does the plot of this game imply that smash bros is another reality in the bayo universe? does that mean that singularity came out and destroyed the smash bros universe? much to think about if you're stupid like me.
In bayonetta 3, bayonetta travels through the multiverse fighting reality consuming blue boys, collecting macguffins with the person you know on twitter whos really into punk rock and alternate bayonettas to save reality. Bayo 3 comes out with probably the best combat in the franchise and a mediocre to annoying everything else.
Combat goes really hard at times. You get a fuck ton of weapons by the end; almost too many for a game that only lets you use two weapons at a time. The first few weapons are pretty standard but a lot of the late ones go really crazy. The visual design of just the weapons themselves and the part where part of the moveset puts you into half demon forms is really cool across the board. The demon attack system does put priority into combos that end with weave attacks but it was always kinda like that tbh. Witch time is still fun, and even has an additional perfect party mechanic too it, the accessories feel more involved in this, and enemies will not break out of your combo after 3 hits so this pretty sick.
The demon slave mechanic is... okay. You hold ZR and bayo will start dancing while you control a demon (likely the remnants of scalebound lol) , of which you can pick from 3 at a time. They're kinda mashy because their combo/skill lists are limited, but they're really strong (and the game primarly wants you to use them against large enemies, of which there is many) so its pretty recommended to take it advantage of the system. The first couple feel kinda samey but like the weapons, the later ones have some really fun gimmicks (clock tower is an absolute favorite of mine), and visually both using them and combing with them in the weave attacks is really fucking cool.
Funny enough, I dont mind that I wasn't super into the mechanic but implement ways of using it without fully committing to it, which is pretty genius. later in the game there's an accessory that lets the demons just go on autopilot, letting you use the demons while still being able to punch stuff like normal, or my personal preference, the demon that lets you replace it by going into effectively into a very familiar "super form" instead; letting you do big demon skills while having more direct control. It's hard to complain about it when the game offers you options to approach in different ways until you find something you like.
Other combat stuff: most enemies are fine. There's a couple annoying ones but there's annoying enemies in every game. Viola is pretty fun, my biggest complaint is that witch time parry timing feels too strict; most enemies recoil on parrying some shot witch times you often dont get anything, and that Cheshire is really fucking good so I spent more time punching than katana slashing. Unforantely there's only like 4~ dedicated Viola missions, through you can play as her in the sidemissions if you want. Still, for uh, reasons, you should probably get used to how Viola plays.
(personal statement not related to the game; I think every character action game with multiple characters should have a mode like DMC5 Vergil story where it's all the game's leveled trimmed down so every character can do it, and you just play as X character. I'd really enjoy just a viola route in this game, and not being able to play Baldr/Rodan in the bayo 2 story mode is like my biggest complaint about that game)
By far my least favorite part of the game is... basically everything thats not combat. Which is, sadly, a lot.
I'm convinced this game used to be an open world that they stripped down levels. Every weapon comes with its how unique movement option (default is hovering, yoyos gives you a web slinging thing, gun hammer gives you chargeable boost jump, ect ect). To make the use of this, levels in this game are surprisingly large, and is filled with open world style reoccuring minigames stuff. A lot of them are platforming segments.
This sounds not bad at first; lots of little platforming segments and all your weapons give you a type of movement to use on them. the problem is that the platforming fucking sucks. Consistently. They're almost all annoying, bayo is slippery in movement and is difficult to control in moments of precise movement, lots of demon movement just acts fucking weird in general, it still has that bayo thing where if you fail a challenge it takes like 20-30 seconds to restart it because you're watching the challenge initiate (addin a speed up but not just skip to these screens is kinda infuriating). And there's so much. When you beat a level itll separate your times to total time and time spent in battle; I'd finish a level at like 30-40 minutes, and the skew will be like 10 minutes of battling and like 20-30 minutes of Not Battle (i also afk a lot so the numbers are fluffed a little but you get the idea). These are often where you get witch hearts/moon pearl pieces so its not like you can just ignore them. The first playthrough of this game will probably be the worst; atleast after you beat the game and go to do harder difficulties youll have all the upgrades so you can just beeline to fighting.
There's also a story. people dont like it. i really cant pretend to care about the story in bayonetta, negatively or positively. I guess there's a lot less funny/cool action cutscenes than in 1/2. Who cares. It was extremely funny to see people get queerbaited by hideki kamiya tho.
Other minor thoughts:
-Homunculi just aren't as interesting as angels or demons. its a bummer because I normally like designs like that but they just lack the personality of angels/demons, and the side fights that let you fight them again are a welcome sight.
-They're surprisingly tame with the multiverse stuff. I'd expect a few weird realities but the game feels more like Bayonetta In Time rather than Bayonetta traveling through realities. I'd love like atleast one weird one
-the jeanne segments are. alright. it's w/e.
-Whoever did the mocapping for bayonetta's dancing really worked their fucking ass man. There must be like 20-30 minutes of unique dancing animations in this game, go off.
Really fun combat with a lot of weapons and demons to customize how you play, but the mediocre and excessive side content is a complete bummer.
No for real man, you better get used to viola gameplay or you're in for a rude fucking surprise when bayo 4 comes out in another decade.
In bayonetta 3, bayonetta travels through the multiverse fighting reality consuming blue boys, collecting macguffins with the person you know on twitter whos really into punk rock and alternate bayonettas to save reality. Bayo 3 comes out with probably the best combat in the franchise and a mediocre to annoying everything else.
Combat goes really hard at times. You get a fuck ton of weapons by the end; almost too many for a game that only lets you use two weapons at a time. The first few weapons are pretty standard but a lot of the late ones go really crazy. The visual design of just the weapons themselves and the part where part of the moveset puts you into half demon forms is really cool across the board. The demon attack system does put priority into combos that end with weave attacks but it was always kinda like that tbh. Witch time is still fun, and even has an additional perfect party mechanic too it, the accessories feel more involved in this, and enemies will not break out of your combo after 3 hits so this pretty sick.
The demon slave mechanic is... okay. You hold ZR and bayo will start dancing while you control a demon (likely the remnants of scalebound lol) , of which you can pick from 3 at a time. They're kinda mashy because their combo/skill lists are limited, but they're really strong (and the game primarly wants you to use them against large enemies, of which there is many) so its pretty recommended to take it advantage of the system. The first couple feel kinda samey but like the weapons, the later ones have some really fun gimmicks (clock tower is an absolute favorite of mine), and visually both using them and combing with them in the weave attacks is really fucking cool.
Funny enough, I dont mind that I wasn't super into the mechanic but implement ways of using it without fully committing to it, which is pretty genius. later in the game there's an accessory that lets the demons just go on autopilot, letting you use the demons while still being able to punch stuff like normal, or my personal preference, the demon that lets you replace it by going into effectively into a very familiar "super form" instead; letting you do big demon skills while having more direct control. It's hard to complain about it when the game offers you options to approach in different ways until you find something you like.
Other combat stuff: most enemies are fine. There's a couple annoying ones but there's annoying enemies in every game. Viola is pretty fun, my biggest complaint is that witch time parry timing feels too strict; most enemies recoil on parrying some shot witch times you often dont get anything, and that Cheshire is really fucking good so I spent more time punching than katana slashing. Unforantely there's only like 4~ dedicated Viola missions, through you can play as her in the sidemissions if you want. Still, for uh, reasons, you should probably get used to how Viola plays.
(personal statement not related to the game; I think every character action game with multiple characters should have a mode like DMC5 Vergil story where it's all the game's leveled trimmed down so every character can do it, and you just play as X character. I'd really enjoy just a viola route in this game, and not being able to play Baldr/Rodan in the bayo 2 story mode is like my biggest complaint about that game)
By far my least favorite part of the game is... basically everything thats not combat. Which is, sadly, a lot.
I'm convinced this game used to be an open world that they stripped down levels. Every weapon comes with its how unique movement option (default is hovering, yoyos gives you a web slinging thing, gun hammer gives you chargeable boost jump, ect ect). To make the use of this, levels in this game are surprisingly large, and is filled with open world style reoccuring minigames stuff. A lot of them are platforming segments.
This sounds not bad at first; lots of little platforming segments and all your weapons give you a type of movement to use on them. the problem is that the platforming fucking sucks. Consistently. They're almost all annoying, bayo is slippery in movement and is difficult to control in moments of precise movement, lots of demon movement just acts fucking weird in general, it still has that bayo thing where if you fail a challenge it takes like 20-30 seconds to restart it because you're watching the challenge initiate (addin a speed up but not just skip to these screens is kinda infuriating). And there's so much. When you beat a level itll separate your times to total time and time spent in battle; I'd finish a level at like 30-40 minutes, and the skew will be like 10 minutes of battling and like 20-30 minutes of Not Battle (i also afk a lot so the numbers are fluffed a little but you get the idea). These are often where you get witch hearts/moon pearl pieces so its not like you can just ignore them. The first playthrough of this game will probably be the worst; atleast after you beat the game and go to do harder difficulties youll have all the upgrades so you can just beeline to fighting.
There's also a story. people dont like it. i really cant pretend to care about the story in bayonetta, negatively or positively. I guess there's a lot less funny/cool action cutscenes than in 1/2. Who cares. It was extremely funny to see people get queerbaited by hideki kamiya tho.
Other minor thoughts:
-Homunculi just aren't as interesting as angels or demons. its a bummer because I normally like designs like that but they just lack the personality of angels/demons, and the side fights that let you fight them again are a welcome sight.
-They're surprisingly tame with the multiverse stuff. I'd expect a few weird realities but the game feels more like Bayonetta In Time rather than Bayonetta traveling through realities. I'd love like atleast one weird one
-the jeanne segments are. alright. it's w/e.
-Whoever did the mocapping for bayonetta's dancing really worked their fucking ass man. There must be like 20-30 minutes of unique dancing animations in this game, go off.
Really fun combat with a lot of weapons and demons to customize how you play, but the mediocre and excessive side content is a complete bummer.
No for real man, you better get used to viola gameplay or you're in for a rude fucking surprise when bayo 4 comes out in another decade.