Bayonetta (2009)

I was very frustrated for a lot of this game. That said, I know I was bad at it and never took the time to get better. I thought it would just be a button masher and was not in the head space to learn combos, timings, and attack windows.

The quick time events would be annoying regardless and the amount of times the game switches genres is also not particularly fun in my opinion. The story is a (pulpy) mess. But the gist of the lore and the visuals are so uniquely over the top that I still enjoyed myself despite being so bad at the game.

I can’t recommend it, unless you love getting really into action games that you really have to dig into to be awesome at.

The bonus costumes on the Wii U version are amazing.

I’d always heard about Bayonetta but never got around to actually playing it. Now that I have, it reminded me just how good PlatinumGames is at crafting over-the-top, stylish action.

The combat felt a bit awkward at first, but once I realized you could hold buttons to slow down combos and deliver heavier hits, the gameplay really started to shine. It’s that satisfying blend of flash and precision that makes these games so compelling.

I’d recommend it without hesitation to anyone even mildly interested in character action games. The exaggerated narrative and flamboyant characters only add to its charm.

I think I have a bit of a weird perspective on the first Bayonetta, since I started with the second game, played the subsequent 2022 threequel, and am only getting to the first now. Given that Bayonetta 2 was one of the few noteworthy titles on the content-starved Wii U, this is probably not an uncommon journey, I guess. I avoided playing the first game all these years because I was holding out for a physical Switch release. After finally nabbing a copy, it was time to plug this hole that always sorely stood out in my backlog.

It was really delightful to see all of the things I love about Bayonetta present here in the first title. Like in other Bayonetta games, you make your way down linear levels that are full of combat encounters, this time with the angelic residents of Paradiso. The visceral button-mashing combat system is here in full force, and it's still a total blast. There's a plethora of combos for you to play with, and different weapons that change up the playstyle. Controlling Bayonetta still feels like pure perfection, of course. As far as pure action games go, this is still the crème de la crème.

Bayonetta does have a few rough edges that were toned down in later titles, though. QTEs are here--this came out in 2009 after all! While I don't always hate them, Bayonetta has a few of the worst kind, such as QTEs that require so much mashing that they feel like they will break your controller, or ones that come out of nowhere and result in instant death. The game also starts to run out of unique content midway through, and you begin to see many recycled enemies and bosses. Bayonetta is only a 10-hour or so game, but it still feels like it's stretched a little thin despite the short length.

The Alfheim stages were brutally difficult, but as always, I'm glad that Bayonetta includes these optional difficult challenges for those that really want to master this combat system. The game is pretty darn difficult even outside of those challenges though, and I felt like I was proceeding by the skin of my teeth. I didn't mind that, and I liked that it forced me to experiment with all of the game's mechanics to find what works and what doesn't.

But the driving force that kept me glued to this game, as with the other two titles, is Bayonetta herself. She's so over the top and fun to watch, as is the ridiculous nonsensical plot and supporting cast. This game is gratuitously violent, but it's always full of style and a pleasure to look at, even if its Xbox 360-era graphics have aged quite a bit.

I think Bayonetta 2 is still the peak of the series for me, but it was fun to see that Platinum Games wasn't very far off the mark, even from the start. I truly hope they never stop making Bayonetta games, cause I sure as hell won't stop buying them if they remain as consistently great as they have been up to this point.

Bayonetta, what a game! It was really refreshing to go back to it after playing Bayonetta 3 last year and being disappointed with it. It’s always really nice to play a videogame that is not just proud of being a videogame and proud of what it is trying to do but also revels in it. I first played Bayonetta back on the PS3 not that long after its release and then went back to it again on the Wii U when the sequel released. So now this PS4 version is my third dive into this game and it’s been a while. Bayonetta in my memory was a brilliant game that I really enjoyed but after just playing it again I found a bunch of little issues that my mind had conveniently forgotten, so that’s where I am going to kick off this review.

‘We wanted to bring a new flavor into the market, and I knew a female lead would accomplish exactly that. It was clear to us that mixing a sexy and amorous female character with an action game setting would produce a masterful spice blend…’ (Kamiya)

First up are the quick time events, these are a bit annoying on both the first play through and subsequent play throughs. They do keep you engaged and involved and are cool moments but the timing window for them is small, they sometimes result in a death if failed and it means anytime they are involved you can’t skip the scene. As a huge Resident Evil 4 fan I don’t hate these but they could have been better implemented. The camera isn’t always your friend but thankfully it’s not very bad and was mostly during exploration that it needed wrestling. Every once in a while the screen might be a little too busy or the enemies might block your view. Then there is the button mashing required for the ‘punish’ and ‘torture attacks.’ It is certainly more visceral and keeps up constant engagement but what about my poor thumb. Similar to this is how a couple of attacks can have Bayonetta stuck or stunned and you need to smack the stick side to side. You also need to do a bunch of hits to open chests. I know they are Umbra resting places so it makes sense but surely one button press could have done. Some of the Alfheim portals are hidden in an annoying way. I was looking up and around for them and checking for breakable walls but didn’t realise some of them appear after a certain level of progress and then require backtracking. I’m not sure how much crafting lollipops adds to the game, they could have been found and are buyable. There are some rare, minor finicky or frustrating bits as well.

‘Bayo is a fashionable girl, and the fact that her clothes are made from her hair suggests that her outfit is a reflection of her own personal fashion sense.’ (Kamiya)

Some of the cut scenes are not fully animated and are instead like slide shows. It would have been great to see every single moment of this game fully done and the inconsistency of what is and isn’t fully animated makes it stick out further. I’m not sure if this was a creative choice or due to time and budget constraints, either way I think it could have been better. Then when it comes to the story it can be told somewhat awkwardly at times, with some cut scenes being a bit info dump-y. It can be predictable too and occasionally things are said that don’t need to be. I guess you’re going to get Fly Me to the Moon stuck in your head as well. I don’t think there is anything else to nitpick and that's what these issues are just nitpicks. Right, that’s all out of the way, now I can start gushing about this game.

‘…did you know she also uses her powers to change the blood spray during battle into rose petals whenever she takes damage? Bayo has strict personal policies regarding beauty, and never lets her standards fall short!’ (Kamiya)

The first thing I’m going to praise is the presentation and style as you’re going to notice this straight away from the cover alone. Bayonetta is an absolutely sumptuous feast for your eyes and ears. The level of detail in this game is so impressive. Like the butterflies coming off Bayonetta, or how her butterfly wings when jumping have that stained glass look, or how the skull roses bloom out of where she steps while in beast mode, or how the patterns on her guns line up. You could spend all day listing these details and still miss things; it’s staggering how much thought went into this game. It is obvious that a lot of love and passion was poured into this. The only things that held back this team was the hardware, time and money, and maybe the higher-ups too, because it clearly wasn’t a lack of talent or enthusiasm. The animation is superb, the environments are wonderful, the spectacle and bosses are impressive, the cut scenes are well directed (even when like slideshows), the sound effects are spot on and that soundtrack; wow, easily one of my all time favourites and so much fun. Bayonetta is simply one the most stylish and best looking games of all time, with music to match. And all of this serves to enhance and intensify Bayonetta’s phenomenal gameplay.

‘We weren’t initially planning for Bayo to take it all off when summoning Gomorrah, but we thought it would be more fun that way...’ (Shimazaki)

The combat found in Bayonetta is not only some of the best in its genre but some of the best you can experience in all of gaming. One of the things I think makes it special is that it can be accessible without really compromising itself (I know easy and very easy are different). Those new to the genre or a general game consumer can enjoy the ride on easy or very easy. For those comfortable with action games normal difficulty provides a great experience. For people looking for a challenge there is hard and infinite climax. For the hack and slash fans the combat is easy to get into but has a high skill ceiling. There is depth and options available to explore so that you can enjoy many replays, while chasing those platinum’s and you can try to look as stylish as possible while doing it. The game plays great straight from the start with a bit of tutorial phase at first. Then you just have access to its wonders. You get a really good variety of combos, wicked weaves, the dodge plus witch time, torture attacks, punish attacks, enemy dropped weapons, guns, bullet climax, double jump, a taunt, your infernal demons and of course the dodge offset that Bayonetta is well known for. But despite Bayonetta starting off better than most games ever get, they didn’t stop there, you get more tools along the way. You get more weapons, techniques, accessories and two beast modes. And to put it simply; it’s unbelievably fantastic. It is fast and engaging, never looks dull and getting better at it makes you feel so good. But it doesn’t matter if you button mash, get mediocre, get good or try to master it. Anyway you choose is going to be fun as hell, entertaining and rewarding. Obviously though, I would recommend trying to sink your teeth into it at least a little. Playing a verse really well, while not getting hit and being rewarded with those pure platinum’s feels so good; it’s a drug that I wish I was skilled enough to earn more often. That’s right all this praise is being heaped on by someone that isn’t even that good at this. Hard mode was a challenge for me and now infinite climax is kicking my arse. Maybe this just reveals that I suck a bit but I think the fact that I keep playing this and find there’s still so much room for improvement shows how impressive this game is.

‘A “barrier wall” like this one is quite common in games of this genre. But Bayo can blow a million of these away with a simple blown kiss. Bayo does not stop to fight the angels because she is trapped, but rather because she wants to lay a smackdown on the uppity angels before tearing down their precious barrier!’ (Kamiya)

When not in combat you’ll be exploring, collecting things along the way, doing some minor environmental puzzles, a tiny bit of platforming, finding Alfheim portals, playing Angel Attack, visiting The Gates of Hell and a couple chapters really change things up. I really like that Bayonetta is a linear game but it also has these sections and things to find in between combat. The rewards that permanently boost your health and magic make going a bit out of your way worth it, you will find extra fights as well and if you care about the story then you’ll want those notes too. The game just has a really good rhythm of battles and bosses broken up by exploration, collectables and visits to the Gates of Hell to upgrade or stock up on items or get new techniques and weapons. Then each chapter is capped off with the laid back, shooting gallery mini game Angel Attack. Bayonetta doesn’t ever let you get bored that’s for sure, even during the end credits. I think the progression, game length and difficulty curve is pretty spot on too.

‘The players who paid attention while playing probably noticed this, but judging from the look of the weapons that Rodin supplies to Bayo, it would appear that Rodin was also the one who crafted the weapons that the angels use. If I ever get the chance, I would love to tell the story of Rodin’s past.’ (Kamiya)

There are a couple of important things I want to point out as well. The first thing is this games obvious arcade influence, which I really like and it is an important part of why this game is so good. Bayonetta is a game that provides a challenge, has a good scoring system, asks that you play it over and over and it’s a game that you can get into that flow state with, like an arcade or rhythm or any decent hack n slash game. Then there are the two chapters that are straight up homage’s to arcade games and these sections are not flaws in the game. They are fun surprises, that I won’t spoil here, that help break up the game and they somehow just work and don’t feel out of place in Bayonetta. The other important thing is about the Alfheim Portals. The challenges found here at first might seem frustrating because of how they limit you. They have to be completed in a certain way and you have a strict time limit and number of hits you can take. At first I was asking why but it doesn’t take long to realise that these challenges are designed to make you better at the game. The limitations within them force you to learn things about the combat, which makes them well worth doing for that alone but you also get rewarded for doing them too.

‘While considering the scenario, I thought that a young and inexperienced male would make for a good pair with a strong, mature woman like Bayo. Being that I am a pure, virginal boy, Luka is like an in-game representation of my own innocent hopes and dreams.’ (Kamiya)

The story and world of Bayonetta is a bit similar to the gameplay in that it allows you to jump in as much as you would like to. Are you going to skip scenes or are you going to pay close attention? Are you going to find every note and read them all? Are you going to read every single weapon, enemy and accessory description or not? The story, lore and attention to detail are there if you want it or you could easily just sit back and enjoy the spectacle. It follows the witch Bayonetta after she awakens from a long slumber with amnesia. So both Bayonetta and the player are in the dark about a lot details for a decent chunk of the game. As things progress you slowly get more info and flashbacks about Umbra Witches, Lumen Sages, angels of Paradiso, what happened between them hundreds of years ago and who Bayonetta is. While I consider it the weakest part of the game, I still think it’s pretty solid and enjoyable, particularly for this genre. Perhaps the way we judge the quality of stories in videogames needs to be thought about differently than other media because of the unique nature of this medium. The story in Bayonetta and many other games is designed to serve the gameplay. They needed a path through and reasons for Bayonetta to fight many angels and battle Jeanne multiple times. When you think about it this way and consider what they were trying to achieve its pretty good. If you’re really critical of this part of the game I think you need to ask, does it really matter that much when Bayonetta is so relentlessly entertaining, delightfully over the top and continuously inventive in its depiction of action. Let’s not forget about how great these characters are too.

‘In my opinion, an action games story is less important than the situations in which the player has to fight, and the characters they get tangled up with.’ (Kamiya)

The characters in Bayonetta are just so likeable and watchable. Jeanne, Rodin, Luka, Enzo, Cereza and even Balder are so well done. They easily achieved what they were going for with each one. Their designs, personalities, dialogue and mannerisms are on point and somehow every voice actor was the perfect choice and nailed their role. They pair with and play off Bayonetta so well, whether it’s Enzo’s bumbling, comic relief or how Jeanne contrasts with her or how Cereza and Luka pull out another side of her. Rodin says “whata ya’ buyin?” and indicates he played Resident Evil 4, so obviously he is a top shelf character. But Bayonetta, she just outshines them all. Bayonetta is one of the greatest videogame characters of all time and one of the most purely entertaining and charming characters across all media. So much went into her creation and it shows in every aspect and detail. From the way she stands, which varies based on the weapon. To how she activates things and pulls levers. To how the camera frames and tracks her. How her confidence and immense power is blended with her femininity and a cheeky, clever playfulness. How she is so cool, composed and violent but at the same time she still cares deeply for those around her. How she walks, moves and dances thanks to the efforts of the professional dancer Maiko Uchida and everyone involved with motion capture and animation. To her fun dialogue and the irreplaceable performance of Hellena Taylor. To her exquisitely detailed design by Mari Shimazaki, whose ideas, talent and time put in paid off so much. Naturally I have to give credit to Hideki Kamiya for his vision and commitment to getting the best as well, and of course to all those who I haven’t named and who don’t get the same attention – thank you so much for your contributions in bringing this character and game to life, it is truly something special.

‘As expected, the blind higher-ups demanded that we get rid of the glasses. Now, I’m a pacifist by nature, and will avoid confrontation when I can… but compromise and majority votes have kept too many great ideas from the world. I stood my ground, and succeeded in earning glasses for Bayo. My intention is not to create something that won’t be hated; it’s to create something that will be passionately loved.’ (Kamiya)

Playing Bayonetta is like playing one of the greatest games ever made but someone annoying is in the room with you making noise and walking in front of the screen occasionally. Because that’s what Bayonetta is. It is one of the best games ever but it has some niggles and sometimes gets in its own way a little. This was my third visit to Bayonetta and my third time buying it and I would happily do it again. After my first play through this time around I wanted to immediately start again. Then after the second I wanted a third go and then a fourth. How many games can you truly say that about? The first Bayonetta is still the best Bayonetta, go play it, I highly recommend it.

9.5/10

So while the combat was fun, and very smooth. the story was blah. im no prune being a girl with long legs, and I show them off every chance I get. the overly sexual of the females characters. maybe that why the game came off weirdly childish. It wasn't until chapter 3 I got into the game as well. It has a horrendous camera which was the biggest bis of this game. I will play the sequels … one day.

3.5

I decided that I am going to move forward with the goal of beating 360 Xbox 360 games. Each game will be picked randomly and this is where I will write my reviews for them

The first game that was chosen was Bayonetta. This is an action-adventure fighting game, very similar to the original God of War trilogy. For some reason, this game has eluded me for the past 13 years and this was my first chance to play it. Honestly, I thought the game was awesome, in an over-the-top hilarious way. Everything that Bayonetta does has to have an extreme level of bravado and showiness to it and I love it. If you are reading this and you enjoy action games at any level, then you should definitely give this game a try.

Graphics/Sound: The graphics in this game are good and there isn't really much to say about their quality. However, the settings were amazing and there were many out-of-this-world locales to run through. The sound is perfect. I love the jazz music and upbeat tracks. Nothing bad to say about sound at all. (4.5/5)

Story: The story is based about a woman, named Bayonetta, waking up from a coffin, where she has been sleeping for many years. She has no memories of her past life, but is constantly being attacked by angels and she learns that she's pretty good at killing them. After a few years of doing small jobs, a local mobster, named Enzo, tells her of some magic jewels called the Eyes of the World and that they could possibly give her memories back. She decides to go searching for said jewels and the adventure goes from there. As the game progresses, some story beats didn't make sense to me and the plot wasn't super fleshed out. I enjoyed the story; however, it was clearly not the focus of this game and just served to give a setting for the awesome gameplay. (2.5/5)

Gameplay: Its a standard action game and there are a large amount of enemies for Bayonetta to beat up. I was honestly surprised how much was able to be packed into a primarily 2-buttoned combat system. (I know that x shoots the guns, but that's something I barely used) Notably, the loading screens are the best I have ever seen in a game. They let you walk around, like Assassin's Creed, but there is a list of combos on the right side. I don't think I would have learned about as many combos as I did if not for the loading screens. Theres lots of enemies, smooth combat, and satisfying combos, nothing to really complain about here. (5/5)

My Journey: I didn't experience a crazy amount of difficulty when playing this game and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this game. I loved 2 sections of the game motorcycle and rocket which added variety to the gameplay. Honestly, I thought the game provided a really good experience and I was laughing and cheering on Bayonetta throughout the journey (even when I had no idea what was going on or why). The game took me 9 hours and 37 minutes to complete, but someone who wanted to continue would find lots of replay value in getting high ratings on each level. Screw the Kinship enemies though, I could not figure out how to beat them without taking damage and had to use invincibility lollipops every time one showed up. (4.5/5 for enjoyment)

Overall, I am going to give this game a 4.5/5 because it was a really fun game and everything about it made me smile. I enjoy action games a lot and anyone else who is a fan of the genre would find this game fun. The story was lacking, but I can forgive that since it wasn't the focus.

Next Game: Final Fantasy 13 (Already done and I'm going to write the review for that right now)

What a fun way to kick off the year. In 2009, I wouldn’t have been comfortable with all Bayonetta brings to the table, but I have to admit it’s stylish, silly, and horny as hell.

I’m not a huge fan of having cutscenes constantly interspersed with gameplay but as the chapters went on I was more curious about the story than the minute-to-minute battles.

This was a lot of fun both in terms of gameplay and just as an experience. I’m normally god awful at this sort of game, but this was engaging even for me and my dumb hands. It’s really satisfying to wipe the floor with enemies in later stages that were boss battles earlier on.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous update I’d have loved to be able to get visual feedback on what I’m pressing in order to get better at combos, and I never did manage to reliably do reliably do Dodge Offsets anywhere outside of training mode.

There were also a couple of points that got a little tedious, like some of the vehicle sections and the rather flaky QTEs in the final boss battle, but these were very much a minority and the checkpointing is very generous.

I may go back to this to try some of the earlier levels again and get a better score, though I’ve got so much stuff in my backlog that actually I’ll probably just move onto Bayonetta 2.

The answer is no; Bayonetta represents the smoothest, most ridiculous, most action-packed fun anyone could have in a 3D brawler.

Taking a system and variety of combos and skills amidst beautiful environments and even more beautiful enemies, the game isn't afraid to lay on the challenge across 18 chapters (a fairly good length for this type of game, given the variety) while allowing a large amount of players to approach.

The angels are beautiful (even as a bloody mess), the set pieces are gorgeous (even while covered in lava), and the titular heroine herself is a work of (pole-dancing) art. The story is messy, but revels in its own fun as to not bog down the player, keeping the details safely tucked away for anyone willing to learn more.

Oh, and Witch Time. How a game can reuse the slow-down mechanic from Max Payne to fine-tune it as an invaluable tool for every battle is a wonder.

Only downside? Whereas I regularly welcome quick-time events, the input for Bayonetta's quick-time events only holds a very small window (catch that cathedral for the fifth time) compared to other games of its ilk. That said, a very gracious checkpoint system alleviates any and all irritation from problems like that.

If you haven't played this, what have you been doing for the past six years? Certainly not the best action games have to offer.