BAYONETTA REVIEW (PlayStation 4 version played on PlayStation 5)
1. Story
The story of Bayonetta is an interesting one. A story of war between two factions of powerful beings, The Lumen Sages and Umbra Witches. Their quarrel has raged on for eons, the Sages hunting down the Witches for unknown reasons. It is your job, as the classy badass Bayonetta, to find the answers not only to the mystery of the war, but also the mystery of your past. The story is always entertaining with fun action packed cutscenes with some offering a slower, more emotional tone. However, it never takes itself too seriously. Bayonetta’s story is one so ridiculous, yet so heartfelt, and goofy, that it always feels true to itself. I quite enjoyed the story here and it was fun to see it through to the end!
[3:39 PM]
2. Gameplay
The gameplay is the REAL MEAT AND POTATOES here. Considering this is well, an action game. Now, if you have played any Platinum Games games, you know what to expect here. The game is chapter based, and every chapter is split up into Verses, which are enemy encounters or fights within a chapter. While in each chapter, you can explore, and find collectables that will increase your health, or unlock new weapons, or give you more of your magic meter. The combat of this game is the main part and it has a lot of fun things to do, and variance to make it unique from other action games. You have your basic combos, shooting your gun, wicked weave finishers, air combos. You can switch your weapon sets anytime within the menu and during gameplay. Movement feels extremely fluid in this game, and it is quite fun to just move around and it just feels good to play. Combos are fast, fluid and satisfying to pull off. Unleashing pure carnage feels so good. One of the main draws of Bayonetta’s combat system is the unique dodge mechanic, known as WITCH TIME! If you dodge at the right time an enemy attacks time slows down, you take no damage and you get to deal it without any distractions for a limited time, but it's vital for mastering the game’s combat.
[3:39 PM]
If you can get it down you will never have to worry about getting damaged. Another addition to the combat system is unique magic meter based finishers called Torture attacks, which rain hell on your opponents in sadistic style. These attacks use your magic meter, which is built up by attacking enemies without getting hit until it fills up all the way to unleash a strong attack. This is also another benefit to mastering Witch Time, as you can build your magic meter up much faster and need to dodge in order to keep it from lowering. Torture attacks each trap an opponent and most include a button mashing bonus to increase your damage tenfold for the kill! These are pretty fun to pull off too. With the end of every Verse, and collectively Chapter, you are rated based on your performance, from bronze medal to PURE PLATINUM medals. These are quite hard to get unless you are good at dodging attacks and taking little to no damage. However, they provide incentive to go back and replay old missions and keep improving your score. Defeating enemies and getting past Verses also gives you Halos which is what you can use to buy stuff in Rodin’s shop. RODIN IS MY BOY BTW. In the shop you can purchase items, weapons, new techniques and even costumes. Do your best on those verses to get enough Halo’s to get some good shit!
[3:39 PM]
Now when it comes to other types of gameplay there are the Alfheim portals. These are optional combat challenges that range from killing X amount of angels in X amount of time, or defeating angels using only wicked weaves. Some are quite challenging but doing them nets you some good rewards so I would seek them out if possible. Bayonetta also contains you guessed it, BOSS FIGHTS! These are huge, dynamic and bombastic bouts that are huge in scale compared to normal fights. These fights are so well designed. You whittle down these huge Angels, often using powerful Wicked Weaves as your basic attacks, and using mashing events to damage them further, as well as Summoning your demons to devour them. The boss fights are just very exciting as well as challenging. Each has their own patterns and feel distinct and always are unique. They are honestly the highlight of the game for me. One more gameplay thing that is added is some special unique chapters have differing gameplay styles than your usual combat, although for sake of spoilers I will not say anything more than that. Bayonetta, overall, is just a genuinely fun game that I always had fun playing, and even though it was challenging, the game gave me an ample amount of tools and as many tries as I needed to overcome its challenges. It is big, bold, and not afraid to kick your ass but I welcomed it because it never was too unforgiving. I kept trying and eventually I started getting better, and it felt great to overcome whatever I was struggling with. This game has become one of my favorite action games to date. It is one of the most fun games I have played all year. I highly recommend this game even for combat alone. Luckily, there is much else to enjoy…
[3:40 PM]
3. Music
LIKE THE MUSIC! OH MY GOD ANOTHER BANGING SOUNDTRACK! It was hard to play this game and not wanna just listen to the music because it just pumps you up so much. Fly Me To The Moon, Mysterious Destiny, Let’s Dance Boys, LET’S HIT THE CLIMAX?! Just always bangers from beginning to end and the songs never get old at all. It is always slapping at all times. Seriously, extremely high praise from me here. Hiroshi Yamaguchi seriously did an amazing job with this OST, and Helena Noguerra did great with the vocal tracks too!
[3:40 PM]
4. Presentation
This game still looks great even today, with clean crisp models, solid smooth gameplay thanks to the remastered version I played, and plenty of quality of life in this game. Not only that but the menus have a distinct personality to them, the music, animations during cutscenes and combat all have such vivacious expressions it often leaves me in awe thinking, “HOLY SHIT!” Like, the cutscenes are so well animated and full of expression. The voice acting here is on point as well. Not much else to say here but solid presentation all around!
5. Conclusion
Bayonetta is one of the strongest games in the action genre with explosively fun gameplay, a solid engaging story, amazing music, and impeccable style. It is everything a good action game should strive to be, and is fun despite the challenge it presents. However, this challenge is never overbearing and unfair and the game encourages replay ability and offers lots of incentive to come back for more. I honestly would not mind doing so myself. If a game leaves me feeling that, then it is owed glowing praise in my eyes. This is one of Platinum Game’s finest games and a wonderful start to a series that is beloved by many. I had so much fun!
[3:41 PM]
6. WRAP-UP!
Thanks for reading! Bayonetta is available on Xbox 360, Xbox One through backwards compatible with 360 version and a native HD port, Xbox Series S and X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 through backwards compatible, Steam, Nintendo Wii U, and Nintendo Switch!
WITH THAT BEING SAID MY FINAL REVIEW SCORE IS
BEAUTIFUL!
1. Story
The story of Bayonetta is an interesting one. A story of war between two factions of powerful beings, The Lumen Sages and Umbra Witches. Their quarrel has raged on for eons, the Sages hunting down the Witches for unknown reasons. It is your job, as the classy badass Bayonetta, to find the answers not only to the mystery of the war, but also the mystery of your past. The story is always entertaining with fun action packed cutscenes with some offering a slower, more emotional tone. However, it never takes itself too seriously. Bayonetta’s story is one so ridiculous, yet so heartfelt, and goofy, that it always feels true to itself. I quite enjoyed the story here and it was fun to see it through to the end!
[3:39 PM]
2. Gameplay
The gameplay is the REAL MEAT AND POTATOES here. Considering this is well, an action game. Now, if you have played any Platinum Games games, you know what to expect here. The game is chapter based, and every chapter is split up into Verses, which are enemy encounters or fights within a chapter. While in each chapter, you can explore, and find collectables that will increase your health, or unlock new weapons, or give you more of your magic meter. The combat of this game is the main part and it has a lot of fun things to do, and variance to make it unique from other action games. You have your basic combos, shooting your gun, wicked weave finishers, air combos. You can switch your weapon sets anytime within the menu and during gameplay. Movement feels extremely fluid in this game, and it is quite fun to just move around and it just feels good to play. Combos are fast, fluid and satisfying to pull off. Unleashing pure carnage feels so good. One of the main draws of Bayonetta’s combat system is the unique dodge mechanic, known as WITCH TIME! If you dodge at the right time an enemy attacks time slows down, you take no damage and you get to deal it without any distractions for a limited time, but it's vital for mastering the game’s combat.
[3:39 PM]
If you can get it down you will never have to worry about getting damaged. Another addition to the combat system is unique magic meter based finishers called Torture attacks, which rain hell on your opponents in sadistic style. These attacks use your magic meter, which is built up by attacking enemies without getting hit until it fills up all the way to unleash a strong attack. This is also another benefit to mastering Witch Time, as you can build your magic meter up much faster and need to dodge in order to keep it from lowering. Torture attacks each trap an opponent and most include a button mashing bonus to increase your damage tenfold for the kill! These are pretty fun to pull off too. With the end of every Verse, and collectively Chapter, you are rated based on your performance, from bronze medal to PURE PLATINUM medals. These are quite hard to get unless you are good at dodging attacks and taking little to no damage. However, they provide incentive to go back and replay old missions and keep improving your score. Defeating enemies and getting past Verses also gives you Halos which is what you can use to buy stuff in Rodin’s shop. RODIN IS MY BOY BTW. In the shop you can purchase items, weapons, new techniques and even costumes. Do your best on those verses to get enough Halo’s to get some good shit!
[3:39 PM]
Now when it comes to other types of gameplay there are the Alfheim portals. These are optional combat challenges that range from killing X amount of angels in X amount of time, or defeating angels using only wicked weaves. Some are quite challenging but doing them nets you some good rewards so I would seek them out if possible. Bayonetta also contains you guessed it, BOSS FIGHTS! These are huge, dynamic and bombastic bouts that are huge in scale compared to normal fights. These fights are so well designed. You whittle down these huge Angels, often using powerful Wicked Weaves as your basic attacks, and using mashing events to damage them further, as well as Summoning your demons to devour them. The boss fights are just very exciting as well as challenging. Each has their own patterns and feel distinct and always are unique. They are honestly the highlight of the game for me. One more gameplay thing that is added is some special unique chapters have differing gameplay styles than your usual combat, although for sake of spoilers I will not say anything more than that. Bayonetta, overall, is just a genuinely fun game that I always had fun playing, and even though it was challenging, the game gave me an ample amount of tools and as many tries as I needed to overcome its challenges. It is big, bold, and not afraid to kick your ass but I welcomed it because it never was too unforgiving. I kept trying and eventually I started getting better, and it felt great to overcome whatever I was struggling with. This game has become one of my favorite action games to date. It is one of the most fun games I have played all year. I highly recommend this game even for combat alone. Luckily, there is much else to enjoy…
[3:40 PM]
3. Music
LIKE THE MUSIC! OH MY GOD ANOTHER BANGING SOUNDTRACK! It was hard to play this game and not wanna just listen to the music because it just pumps you up so much. Fly Me To The Moon, Mysterious Destiny, Let’s Dance Boys, LET’S HIT THE CLIMAX?! Just always bangers from beginning to end and the songs never get old at all. It is always slapping at all times. Seriously, extremely high praise from me here. Hiroshi Yamaguchi seriously did an amazing job with this OST, and Helena Noguerra did great with the vocal tracks too!
[3:40 PM]
4. Presentation
This game still looks great even today, with clean crisp models, solid smooth gameplay thanks to the remastered version I played, and plenty of quality of life in this game. Not only that but the menus have a distinct personality to them, the music, animations during cutscenes and combat all have such vivacious expressions it often leaves me in awe thinking, “HOLY SHIT!” Like, the cutscenes are so well animated and full of expression. The voice acting here is on point as well. Not much else to say here but solid presentation all around!
5. Conclusion
Bayonetta is one of the strongest games in the action genre with explosively fun gameplay, a solid engaging story, amazing music, and impeccable style. It is everything a good action game should strive to be, and is fun despite the challenge it presents. However, this challenge is never overbearing and unfair and the game encourages replay ability and offers lots of incentive to come back for more. I honestly would not mind doing so myself. If a game leaves me feeling that, then it is owed glowing praise in my eyes. This is one of Platinum Game’s finest games and a wonderful start to a series that is beloved by many. I had so much fun!
[3:41 PM]
6. WRAP-UP!
Thanks for reading! Bayonetta is available on Xbox 360, Xbox One through backwards compatible with 360 version and a native HD port, Xbox Series S and X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 through backwards compatible, Steam, Nintendo Wii U, and Nintendo Switch!
WITH THAT BEING SAID MY FINAL REVIEW SCORE IS
BEAUTIFUL!