Bayonetta Review
Bayonetta does not shy away from being over-the-top and out of this world but if you can look past the madness then Bayonetta is a solid action game that is a thrill to play and watch.
If I said that walking on walls, riding motorcycles in the air and using hair as your weapon where all primary features of Bayonetta then I would still not be doing justice to how crazy and over-the-top this game is. Sometimes I had to pause the game for a few seconds just to regain my sanity. Of course I mean all these things in a positive sense. Bayonetta is a thrill to play and watch but if you are too grounded then believing and even comprehending some of the moves Bayonetta herself pulls off may just be enough to put you off the game.
At the beginning of Bayonetta you are treated to one of the most amazing cut scenes in the history of games, however after you may be wondering what was actually all on about. It is only until about the last third of the game that the story will make some sort of sense. All you are given at the start is that there are three realities, Purgatorio, Inferno, and Paradiso. Two orders have watched over these worlds and it plays out as a light versus dark story, the Umbran Witches being the dark side and the Lumen Sages being the light side. Then there is Bayonetta, a witch who has been awoken after 500 years and has no memories of her past. From here the story reveals Bayonetta's past as she fights for a stone. Putting it like that doesn't sound too original or interesting but when things start piecing together in the later half of the game it takes a different turn. However, I would say that the game does outlive its welcome, as the final portions of the game will have you fighting not only all the previous boss battles but also two new figures and each are as demanding as the last making the final parts of the game more of a trek than necessary.
Bayonetta follows the similar formula that has been laid down by other 'hack 'n' slash' games in the past such as Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden. You are presented the story in 18 chapters and you must follow a linear path through a level hacking everything in your path, with the occasional boss battle at the end of a chapter. Along the way health herbs can be collected as well as Halos which is the games currency for buying upgrades from the Gates of Hell shop. Here you can get your usual weapons upgrades, items and new combos. Everything Bayonetta does from a blueprint view is very familiar however the way it executes these are like nothing you have seen before.
Fighting is still a very big focus for Bayonetta and she can pull of all sorts of aerial, ground and torture attacks that can be strung together for combos. This is nothing new but the animations are fluid and smooth, even if sometimes you cannot see what moves are being done due to the chaos on screen. There is also a mode w hich can be activated after evading an enemies attack called 'witch time'. This will slow down time and the game not only uses it for the combat side but also for puzzles such as having to slow down time so that you can run on water or cross a collapsing bridge. These puzzle elements pop up a couple of times during the game but Bayonetta does not shy away from the combat, combat and more combat formula which has worked for other games in the genre before.
Bayonetta can also pull off torture attacks which are devastating attacks that she can perform after filling up her magic bar. These can range from her summoning Iron Maidens or Guillotines to taking a chainsaw and sawing through the enemies. Climax events are much larger attacks that only occur during boss battles. This will see Bayonetta summon her hair to take on a demonic form and devour the boss or enemy.
As well as these attacks you will also have the chance to ride a motorcycle, run up walls and also turn into a wolf to gain speed to evade incoming attacks and also scale buildings faster. There is also an element to the game called Concoctions where you can create your own special lollipops or healing herbs so that you do not have to spend all your Halo's on health and enhancements for Bayonetta.
The games overall look and style is one of the reasons I loved the game. Performing the bigger attacks will remove hair from her body and render her nearly completely naked, and that isn't the only reason I liked the game. The enemies will take damage and loose armour when hit with a powerful attack and the over-the-top cinematic cut scenes are a sight to behold. The animations flow well and the voice acting suites each one of the characters. Speaking of the characters Bayonetta as the main protagonist fills the role well as a story female character, but I found that the side cast including the slightly annoying Luka as forgettable and the only one which got stuck in my head was Rodin who sells the items at the Gates of Hell store. The game has a certain soundtrack which is not easily forgettable. The song ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ takes the lead of crazy Japanese sounds and songs in this game but as the game is already so mad I can’t take anything away from the soundtrack.
I have purposely avoided talking about the fact that this is a Japanese title as it is obvious from the main character, to the dialogue and the overall feel. So you must take this into consideration when playing this game as the Japanese are not afraid to explore the supernatural and perform it in a style that you can look at in three ways. One, you will accept it and revel in the glory of it. Two, you will laugh at it but enjoy in a subconscious way. Three, you will hate it.
If you can just accept the game for what it is you will find a solid action game that provides a fun story even if it does drag on near the end. There is no hesitation to how Bayonetta presents itself and to be honest I would not have it any other way. This has to be the best way to start off 2010, with a huge naked bang. No pun intended.
Video Review
For more reviews from me head to here or my Giant Bomb page.
