Bayonetta Review
By - Craig H.
"What the...?" will be the first thought going through your head when you get started with Bayonetta. Bayonetta is insane and does not shy away from it. It is over-the-top from the main character having guns strapped to her feet and blowing kisses to open up doors to the bizarre creatures that you meet throughout the game you will be uttering under your breathe "What the...?" throughout the entire game. This is partly why the game is so intriguing and once you start playing you don't want to stop because you have to see what's around the next corner (and even go back to see them again). Add fantastic controls and you have a stellar experience.
The game is developed by Team Little Angels of Platinum Games under the direction of Hideki Kamiya, the man behind Okami, Viewtiful Joe and the original Devil May Cry (thus, the similarity in gameplay). The company, Platinum Games, as a whole is home to 85 employees total so this quality of game coming from a small (independent) studio is commendable.
Bayonetta's story is based on the premise of good vs. evil (in this case, light vs. darkness). The Umbra Witches and Lumen Sages are the controllers of these two realms. They were peaceful until a war breaks out between them leaving Bayonetta the only Umbra Witch remaining. The story is mainly about Bayonetta hunting for the truth and killing anyone (or thing) that is in her way. The story is not the best but it keeps you intrigued enough for you to continue to pay attention.
The combat is where Bayonetta shines. The combat is fluid and intuitive and makes it easy for new comers (or those not good at other games in this genre i.e. Devil May Cry) to pick up and play but takes a lot to master. There are limitless possibilities when it comes to combos and the loading screen acts as a practice zone for you to get the timing down or to just try out new moves (this screen can be prolonged by pressing the back button). Along with the standard attacks once your meter is full you can do "Torture Kills" that are more or less instant kills of enemies in an over the top, and totally awesome, manner. These include a guillotine and a coffin full of nails of which the enemy gets kicked into. These kills never get old and are incredibly fun to watch. Lastly, when you finish off a boss you will be prompted to do a "Climax" kill which involves your hair, which is also your clothing, unraveling to form a giant creature that devowers/destroys that particular boss ( I am not kidding, I could not make this up even if I tried). The climax moves are handled via a quick time event so watch closely once you activate them.
Beyond the attacks, and possibly most important aspect of the combat, is dodging. I know how some people hate dodging they want to just shoot, slice and kill everything but Bayonetta rewards you for your precision with your dodges through a feature call "Witch Time". This feature is accomplished by pulling off a dodge right before an enemies attack hits you. When properly done your enemies will almost freeze and you will be able to hit them with multiple strikes for a short period of time while you move super fast. When you are fighting multiple enemies or tougher bosses Witch Time can come in real handy.
There are a variety of different enemies that you will encounter and are impossibly to describe (these are those "What the....?" moments). They range from small flying heads to giant building size bosses. An area that Bayonetta sets itself apart is the fact that they cleverly reuse enemies. A "boss" that you encounter in one section will just be another enemy in another (or even 2 or 3 at the same time). Since you beat them once you know how to kill them you now have to juggle them with other enemies at the same time.
Throughout the game you can upgrade Bayonetta's weapon arsenal by purchasing upgrades from the bar/shop run my Rodin, a demonic bartender and arms dealer. These purchases are done through the exchange of "Halos" or what I like to call “Sonic Rings” (when you play you will know what I mean). Different enemies and objects (such as smashing a park bench, etc) will drop these for you to collect. These upgrades include shotguns, katanas and other weapons to kill your opponents with. This is also where you can buy life and other replenishes through lollipops (I can't make this stuff up). When your health gets low just have a sucker.
Bayonetta is completely off the wall and a nonstop action ride that will have you playing through it over and over. Loads of unlockables and intriguing gameplay will keep you coming back for more. Nothing left to say besides, “Play This Game!”. If you have a 360 or PS3 at least give it a try.
RATING: 8.5
