Bayonetta 2 is great despite being a little step down from the previous due to balancing issues.
All the weapons, are really fun to use, have better feel, and are overall more varied on how they play, Takemikazuchi truly feels like a unique power weapon in contrast to Kilgore, even if handling 4 rocket launchers is cool in its own way, it felt very same-y to other firearms from the first game, where as the beeg hammer does its own thing; Rakshasa and Shuraba are also good examples, being both swords, but playing completely different. The initial weapons also have new combo routes which is really nice but also makes it weird to return to the previous game and not have certain wicked weaves finishers.
The maps look much more colorful, brighter and clearer, exploring them is always great. Some big quality of life changes were added and annoying things were removed. Being able to change characters without needing to create a separate save for each is absolutely great, the infuriating instant kill quick time events are pretty much gone, and mashing QTEs are lighter on the controller.
Unfortunately, the game is not only good things, Umbran Climax is cool, but not good, and the game on Infinite Climax is balanced around it, plus Witch Time, making both abilities required due to your normal attacks dealing insignificant amounts of damage. Your magic gauge also does not deplete after getting hit, which makes Climax even stronger.
The first game's Infinite Climax straight up disabled your Witch Time, and it still was fun from start to finish, so its not like they didn't do it correctly before...
Your final score is not damaged by using items anymore, which is kind of a compensation for the overuse of Umbran Climax and Witch Time, but it didn't stick to me, I'd much rather have the Infinite Climax without witch time and with items costing your score.
It has a lot of improvements over the first game, however, the mistakes can really hurt the experience.
All the weapons, are really fun to use, have better feel, and are overall more varied on how they play, Takemikazuchi truly feels like a unique power weapon in contrast to Kilgore, even if handling 4 rocket launchers is cool in its own way, it felt very same-y to other firearms from the first game, where as the beeg hammer does its own thing; Rakshasa and Shuraba are also good examples, being both swords, but playing completely different. The initial weapons also have new combo routes which is really nice but also makes it weird to return to the previous game and not have certain wicked weaves finishers.
The maps look much more colorful, brighter and clearer, exploring them is always great. Some big quality of life changes were added and annoying things were removed. Being able to change characters without needing to create a separate save for each is absolutely great, the infuriating instant kill quick time events are pretty much gone, and mashing QTEs are lighter on the controller.
Unfortunately, the game is not only good things, Umbran Climax is cool, but not good, and the game on Infinite Climax is balanced around it, plus Witch Time, making both abilities required due to your normal attacks dealing insignificant amounts of damage. Your magic gauge also does not deplete after getting hit, which makes Climax even stronger.
The first game's Infinite Climax straight up disabled your Witch Time, and it still was fun from start to finish, so its not like they didn't do it correctly before...
Your final score is not damaged by using items anymore, which is kind of a compensation for the overuse of Umbran Climax and Witch Time, but it didn't stick to me, I'd much rather have the Infinite Climax without witch time and with items costing your score.
It has a lot of improvements over the first game, however, the mistakes can really hurt the experience.