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Bayonetta - Review

A fleeting glance at Bayonetta’s hyper-kinetic visual style will likely prove divisive for those not schooled in the medium. This, for all the progression the industry has to offer, is a videogame. And what’s more, it’s a videogame that knows it’s a goddamn videogame, and would like to respectfully remind you of its origins at 60fpsthankyouverymuch. Subtlety and narrative progression are definitely not watchwords here; but for all the craziness and old-school mentality on display, Bayonetta’s heart beats to a rhythm of pure reverence for the Japanese development scene.

In terms of mechanics, traditional 3rd-person combat sits alongside gameplay tributes to the likes of Outrun, Super Hang On, Afterburner and Space Harrier; along with nods to former Clover-lords Capcom. But scratching that playful veneer reveals a title of immense depth and polished originality. Director Hideki Kamiya has continued the legacy borne of Devil May Cry, infusing Bayonetta with a stripped, streamlined and effortlessly impressive combat system that echoes Dante’s fluidity - embelishing it with a feminine grace and willingness to reinforce player progression. Death is as rewarding as it is frequent, every continue fuelled by a desire to try something new.

With a gun strapped to each arm and leg, and a repertoire of moves that borders on the insane, Bayonetta caters for button-mashers, experimentalists and perfectionists alike. Combination attacks are executed with singular punch and kick buttons; auto-lock gunfire serves to chain scores together; and the right trigger performes a quick dodge which, if timed correctly, can counter enemy attacks and activate temporary slow-motion ‘witch time’. If they weren’t developed at roughly the same juncture, Batman: Arkham Asylum would be the obvious touchstone for combat flow, albeit with lightening quick pace, an additional dose of verticality, and hair. Lots and lots of hair.

The beauty of PlatinumGames balancing act here is that – unlike the DMC series – players of all skill levels are constantly rewarded. On normal, Bayonetta can prove occasionally challenging, with only a few sequences that overstep the line into frustration. Simply completing the game is satisfying enough, but skillful players will gravitate towards a scoring system that rewards both speed runs and meticulous combo attacks. The urge to one-up the next on your leaderboard list is compelling, with two unlockable and incredibly tough difficulty levels opening up progressively. Going the other direction, Easy and Super-Easy modes basically play themselves, eschewing movement control and requiring only attack buttons to pull off the most complex and well-timed combos.

And then there’s Bayonetta herself.

The hyper-sexualisation imbued into every animation of our ethereal amazonian-librarian-dominatrix is certainly polarising; but make no mistake, this is no dress-up session or damsel in distress. Yes, the camera lingers lecherously and close to the ground a little too frequently to be entirely comfortable, but the difference between a Bayonetta or a Kasumi is tangible. For all of its dubious characteristics, Bayonetta is constantly aware of the lens through which she is viewed, playing to the audience and in control of her own identity. It’s not subtle, it’s hardly refined, but it is challenging; and just the right side of that wafer-thin line bordering objectification.

Just.

In the end though, even Bayonetta’s exaggerated character traits are tempered by the rest of the game. If normal design is a process of throwing things at a wall and seeing what sticks, Platinum must be using some powerful glue. This is a universe in which nothing is considered too bombastic, nothing too crass, nothing too outlandish, nothing too imaginative. When you think they’ve finally peaked mid-way with a battle in which a building becomes a weapon, somebody turns up with a skyscraper. Boss encounters feature entire colossus-style stages, rockets are occasionally used as vehicles and flying combat arenas, mythical beasts are conjured from hair, motorbikes activated with a glowing finger, planets decimated under player control… all set to J-pop techno remixes of crooner tunes such as ’fly me to the moon’. Somehow, it’s completely appropriate.

It is, in short, entirely lovable, with the only serious mis-step being a few overly-long cutscenes and a plot that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Dips in pacing and difficulty spikes occasionally rear up to spoil the party, but if those are the side-products of a talented studio given free reign to craft the experience they desire, I can only hope others get the same chance.

On a technical and creative level, Bayonetta demands absolute respect.

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How do you respond to Nintendo naming thier next-generation gaming console "Wii" (pronounced 'we')?

Formerly codenamed the Nintendo "Revolution", Here is the explanation:
"Introducing... Wii.
As in "we."

Personally, I hope all of the insider-types BOO any speeches by any representatives of Nintendo at E3 until the name is changed. This kind of name may play in Japan, but it's like Nintendo of Japan just spat in the face of all international business and totally disregarded the feelings of American and European gamers everywhere. Is it really possible that NOA had a say in the naming of this system is? I sincerely doubt it. All that the clones at Nintendo of America can do is repeat the talking points they are given by the higher-ups in Nihon. This name could quite possibly alienate all of Western civilization away from Nintendo for good. Sega bit the dust a generation ago as a non-international-electronics- conglomerate, unlike Sony and Microsoft. What makes Nintendo think they are safe from the same fate? They had the right direction with their next-gen system... until now. I know that a majority of Americans support Sony and will most definately shell out WHATEVER the price is to own a PS3. All hopes that Nintendo would overcome and become the most popular system in land are most certainly lost. I also know that all of my friends at WVU in Morgantown, West Virginia would most likely make fun of me for owning a system called "Wii". Don't make fun of me or my friends for this, but it is a reality in America that the Nintendo faithful will have to deal with the fact that this name is too strange and childish for a majority the population to accept. Is it not true that Nintendo was trying to move away from the 'childish' image that it has been plagued with for so many gaming generations? How is this helping with the strategy of appealing to EVERYONE? It's not helping in America I can tell you. At one time in history Nintendo realeased a system in America that looked entirely different than the one it realeased in Japan because they knew that a grey box would look more official and computer-like to the American consumer than a red and white toy. That system (NES) became the most lucrative and beneficial system to Nintendo ever since the creation of the company. Why can't Nintendo change the name of Revolution, at least in America, for the same reasons. Please IGN and Nintendo, for the good of Nintendo and all of the faithful Nintendo fans out there, make sure that 'wii' never see this new name see the light of day in our lifetime. BOYCOTT 'WII'! VIVA LA REVOLUTION!

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