Bayonetta Review

After leaving Capcom following over 10 years of service, Hideki Kamiya, director of Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry and Okami, decided to start up a new company, Platinum Games. His new game, Bayonetta, is a collaboration with Sega and is a game in a similar ilk to Devil May Cry, but with a few notable differences. One, the main character is a sultry female and not a man with white hair. Two, the main character can perform 'Torture Attacks', which allow the players to execute opponents in rather painful ways, like using iron maidens. It all makes for a frantic, action-packed ride, full of angels, witches and lollipops.

After waking up following 500 years of slumber, Bayonetta has lost her memory. All she remembers is that she's a witch, and because of this she hires Enzo, an informant, to help her find out some information about her past. Her search focuses around a red gem that was in her possession upon her awakening, which leads her to seeking out the "Eyes of the World". All the while though, the forces of Heaven are attempting to defeat her and end her existance.

It's a story that doesn't take itself too seriously on the surface, but does have some more serious undertones. Luka, a rogue journalist, plays a very bit-part role in proceedings, but he is also the second most frequent character behind Bayonetta, so it does make the story a bit narrow. It shows too, as rarely narration generally focuses on Bayonetta's quick tongue, rather than anything of real substance. Cutscenes that help to explain proceedings do becomes a lot more frequent as the game progresses though, which is certainly very welcome. The story is told in a nice way though, with a mixture of full motion video and still models, which still have voices playing over the top.

Gameplay is the game's main focal point though, with Bayonetta being able to wield up to four weapons at once using both her hands and feet. These range from suitably designed pistols, to shotguns and even a katana, with guns able to be placed on Bayonetta's ankles for maximum effectiveness. It means that combat essentially boils down to three main buttons: one for guns, one for hand melee, and one for feet melee. Having said that, guns can also be fired as the climax of a combo by holding down either of the melee buttons. It means there are plenty of options available, and the ability to switch between weapon sets on the fly means that there are a lot of possible combinations to cause carnage on the battlefield.

Probably the most important move in Bayonetta's arsenal though, is her ability to actually evade. Enemies are rather unforgiving, especially those whose names are Grace and Glory, or Kinship for that matter, and evading is pretty much the only way that victory will ever happen against the majority of foes in Bayonetta. Going out all guns blazing is a sure-fire way to end up at the game over screen, simply because quite a lot of enemies don't really mind getting slapped around the face by a katana. The key to victory is utilising two of Bayonetta's strengths, which come in the form of Witch Time and Dodge Offset. Normal evasion simply means Bayonetta doesn't get hit, but if evasion is kept to the last second, Bayonetta will enter Witch Time, which is essentially means that enemies are placed in suspended animation for a brief period of time, while Bayonetta is free to exploit this. Some enemies though, are not susceptible to Witch Time, and on Non-Stop Infinite Climax (the hardest difficulty), none of them are. This means that using Dodge Offset is a much more viable route for success, although it requires more mastery. This allows players to enter into a combo, dodge in the middle, and continue the combo after the dodge with a Weave Attack - an attack in which Bayonetta can use her magic to cause considerably more damage. Mastering this really does make for non-stop action, but it does only work with combos that end in a Weave Attack.

It's these small, or perhaps large, nuances that really help to make the game's gameplay stand out. Approaching it like any other beat 'em up just doesn't work, and while the game is quite punishing, towards the end, there is a definite sense of improvement. It's slightly hard to judge after just one play-through as the game's difficulty increases as it progresses itself, but playing through the earlier levels is a lot easier second time around. However, while these elements help to add depth, the actual combat does feel a bit lacking sometimes. There are quite a few combos that can be performed, but there aren't a huge amount that will ever be used, as shown by the loading screen which tells players how much they've used certain moves. There also aren't any new combos which can be unlocked, as only new techniques can be purchased and these are generally singular moves, like being able to do a break-dancing move while firing off rounds from Bayonetta's feet. In that sense, the game is quite lacking. The game tries to get around this with the inclusion of different weapons, as they each have different move sets, but in terms of the store, what's available at the start, is for the most part available at the end. Using different weapons really just boils down to personal preference, the ones unlocked throughout progression aren't any stronger. Accessories are a nice touch, as they do actually change the dynamic and encourage a different play style (i.e. the Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa), but they require a lot of resources to purchase and if players haven't spent wisely, they might end up never getting any of them.

The shop, called the 'Gates of Hell', doesn't really offer that much. Aside from variations of existing weapons, players can also purchase techniques, accessories and items - which can also be made using the concoction system or acquired by playing the end of level mini-game. The currency for the shop, halos, are gained by defeating angelic enemies, but everything is actually quite disproportionately priced. Accessories are extremely expensive, and while they are powerful, if players decided to buy techniques instead, they will simply be priced out. It means that multiple play-throughs are essential to try out different accessories and all the different techniques that Bayonetta can use - something which is disappointing.

Graphically the game is pretty decent and despite lots of action happening on screen the whole time, there aren't any jarring frame-rate issues. Frame-rate issues generally happen much more smoothly, but they are definitely still there, just in a glossed over way. Load times are also quite ridiculous. From death, to getting back into the action can take at least 30 seconds sometimes, but it does give players a chance to try out some new combos on the loading screen. It's during other times that the loading really starts to grate though, like when an item is picked up, or simply trying to access the start menu. Does the game really need to spend five seconds saving a preference which altered camera controls? The issues the game faces certainly aren't a deal breaker, and they don't stop the core gameplay from being enjoyable, but after a while they can get a bit annoying.

Initially, the game offers up three difficulty levels: very easy, easy and normal. The first two actually have some of the gameplays elements done automatically, so normal is the only one that will offer a "true" experience off the bat. Upon completing normal, hard is unlocked and then, Non-Stop Instant Climax mode, which is essentially only recommended for those of a sadistic nature. Thankfully, all of Bayonetta's items, weapons and halos carry on in the next game. There are also leaderboards available, so players can compare their performances with players around the world, and there are Alfheim missions, which are hidden side-quests that offer different scenarios for some rewards.

8

Great

Bayonetta is a solid game, which rewards players for their continued endeavours. Combat is exceedingly deep, with a heavy focus on evasion and counter-attacking, but there does feel like a lack of depth on the offensive side of play. While there are different weapons to use, players can't purchase any new multi-button combos (only techniques) and once they get into a groove, there isn't really any incentive to explore other moves. The shop is also quite frustrating, as without actively trying to obtain currency players can find they miss out on things simply because they didn't spend wisely. The game does have some performance issues, which include exceedingly long loading times, but they certainly aren't a deal breaker, and they don't stop Bayonetta from being an enjoyable title.