despite all appearances, Zegram Ghart is only 26 years old. Yet, he is still a skilled and experienced bounty hunter, joining the Dorgengoa Pirates in Rogue Galaxy on dangerous missions across space. Making his appearance in one of the most underrated JRPGs ever made, Zegram is aloof and seemingly uninterested in growing close to Jaster and the other pirates aboard the ship, and he takes pride in being a lone wolf of sorts.

Zegram loves coin only as much as he loves his former fiancée, Jane. Coin can’t buy you love, so he makes a little fuss over betraying the party when offered an opportunity to resurrect Jane. However, when confronted with the realities of his decision and the nature of the resurrection offered to his former flame, Zegram once again betrays his employer, giving up on reviving Jane and moving on with his life to help Jaster in his adventures.

V (Cyberpunk 2077)

Living for Two

CD Projekt Red’s First-Person masterpiece, Cyberpunk 2077, sees players take on the role of V, a would-be legend of Night City working as a mercenary. V may start as a low-rent gun for hire, but by taking on numerous gigs through various handlers, they built a reputation for being one of the most efficient and badass mercs around.

V is, by all measures, a jack of all trades, master of all. Zeroing targets, espionage, street racing—you name it, V has done it.

But V also embodies the famous quote by Lao Tzu in Te-Tao Ching, “The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long”. Their time on earth is numbered, and the Relic that houses the engram of Johnny Silverhand is slowly eating away at V’s psyche. How that story ends depends on the friends V makes along the way, and who they take with them at the climactic battle against Arasaka.

Sol Badguy (Guilty Gear Series)

The Gear to End All Gears

In the past, people knew Sol Badguy as Frederick, a renowned scientist who worked on improving humanity with his closest friends. After a series of accidents and seeming betrayals, an experiment converted Frederick into a Gear, an artificial being with magical powers and superhuman abilities. Taking up the moniker of Sol Badguy, he ventures out to get revenge against That Man for kidnapping his lover, Aria. To bring him closer to his goal, Sol becomes a bounty hunter, shutting down underworld organizations and destroying all Gears he can find.

While he is certainly terse and at times abrasive in all Guilty Gear appearances, Sol is ultimately a decent man struggling with the weight of his past. Sol can be belligerent and violent, but he remains a deeply intelligent and introspective man, never losing sight of his part in the atrocities that have taken place. And though he doesn’t like to involve himself in matters outside his purview, he is compassionate and stubborn, raising the half-gear Sin and swearing to save the likes of Elphelt despite reservations about doing so.