Bayonetta

5 Responses to Bayonetta

1. 

   hellfire on September 3, 2010 at 10:55 am

   Review by hellfire for Bayonetta
   Rating:
   check your brain, sense of reality, and expectations at the door. bayonetta is something else.

   it’s ridiculous, knows its ridiculous, and completely revels in it. from her exaggerated sexy catwalk gait, to the way she kisses barriers away, to the fanservice ‘photo op’ moments at the end of certain combos, to the way her clothes disappear as you pull off a powerful combo (because her hair not only forms her clothes, but also her most powerful weapons, *of course* they’d get used up when she does something powerful), to the nonsensical plot and cast of characters, to the over the top violent eviscerations…bayonetta is a real gamer’s delight…if you have the right mindset. i personally couldn’t stop grinning and laughing through the game.

   + everything about this game screams quality (one might argue the script is 2nd grader-quality, but i’d argue it was intentionally so).
   
   + massive amounts of combos so novices can’t help but pull off cool stuff, but also tons of depth so the gamers that want to be *great* can be. there are some tricky combos that can be strung together that are insanely cool – see youtube.
   
   + not quite as hard as the devil may cry series or ninja gaiden…a bit more approachable, if you can handle the chaos on screen.
   
   + NOT FOR KIDS. seriously. cussing, partial/implied nudity, violence.
   
   + hilarious soundtrack. from jazzy-j-pop to orchestral, very unique.

   quick tips
   
   - don’t spam the dodge button. you’re doing it wrong. just like radiant silvergun or bullet-dodgers of the past, you have to focus on where your character is and who’s about to hit you. THEN press the dodge button.
   
   - don’t button mash. learn the combos, especially the immediate wicked weave ones (e.g. heel stomp). if you can summon those on cue, you won’t have as much trouble fighting the flaming enemies (they hurt you if you hit them directly)
   
   - you don’t have to finish the game to grind. pressing RB at chapter end lets you re-play any previous chapters. chapter 2 is great for grinding halos early on.
2. 

   Cloud on September 3, 2010 at 11:26 am

   Review by Cloud for Bayonetta
   Rating:
   Though I consider 2011 technically the start of the new decade, Bayonetta along with Darksiders has been branded the first games of the new decade, the rip-roaring start to what should be a fantastic year yet an unbelievably crowded first 4 months of 2010. Bayonetta, developed by Platinum Games who worked on Viewtiful Joe and Okami, have basically made what people want to describe as the “action genre evolved”, the new standards to which the next Devil May Cry or God of War have to live up to. While there’s definately some moments that I can legitimately say no game has ever done for, there’s other parts where I lament its inclusion or wish something was tweaked so it wasn’t a certain way. Essentially the game, unless you’re an action-game master, might be a tad too difficult for people with nimble reflexes, good understanding of the combat and some rare instances of almost needing clairvoyance to avoid the “where’d that come from?” deaths. For in Bayonetta you have one of the most fluid battle systems to be in a game, you also have trial-by-death moments, a tonally-off storyline and parts that don’t give the game any favors. Least we’ll get one hell of a sequel though. Possibly.

   Story: You play as Bayonetta, an Umbran Witch part of a clan that’s more or less on the “bad side” which wars against the forces of Heaven, or the Lumen Sages. Having been re-awakened after 500 years of being sealed away with no memory, Bayonetta embarks on a quest to discover her past, her connection to a little girl named Cereza and artifacts known as the “Eyes of the World”. The problem with the game as a whole as far as its story is concerned is that its hard to tell when the game is taking itself seriously and when it’s poking fun so the game is either really serious with slapstick thrown in or satire/comedy with odd pathos moments mixed in. Not to mention for some people it might be hard to follow and outside of Bayonetta herself, the characters aren’t incredibly likable but like Devil May Cry, story is just an aside to the action.

   Graphics: Graphically, the game isn’t quite a “holy ****!”-esque stunner but the game is very-well animated with the character animations for moves, certain levels such as Paradiso levels looking flat-out gorgeous while enemy designs, especially bosses, are imposing, weird and screen filling. In fact there’s one boss in the game that practically eclipses the final boss of Shadow of the Colossus and that guy was a tower. But then the game does do this weird stylistic thing where cutscenes play out more like animated comic strips with no lip-sync but just a character pose and lines of dialogue which jets around to another frame to present another look at the cutscene. It’ll either be cool or just…weird.

   Sound/Music: Another oddball soundtrack which combines jazz and epic orchestral themes and part of it just doesn’t work. While we’re a long ways to the awful metal track that permeated through Devil May Cry, at times you’ll hear a nicely done orchestral theme and then you run right smack into a jazzy theme and yes, even a J-pop song and unlike some games which usually one J-pop theme with the main type of music throughout, it goes back and forth so much and the music itself might not seem that memorable either. Voice acting also is somewhat stilted and while Bayonetta and the character Jeanne are nicely done, everyone else is kind of ridiculous and the mastermind behind the whole ordeal is so droll in his voice and thanks to a long cutscene, you might be in a snooze before you realize you gotta fight the dude.

   Gameplay: Bayonetta is similar to Devil May Cry’s battle system where a certain command is used to start a move as opposed to say Ninja Gaiden or God of War which was a combination of X/Square and Y/Triangle but here, there’s things like “tap forward twice and Y” or “rotate left analog and B” but what makes Bayonetta work as an action game is just how well it works and God of War 3 does have its work cut out for it because I’ll be honest with you, I button mash God of War yet I learn Bayonetta/Devil May Cry systems. One especially useful tactic is Witch Time where if you press RT when you’re about to get hit you activate a bullet time for a few seconds which allows you unfettered access to wail on enemies without fear of being attacked though strangely as you progress in the game certain enemies aren’t even affected by Witch Time and you just dodge the move regularly. In addition, Bayonetta has guns and unlike DMC’s candy shooting pistols, they’re nicely useful here and with guns strapped to her feet and held in her hands, that’s 4 guns to use on enemies and it’s fun to “breakdance” and just spin around on the floor and shoot everything in sight. And you can also buy abilities that’ll change you into different forms such as the Panther (a fast runner and quick getaway in battle), Crow (a flight-based attacker that flies for a bit) and Bat (click RT when you’ve just gotten damaged and you turn into a bat, negating that damage though I can never get the timing down). All in all, there’s a huge arsenal of moves to use and with a loading screen acting as a training ground with move lists ready to be read and used, it’s fairly easy to pick.

   That being said, Japanese game developers, especially when it comes to action games tend to be, well, a lot more better than the average player and at times it feels like that’s how the game was made, a game for experts. Granted there is an easy and very easy mode but for most people, Normal tends to be the default and when you’re getting your ass handed to you regularly in normal encounters, bosses that are very cool and inventive but some take way too long (final boss for sure) or quicktime events that come out of nowhere, it might frustrate a few new players and I’ve beaten Ninja Gaiden 2 on Mentor (well, Sigma 2 I should say, NG2′s a mess) and even I was having problems though I suppose practice will make perfect. However, that doesn’t excuse certain sections of the game that quite frankly don’t work, the out-of-the-blue Quicktime events or the astronomically high prices of the accessories which practically encourage farming or replaying to the Nth degree. Some might enjoy it but I like it when I can afford everything reasonably, not replay a mission 12 times to afford one thing only to find out there’s 10 things I gotta purchase.

   Bayonetta is certainly a better feeling action game all-around though certain issues I have with it will most likely be corrected if they ever do a sequel but as a first game, this thing is top-notch but to avoid mentioning certain problems it has I think would be a mistake but give it a try, it’ll either be the best action game all year or one of the better ones that could’ve been the best.
3. 

   Steven W. Johnston on September 3, 2010 at 11:56 am

   Review by Steven W. Johnston for Bayonetta
   Rating:
   I picked up this game being a fan of the ‘Devil May Cry series’. The action is very over the top, and overall plot/dialogue can’t be taken too seriously. But the gameplay/cinematics will make up for the overall campy stroy arc.

   The plot seems to be very simular to the comic/movie ‘Constintine’. An eternal war between paradise and the inferno, the main characters stand between both factions to keep the lines balanced. I’m still very early in the game, but it seems to be stacking cliche plot twists I’m anticipating any moment now. But this really isn’t the type of game played for the story-arch.

   The gameplay is terribly simular to Devil May Cry, Devil Kings, etc. It is a third person action shooter, with a fairly simple control/fighting scheme. You can string together combos with standard punch, kick, and firearms. Weapons and fighting abilities can be purchased to add more variety in your combos. An amazing feature when aquiring upgrade items is the opportunity to try the attacks before actually purchasing them. It can be frustrating trading in game credits just for an item or weapon you soon realize “yup, I’m never using that.” Accomplishing long strings of combos enables more devistating ranged attacks or cinematic “executions”. Like holding an enemy while a guilituine or iron maiden appears and you throwing it into the device.

   Now the drawbacks. Between stringing attacks and dodging enemies, the rhythm is very fast paced but easy to learn after the opening stages. Even with good timing, the majority of the gameplay can also be accomplished through button mashing, especially fighting standard enemies from one end of the level to the other. It can become VERY repetitive, even with new finishing movies and abilities unlocked. Because of this, you will see the same cinematics over and over again. Because of this most people will either love or hate the game. The gameplay is linear, there is no sandbox enviroment to wander around in. I think games like this are much more entertaining without the free roaming. Not everything has to entitle a GTA like wandering enviroment, but some people have accepted it as some sort of standard. Campaign mode and nothing else. I don’t see what else can really be done with a game like this, but the only bonus outside of the story is online leaderboards.

   Overall, if you like 3rd person action platformers, this game is definately worth checking out. Be warned, it is repetitive, but the gameplay seems well worth it. It should also be noted that the violence and overt sexual themes are endless. If by chance you’re a concerned parent or offended by either, be warned this game never quits with either.

   Pros:
   
   Great action
   
   infinate combo strings between weapons/ability upgrades
   
   “Equilibrium” style gunplay
   
   entertaining fight climax/cinematics
   
   looks gorgeous in HD
   
   mindless entertainment is easy and fun

   Cons:
   
   REPETITIVE and overall button masher
   
   campaign, leaderboards, and nothing else
   
   cheesy story/bad dialogue all around
   
   mindless entertainment could get old fast
4. 

   Ben Rowland on September 3, 2010 at 12:21 pm

   Review by Ben Rowland for Bayonetta
   Rating:
   Having never been a fan of the Devil May Cry games, I was apprehensive about getting Beyonetta because I assumed it would be a mindless button-masher. Fortunately, the game offers more immersive gameplay and plenty of strategy in it’s fighting mechanic, and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised. The insanely fast pace of the game and beautiful graphics make this the first great game of 2010.

   The story of the game is interesting enough, but it merely serves as a set-up for the various fights. In a nutshell, you are a femme fatale who wakes up in a tomb with little memory of who she is and how she got there. She discovers her importance as the game progresses, and what we get is some fun, occasionally hilarious and sometimes dirty storytelling. But the story comes second to the action in the game. During the battles, you are able to pull of some impressive combos which consist of pressing the right button at the right time, as well as pressing a combination of buttons to enhance your attacks. Stringing together combos results in more damage and some nifty cinematics, and you will get better weapons and learn new combos as you progress through the game. Overall, it’s exactly what you would expect. A slick, sexy and totally over the top beat-’em’-up.

   The gameplay is easy enough for novice gamers to grasp, although it is recommended that you spend adequate time in the tutorial as you will need to commit the button combos to muscle memory, especially when the battles intensify. A casual button-mashing gamer can survive most battles, but there is enough strategy to satisfy the more hardcore gamers who want to be challenged. The graphics in the game are gorgeous and lively, and the soundtrack is also highly enjoyable. The only flaw I would pick out is the camera, which sometimes has a mind of it’s own and this can be a nuisance during battle. However, it’s hardly a deal breaker. The rest of the game is slick and polished, so genre fans and action gamers will definitely find much to like here.

   With 2010 already shaping up to be a great year for gaming, Bayonetta is a great way to start the year off with a bang. The game may be more style than substance, but it’s a great time and definitely a game worth checking out.
5. 

   Ross Landers on September 3, 2010 at 12:23 pm

   Review by Ross Landers for Bayonetta
   Rating:
   Bayonetta. The name seems to bring me to my knees. I think of the scantly clad witch and her awesome moves. The little mole under the corner of her mouth. The way she sucks on lollipops. Bayonetta is a bad girl. And being bad is good. As I say again and again, too many wimpy protagonists these days. Its nice to see a main character that could stand side by side with Conan. This witch… she’s got all the right moves and right curves in the right places.

   Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest how about we move along to the game play (settle down boy). I would want to say this game plays like Devil May Cry, but since I’ve never played Devil May Cry I cannot say that with 100% certainty. So let me say this: Bayonetta plays like a hack ‘em and slash ‘em beat down game. It plays like that because it is one. But if you think you are going to get through this game button mashin’ your dead wrong. A lot of the game requires timing for when you dodge an enemy attack with perfect timing you go into this “witch time” mode where everything is slow, but you.

   The camera view of the game present a lovely third person point of view that you can rotate with the right thumb stick to get a good look at Bayonetta from all angles.

   Though Bayonetta doesn’t level up, there are pieces of items that when collected form a full item and boost mana or life depending on which item you get. Of course you could just go to the shop and spend your hard earned cash on life upgrades, but who wants to do that?

   There isn’t a HUGE variety of weapons. You have Bayonetta’s trademark pistols, a katana, some shot guns, and I think there are like some claws? I don’t think the small amount of weapons is a bad thing because it isn’t one of those gather-up-all-the-weapons kind of games and too many equitable items would steel time from the game’s massively fun game play.

   Bayonetta can also take the shape of a few animals and summon fourth torture devices, a very nice touch if I do say so myself.

   Through out the game you get to play a few mini-games too! Like a motorcycle chase, flying around on a fired missile, and the in between level arcade game called “Angel Attack.”

   The music is fast beat and has this jazzy feel to things that really fits the mood of the game. A sexy feel. Sexy game. One interesting track is the remake of “Fly me to the moon” which is the game’s main theme.

   Bayonetta is great because it is over the top, but it doesn’t care. Violence and sex appeal galore, this game delivers on pretty much all fronts.

   With that said if I were to have any complaint with Bayonetta, it is that she is not real. Haha! Just kidding. When compared to a game let’s say, Mass Effect, this game doesn’t nearly have as much replay value. But who knows these days with DLC there are endless possibilities. Also, if you want a challenge, try this game on the hardest difficulty, that will keep you playin’ it for a while. There are also loads of achievements to be had with the game and unlock able content. A damn solid game. 4 out of 5. Not for the faint of heart.

   And yes I named my car Bayonetta.