Ready Your Bayonettas

So many things have happened since the last time I’ve written. I’m actually backed up on reviews (mostly clothing), and I really, really feel bad for not getting them out there yet. So to make up for it, let’s talk about an adventure I’ve undergone recently.

I’ve always been interested in this game. I’ve wanted to know what it was about, why people got so hype over it, and frankly what was the reasoning for her outfit. After prolonged intrigue and the official reveal of Bayonetta 2, I decided to finally delve into it and get a better understanding of it. The honest, first reaction I had to Bayonetta was “Whaaat the fuuuuck”.

This game is all kinds of loopy!


From the very beginning at the opening cutscene, you’re thrown into a bullet hell with Bayonetta and another female character named Jeanne ( ← and don’t worry, you’ll get to see her again, over and over again — she’s like the Seifer of this game but she doesn’t come back raggedy).

After the five-minute cutscene (might be a little longer than that), you see Bayonetta again in a graveyard with a stout man named Enzo, and they’re joined by a cool guy named Rodin. And yet again, you’re thrown into yet another fast paced, high impact, soon turned bullet hell cutscene.  After a, rather uniquely built tutorial, you finally get to play the game. That’s when you get to feel the intensity of the battles for yourself.

The character designs very from really awesome to really questionable. One of the more questionable things being Bayonetta’s proportions. As someone has once humourously said, Bayonetta has “legs up to her face”, which is true enough. She is the true embodiment of a shoujo protagonist, though I think she goes a little past other shoujo requirements. The awesome design go to the enemies, especially the bosses. I’m a stickler for really good, sometimes grotesque boss designs, and Bayonetta definitely has that. Another thing I like, design wise, are the weapons. The combos, usefulness, and versatility win me over as well. Every weapon (and technique) brings its own flavour, and even though I have my favourites, it’s always good to know and enjoy all the choices presented.

The game itself is very wild and fast paced. You can see that from the opening cutscenes, but it does have a ridiculous “charm” about it. And I honestly do mean that in the best way possible. There’s something very Jojo about it. Everything about this game is flamboyant, outrageous, and over the top!

There’s a lot of T & A as well as intimate close ups. There was a point in time when I didn’t mind as much when I saw it in anime, video games, and what not, but now as time went on, I guess I just sort of tired of it. When it comes to Bayonetta, the T & A is both amusing and a little uncomfortable. Most of the time I would find myself laughing, never really sure what the emotion was behind it — if there was any.

The battle music for the most part is a very cruise ship/lounge bar, pop version of “Fly Me to the Moon” (/“In Other Words”). It’s a very catchy song, and I do like hearing it. Though, I’m so used to hearing more battle fitting music, that I’m not used to hearing it. Some of the cutscenes are still frames with voice acting over them. Bayonetta owns this style very well. The Loading screens are actually pretty long, but the best thing about it is that you’re able to practice your moves during them. I like it. I love being able to brush up on my skills; it helps pass the time and keeps you on top of your game.

When it comes to the actual gameplay, there is a lot happening on the field, sometimes it’s hard for me to keep track of where Bayonetta is. The enemies come in droves, never giving you a chance to lower your guard. Despite the fact that the game is laced in ridiculousness, it does have its bloody side as well. The world map feature is probably the cutest I’ve ever seen, honestly. Enemy introductions are done in a very unique way as well. They’re locked away in a book, almost like a bestiary.

The game has moments when it drags on too long to the point of repeating itself, like the motorcycle level or the missile level. It’s not exactly boring, but after a point, it does start to feel repetitive and almost pointless.

However, the game does have a lot of redeeming points, like the fact that the game has a chockfull of references to other things and has Yuri Lowenthal and Dave Fennoy (!!) as voice actors. There is a surprising amount of brutality in this game as well. I can't say that it turns me away at all. I actually enjoyed it. The ridiculous Jojo-esque humour does bring me some smiles most of the time. On top of that, I actually do like the personalities of the characters and the very strong attitude that Bayonetta has. The game has some issues with clipping textures, but it’s not horrendous to the eye or anything like that. It is just definitely noticeable.

Bayonetta is definitely an interesting game. I would say that it’s worth looking into, and man, I just realized the game is four years old. I’ll probably look into the sequel as well. Bayonetta’s rocking the short hair, so guess I’ve to see what that is about too.