Bayonetta Review

  There are a lot of games that when you start playing they can immediately show their age.  It makes it obvious that the game is old.  Bayonetta came out in 2009 but is so well done it hardly shows it.  It was an experience that I had not yet had and I am glad I did after grabbing it on the PC.

The Game:   

  Bayonetta is a hack and slash stylized fighter that relies on timing and button combinations to deliver devastating blows to the enemies.  Bayonetta comes armed with pistols on her heels and in her hands, which can be later switched out for other weapons.  By delivering combos, she builds up a magic charge that can be used for special moves or a finishing move that starts a quick time event and a brutal execution cute scene.

  These games can easily become a quick button mash to get from one mob to the other and while you can play the game that way, the dodge mechanic asks you to learn and time your enemy.  A quick dodge and the enemies stop moving, giving you ample time to pull that combo off you keep blowing in real time.  Enemies were more susceptible to some attacks like juggling a health heavy baddy or sending a fist of hair to knock an enemy out of the air.  You can get through the game by smashing your face against the keyboard but its nothing nearly as rewarding as controlled combos to quick resolutions.

  Every enemy drops rings, which can be used to buy accessories and items from The Gates of Hell, a shop that Bayonetta can visit at certain points through the level.  She is a fan of lollipops and there are some you can get that heal or provide a boost to magic and damage. 

  You will track her progress on a map where you can do level select or just let the game guide you to the next spot.  Each level is broken into a small section in which you will be graded on the time you took and the damage you took.  The less the better.  At the end of the level, you will be graded and given a trophy on your overall performance.  There are different difficulty levels for people who are having issues with certain fights. 

My Thoughts:

  If this game isn't considered a classic yet it should be.  The gameplay is tight and fluid, and while aggressive on the sexual side, a smooth journey through a crazy adventure.  Stylized fighters have a fond place in my heart since the Devil May Cry, which this game pays homage to on more than one occasion.  There have been a lot of decent titles that have moved this genre forwards but this title takes hold of the original formula, shines it up, and adds in there own delicious flavor of awesome.

  Combat is very rewarding and getting the combos down just adds to the whole experience.  Although each weapon performs about the same there is enough of variations that they are worth trying out.  The items were kind of useless to me. I never really used any.

  The music fits the scenes to a T.  The graphics are great for when it came out and isn't suffering from age although it was hard locked at 30fps. I am willing to forgive it.  The humor and the style are definitely not for everyone and at some points, it was like a weird anime and others an epic journey of one badass antagonist.  The moments of odd intermixed with moments of aww.  A constant push and pull of entertainment.

  The game is over after a fairly decent play through, which was plenty of time for me.  I don't think they overdid it.  There still is a lot of replay value for perfectionists and speed runners.  For me, a single playthrough was a very satisfying experience.  That is, except for when I armed myself with some beads that took away witch time so dodging was just dodging.  I had no I did that to myself and spent two angry level wondering why they hell they built such a fantastic game only to fuck it with an unconscionable difficulty spike and taking away her key ability.  Then I read the item's text and felt like a jackass.

  I loved this game.  It easily ranks in my top ten.  It has attitude, it has mechanics, it has a unique style, and it is unapologetic.  All things that I love.  If you are a Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden fan and you have not sunk your teeth into this title you are doing yourself a disservice.  I for sure will buy Bayonetta 2 for the Switch and hope that it has even just a glimmer of this title.

TL;DR:

  Bayonetta is a hack and slash fighting game that delivers throughout the whole playthrough. There is just so much good going on here that it's hard to find any bad worth mentioning.  Easily one of my favorite titles I have played to date.