Released: Janurary 5th, 2010
Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Action
Oh wow, where to begin? First, you need to extract your mind completely from reality. You'll need to accept the fact that you will be lost and questioning half of the game. On the first play through, the story makes 0 sense until the last 3 missions. To try to put it simply: Bayonetta, the main character, is a witch. She was found at the bottom of a lake in a casket by Enzo, the most annoying character in the universe. Bayonetta has no memories of her former life or how or why she was in a lake. Somewhere along the way, she met up with Rodin, some...demon...merchant guy. When the game starts, the player is treated to a nice, and lengthy, display of action and cheesiness. Bayonetta is spinning around, kicking ass, eating lollipops, and striking model poses complete with lights magically shining on her.
Enzo acts as Bayonetta's informant. He gets get information about a jewel called the Eyes of the World, which she wants just for kicks. Luka, an obsessed journalist, and Cereza, a little girl who thinks Bayonetta is her mother, both come into play as well. Jeanne is another witch, who just pops in and out like a little ninja for almost the entire game with no explanation until the end. The game moves very little story-wise until the very end. You pretty much spend the whole game in the city of Vigrid, fighting angels (the enemies are all forms of angels or floating baby heads) and trying to unlock Bayonetta's lost memories.
The action is what really moves the story along. Bayonetta has access to many techniques and weapons. These are all bought/retrieved from the Gates of Hell bar, which Rodin runs. Each technique can be tried out before you buy. A very useful addition. The bar can be gotten in from certain points in missions, through a red portal, or can be selected before each mission. Bayonetta can wield 2 sets of weapons. One slot can hold a sword and shotguns, and the other slot can hold say...a whip and a rocket launcher. You could easily smack the enemy up in the air with your sword, shotgun him in the face, whip him some, then blast him with the rocket launcher, and all without landing on the ground.
The player have 3 main buttons to attack one. One fires her guns, one is the punch/weapon button, and the other is the kick/lower weapon button. With all the crap you can buy, it'll be required to use all the buttons for your combos. Some attacks even require the dodge button to execute. The attacks range from her just charging to an opponents, sword point first, to her break-dancing on the ground and shooting all 4 of her pistols everywhere.
Along with the normal ass-kicking, Bayonetta has more special ways to slaughter your enemies. Attacking enemies and not getting hit, as it takes it away, builds magic (seen in the upper left hand corner in the form of circles) Once it's full, you can perform special "torture" attacks. Bayonetta will put the particular enemy you've targeted into some sort of torture device, and it's up to you to button mash whatever pops up to build damage. Then there is the super version of that, called "climax" moves which are used only for bosses and special events. Bayonetta strikes a pose, her hair forms into some kind of a demon (which leaves her pretty much nude, as her hair are her clothes), and eats/smashes/rips apart/whatever to the enemy. Which again, requires you to mash a button over and over to increase it's effectiveness. They are normally optional finishing blows, or essential to defeating a boss. Either way, it's still damn cool to see her hair spin around then eat angels.
The other huge part of the game, is Witch Time. Dodging an enemy in the nick of time will enable this. Time will slow down once in Witch Time. The enemies are basically harmless and free to your pounding. There are also special statues spread around the game. Once activated, you'll have to dodge a strike of lighting to enable Witch Time: which will let Bayonetta walk on water or cross doors that close very fast. It's thrilling defeating an enemy, dodging an attack, then just killing his face in. Using Witch Time can change tides so fast. You take advantage of it (which the game will force you to do) and you will win. To assist you in battle, Rodin sells items (you can also create them). Some are offensive that damage enemies, some increase health, some heal you, some restore magic, some make your attacks stronger, and so on and on. Rodin also sells additional things: like "alternative" weapons and costumes. While fighting, the game lets you pick up temporary weapons that have fallen from enemies, adding even more ways to murder angels.
Mind you, the game still has a level of challenge. Monster attacks won't be so easy to dodge soon. You have to watch all around your screen. This sometimes dips into the pool of unfairness. Witch Time is turned off, the monsters do not flinch when you hit them, and they can perform a combo on you that takes away all but a sliver of your health. These instances are very rare though. Bayonetta is nice with it's check points, even going as far as having mid-boss checkpoints. That is just fucking wonderful. The bosses are so epic that I would've hurled my controller into the TV if I had to repeat the ENTIRE fight again. It isn't a cakewalk though, even mid-point, you must watch your back.
Each mission ends with a mini-game called Angel Attack. I ignored this at first and just wasted my ammo away because I was itching to play the actual game. Don't do that. It's a very useful additional and a nice way to get free halos (used as money for The Gates of Hell. Angels drop them too) and items. Angel Attack is an arcade style 1st person shoot 'em game. You have a certain amount of ammo, shoot the angels, and earn points. Points can be spent on buying items or can be exchanged for halos. It doesn't take long and doesn't distract from the game. Ammo for Angel Attack can be found while you're playing. Other neat things, like items, lore to the world of Bayonetta, CD pieces (finding a whole piece earns you a new weapon), and other things can be found. Some are hidden in pots, others are in chests that you just whack to open, and some are rewards to defeating bosses.
Which you will be doing...a lot. Along with the dozens of actual bosses, there are LOADS of mini-bosses scattered around. Some bosses are mid mission, with a mini-boss before, then after the actual boss. Mind you, the actual bosses are impressive. They are huge and dramatic, often requiring Bayonetta to do a climax move to defeat. Expect bosses, expect damage, expect to die. That doesn't mean you go unrewarded. Halos, new special techniques (like being able to walk on walls), and other little things are given.
At the end of each mission, the game scores on how well you did. Each battle you get into is called a "verse". The verses are all given a rank of sorts (bronze, silver, gold) then added up, combined with how many items you used, and how much you died (it stops keeping count after 5), then adds them up to give you 1 of 4 medals. It's similar to Devil May Cry's ranking system. Oh wait, it's exactly like it. In case you don't know, the same guy who directed the original Devil May Cry directed this game. He even took some examples from Devil May Cry 4 to use. Which is why so much of Bayonetta will seem familiar to DMC players. The easier difficulties have an "automatic" mode for people who wish the beat the game using 1 finger. Then once you beat the game, it unlocks harder difficulties. Actually, just beating the game unlocks a ton, such as artwork and music and the best 3 minute cinematic ever.
The missions are very very long, or maybe it just seems that way because of the bosses? Either way, the missions sometimes stray into the "what?" zone. You have no idea where your going, or what your doing, or why it's taking so long for the missile your riding and controlling to reach the island (there are only 2 missions that take you out of the action zone and have you ride something throughout the level). Bayonetta's destinations make little sense at times but that's ok, it's still damn cool and fun. Some of the areas are extremely pretty, such as in a portal you walk into it, and find yourself among floating, grassy islands. Golden spirals serve as bridges and spouts of water shoot up from the ground. You want to stay there until you re-realize you're standing knee-deep in enemy, angel territory. The music is very fitting. Even the battle music is majestic, jazzy, and fits in perfectly with Bayonetta's overall artistic style. Unlike Devil May Cry and it's 3 or so songs, most levels in this game have different music.
The voice acting is great. Each character is distinctly different and charming in their own ways. The characters change and develop, especially Bayonetta, which is what makes this game tie you in. She is attractive, but not for the reason you think. It's her style and personality. The game does rub ass and boobs in your face all the time. She is very sexualized, but it isn't distracting. It's a silly game, similar to Devil May Cry (I wonder why). In no way should it be taken 100% seriously, and it knows this. Anyway, Bayonetta was designed to be elegant, and they succeeded. I didn't even like her that much when I played the demo the first time. I had to hear her speak and move first. She isn't just a hollow character, and it's shown over the course of the game. Of course, I really don't want to give examples as it'd be heading into the spoiler zone.
Bayonetta is a very rewarding game. The items in The Gates of Hell are fucking expensive. Do NOT expect to buy much of anything your first time through. Extra weapons, costumes, and other goodies can be bought after the game has been beaten. This was pretty much done to expand the re-playability, but really the game is so fun there was no need to pull that. The game is also full of other little references to Sega titles and DMC and Viewtiful Joe. Anyway, the entire game is tons of fun and should be a blast for everyone. The ending will make you squeal in joy and leave you wanting more. Bayonetta is a beautiful game, but not flawless.
As I mentioned before, the game is filled with bosses. Bosses are powerful, bosses will hurt you. I imagine a boss will bang you up pretty bad by the time you beat it. Alright, boss is dead, now face hordes of enemies. Hordes of enemies are dead, now face 3 mini-bosses. Now since they're dead, face another boss or the same boss again! There is no way you'll be staying alive. The amount of bosses is ridiculous and tiring at times. Why do we need so many, and especially with no heals? Even if you fight a boss in a flashback, present-day Bayonetta is still hurt. What? Oh, and those who were annoyed with the repeating bosses of Devil May Cry 4, Bayonetta does that times 4. You see a boss once, expect it to be back in some way at least 4 more times. It starts to take away the novelty of "omfg" the first time you saw it. It also becomes a pain when you just spend 5 hours fighting a boss, then you do a normal mission and are just pwning and feeling powerful. Until another boss which will take you another 5 hours of struggling. It takes the feeling of power away, while story-wise, Bayonetta is killing the bosses in a few seconds.
There has been an important issue I haven't talked about yet. Cinematics are shown in 2 different ways. Once is by pictures and film. You are allowed to relax during these. Other ones are shown in real time, and you better be on guard. It will randomly require you to do a quicktime event. Whhhhhhhyyyyyyyy? I'll be sitting there, controller down, watching Bayonetta kicking ass using moves not in the game, then QUICK PRESS O AND TRIANGLE AHHH, and she dies. Why couldn't it at least be 1 button instead of a combination? It's extremely difficult to move your hand all around to press that, but oh wait...you were suppose to press square. Then the game has to reload twice (once loading for the Game Over screen, and again to reload the cinematic) You don't even get to see it all usually because it starts you off right by the quick time event and thus destroys the flow.
It's very disruptive in a boss battle. Your hacking away, then QUICK TRIANGLE AND O. Or you're mashing square for a climax attack, then QUICKKKK TRIANGLE AND SQUARE! and messing up once will either kill you or ruin your awesome attack. The thing is, while you can get used to it, it really sucks to be tense during a cinamatic which should be a time of rest. It also sucks because you have such a short time of hitting those 2 or 1 buttons, and if you slip or don't mash them together at the exact moment, you lose. A small complaint here, but it would be nice if we could change the controls. The dodge button is in an awkward place. It requires you to either quickly take your finger off the targeting button or to move your fingers in an uncomfortable position. But I imagine this is more of a PS3 problem.
Speaking of the PS3, they did patch Bayonetta and added in an install option to fix it's frame rate issues. I installed it right off the bat and have had no issues.
The game pushes you just enough to be little interested, all building up for the climatic end. There are other very tiny problems (like the bad control in some parts of the 2 non-traditional levels), but they are easily ignored. Bayonetta is a must have for both consoles. It's cheesy and loves itself for that. It has that touch of seriousness that keeps you wanting to know more about the story, and leaving you to struggle with it until the very end.
+ Tons of things to buy and weapons to get
+ Bayonetta herself is an outstanding character
+ The music is wonderful
+ The characters are solid and will actually change
+ Some of the environments are gorgeous
+ Full of re-playability
+ The Bosses are epic
-...for the first time.
- Quick Time events
- Didn't I fight this boss already?
- Missions tend to be too lengthy
- and too boss ridden
Bayonetta gets a 4.3+ for the Xbox 360, and a 4.2+ for the PS3.
"Bayonetta or Devil May Cry 4?"
It all depends on what style you want to play as. Devil May Cry 4 tends to be more straightforward. There is little to no mystery. No character change, nothing too major happens. The combat might be more enjoyable depending on who you are. Instead of relying on dodging, it relies on hacking the shit out of the enemy as fast as possible. The two and both similar and yet very different. Personally, I prefer Bayonetta just because it has a much better story and I hate Nero, but that's just me.
