System: Xbox 360 & P-cursed-S3
Release: January 2010 NA
Bayonetta is a sexualized witch who is constantly under attack by the forces of heaven. What do I mean by “sexualized?” The cinematography is straight out of a soft core porn flick with numerous T&A shots. Her finishing moves trigger animation segments
where her clothes fly off and morph into some demonic creature to finish off a boss. Sex, action, and gameplay drive this wild ride. The story is dragged behind desperately screaming as it clings to whatever it can. Does a video game need anything besides great graphics and solid gameplay? Bayonetta’s high Metacritic score says “No!”There is little point in explaining the games story. The experience was reminiscent of Matrix Reloaded. Here is this amazing action that keeps on building with little to no real plot foundation. Then some guy in a white suite fills up the screen and attempts to monologue the stories way into something epically important. The games character and plot development are so shallow I didn’t care what this Sage guy had to say. Bayonetta would just wink and say something stupid like “You’re an ugly one.” An explosion would occur followed by another cut scene. Then there will be another cut scene to show off Bayonetta’s “moves.” Finally after one more cut scene the game moves on to the fun part—combat.
The gameplay is brilliant. The frame rate, camera, and graphical presentation enhance a robust combo/weapon system. Like Batman: AA there is no blocking. Bayonetta dodges to survive, and this has a chance to trigger bullet time. Dodging also refills the magic meter that is crucial in performing finishing or torture moves. Torture moves engage a quick time event that is visual pleasing to say the very least. This extra layer of strategy makes the game stand out in a crowd of copy cats.
The majority of weapons can be placed on the feet or hands producing a number of effective combinations. My personal favorite was the samurai sword and ice skates. I would glide around enemies hacking and slashing all the way. The unique claw set was also fun. Players can switch between fire and electric claws with one simple move. The projectile weapons, however, could have been better. The shotguns and rocket launchers are too slow for the amount of damage they produce. Still the weapons felt original and fun, which is rare for game in this genre. Enemies and level design completes Bayonetta’s combat pie. The art style is fantastic and the graphical presentation is top notch. Each enemy feels and looks different, but are arranged in the typical grunt to boss difficulty.
There is a new enemy for each level which is a great way to keep things fresh. The levels themselves range from bland to ridiculous. The very surrounding often adds to the intense action feel this game produces. At one point I was running up the side of a clock tower as the town was engulfed in lava. Another moment had me cruising down a highway on a motorcycle dodging obstacles and killing enemies along the way. By the end you are literally blasted into orbit to fight a god like figure. All of this is delivered in jaw dropping visuals, crappy music, and cheesy dialogue. Bayonetta is designed for multiple playthroughs. There are tons of hidden treasures and medals to unlock. The levels, however, don’t change. Players still are stuck skipping a thousand cut scenes filled with the same garbage. The music is terrible and repetitive. The lame story and insufferable number of combat interruptions hinder the games overall enjoyment. When you actually get to play the game is fantastic, but even those segments get old fast. Snerts Snazzy Score for Bayonetta is 4.2 out of 5.
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