Bayonetta Review

January 6th, 2010

 

 

Bayonetta is a title we have been waiting for since Devil May Cry 4. The developers collected all the best elements from DMC4 and took it to the next level.  The title character, Bayonetta, is a shape-shifting witch who uses various firearms, magical attacks, and special climax moves with her own hair to annihilate her foes.



Saying that Bayonetta is large scale game is really an understatement. The way the game starts really drops your jaw and for some moments it's hard to believe that it's actual gameplay. There is really no boring moments in this game, it picks up at full speed and continues on turbo the rest of the way. Everything from the music, over the top art direction, and intense combat completely stand out in Bayonetta. The graphics are superb and very fluid. Again, there are going to be moments where you won't believe that it's all in-game. You get a linear story that moves along quickly and some of the scenarios you play through are incredible imaginative. Cutscenes are represented as vintage footage and and In-game cutscenes look spectacular.  Above all else, the fighting sequences are very memorable and visually unforgettable. The enemies have been very well designed and their combat skills are varied as you progress. You'll find some of the most intense battles in this game and you'll love kicking ass with Bayonetta. This game has some huge boss battles.  Every time you encounter one of them you are sitting there looking at your screen thinking "holy crap". However once you finally break every boss down piece by piece and finally hit your Climax, it is a very satisfying feeling (get it?). Puzzles in this game aren't tedious and take short time for to figure them out. Some of them you'll get a kick out of. The dialogue in this game is decent but can get cheesy at times. Bayonetta has a sexy voice that I can hear all day long and most of everything she says isn't over the top. I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the music in the game, which is awesome. You have tracks like "Fly me to the moon" remixed to be upbeat and catchy, along with original music that seem taylor made for this game. I loved all the music that was in this game. The soundtrack is 5 cd's people! 



The combat and counter system is where the game shines. There are so many moves you start with, including the ability to take and temporarily use enemy weapons, which in turn give you more moves. Countering in this game is really fun.  Precise countering will give put you in "Witch Time" which slows down the enemies to a near pause as you unleash powerful attacks. Some tougher enemies in the game will only be defeated by using "Witch Time" so make sure you master your timing. Platinum Games really polished this title and it's evident as soon as you pop in the game and play through the experience. I played through the game with minimum breaks because the combat kept me entertained and never really got stale. The controls took very little time for me to get used to. even though they might seem a little complex at first. Bayonetta also has "torture attacks" in her arsenal. You gain torture attacks by completing combos and not getting hit. The better the combo, the quicker you can fill your meter to unleashed a devastating attack on your enemy, dispatching them instantly. Most successful combos will end with massive witch punches or kicks. The games difficulty level escalates as you play through. Enemies get bigger, stronger, and more intense. For each new enemy you come across there will be a brief pause with a full on introduction to the character. Upgrading in this game is a huge plus because there is no way you can max yourself out with only one playthrough, hence adding replay value. You simply visit Rodin in the Gates of Hell to buy weapons, accessories, techniques, items, and Rodin's treasures which are only some of the things that you can upgrade. You have to play well if you want to become powerful. There are many portals throughout the game that take you to Rodin and the option to visit him is available in between missions. There is a mini game in-between many of the missions called "Angel Attack" where you have limited ammo (depending on how many you find during your mission) to take out enemies. Depending on how well you do, you can choose to buy items or exchange your points for gold.



There is so much more to say about this game. If you pick up Bayonetta, we can only hope that you enjoy it as much as we did. The game took me about thirteen hours to beat, and for an action-adventure game, the pacing was spot-on from beginning to end. I have friends who completed the game in sixteen or more hours so it varies from gamer to gamer. Will I play Bayonetta again? Of course. I look forward to playing through the game again on a harder difficulty and really having fun mastering my combat skills. We highly recommend this game to anybody looking for a fast paced, action-adventure title that is original and fresh. If you happen to be a Devil May Cry fan then this game is a must.



By Avik Sogoyan

Submitted by: theprofessor29