I've come in late to this topic as I haven't been around for a while. I knew nothing about Bayonetta until I downloaded the demo and was instantly hooked. I've noticed that people seem to love or hate Bayonetta because it is so unashamedly Japanese and is extreme in all departments, but I absolutely love it. I managed to track down a Climax edition for the 360 on ebay, payed more than I should have but I didn't mind, I just had to have this game and I completed it the other week. It is one of the greatest games I have ever played.
The sheer intensity of the battles, especially in the latter chapters is beyond anything I can think of. They are so dramatic, awesome just doesn't seem good enough a word. I have not played a game that I wanted to keep playing until I reached the end, yet didn't want it to end at the same time. Its unrelenting action is like all the best bits from epic sci-fi and fantasy films mashed together to create something truly spectacular.
There are a couple of minor niggles like having to go through the same areas a few times but they are done in a way that it isn't a major annoyance. I would also like to have seen a few more variations in bosses, rather than using the same template for a few of them. Also screen tearing can distract a little but I only noticed it a handful of times.
Other than that, everything was perfect. The game looks stunning, with some gorgeous looking levels. I found myself looking around taken by the sheer beauty and creativity on display. The bosses are just incredible, I have to take my hat off to Team Little Angels/Platinum Games, they are enormous and are so magnificent in their design, and just one on its own would be good enough to be the final boss of any other game.
The sound of Bayonetta is both epic and grand, and quirky and kitsch but it is done just right. There are times during the intense battle that you can feel overwhelmed by it, the orchestral score is as big as the bosses you face.
These elements would make a cracking game but what truly sets Bayonetta above anything else is the game play. It is fast, fluid and responsive; you always feel in control and have an almost endless list of moves and combos you can create. It is incredibly dynamic and deep, and that's before you add Witch Time and Wicked Weave to the mix. This is tied together with excellent character animation that is balletic yet powerful and hypnotic to the eyes.
The story is confusing at first but the more you play the game, the more is revealed and if you can connect the dots, the story is not as bad as some have been saying. I am a big fan of Japanese anime, and stories like Bayonetta are common so it's not too difficult for me to get my head around. Yes, many parts won't make sense but many animes do have a lot of mysticism in their stories that are never fully explained.
For someone like me Bayonetta is a godsend because I have seen some epic animes in my time but I have never seen it translated into a playable game before with such detail and perfection. I really liked the cut scenes, not only did they give you a better insight into the characters and story, it gave you time to recharge after a tough battle. There are a lot of overt sexual themes throughout but for me it helps Bayonetta stand above everything else because it dares to be different. It is quirky and very Japanese. In any other game this would be used to make a game appeal to male gamers as a selling point, games that use this tactic are usually lacking in a lot of departments. Bayonetta could have done well without it as every element of the game works beautifully, but that would have made for a boring character, and this game is certainly not boring. You could say a game so over the top demands a character that can match it. Again this is where the creators have struck gold by creating Bayonetta, a character so unique, so different that she is instantly iconic and has a lot of personality and depth that other game protagonists just can't match.
Anyway, I liked it so much that I have ordered the collectors edition of the strategy guide and the 5 disc OST.
The sheer intensity of the battles, especially in the latter chapters is beyond anything I can think of. They are so dramatic, awesome just doesn't seem good enough a word. I have not played a game that I wanted to keep playing until I reached the end, yet didn't want it to end at the same time. Its unrelenting action is like all the best bits from epic sci-fi and fantasy films mashed together to create something truly spectacular.
There are a couple of minor niggles like having to go through the same areas a few times but they are done in a way that it isn't a major annoyance. I would also like to have seen a few more variations in bosses, rather than using the same template for a few of them. Also screen tearing can distract a little but I only noticed it a handful of times.
Other than that, everything was perfect. The game looks stunning, with some gorgeous looking levels. I found myself looking around taken by the sheer beauty and creativity on display. The bosses are just incredible, I have to take my hat off to Team Little Angels/Platinum Games, they are enormous and are so magnificent in their design, and just one on its own would be good enough to be the final boss of any other game.
The sound of Bayonetta is both epic and grand, and quirky and kitsch but it is done just right. There are times during the intense battle that you can feel overwhelmed by it, the orchestral score is as big as the bosses you face.
These elements would make a cracking game but what truly sets Bayonetta above anything else is the game play. It is fast, fluid and responsive; you always feel in control and have an almost endless list of moves and combos you can create. It is incredibly dynamic and deep, and that's before you add Witch Time and Wicked Weave to the mix. This is tied together with excellent character animation that is balletic yet powerful and hypnotic to the eyes.
The story is confusing at first but the more you play the game, the more is revealed and if you can connect the dots, the story is not as bad as some have been saying. I am a big fan of Japanese anime, and stories like Bayonetta are common so it's not too difficult for me to get my head around. Yes, many parts won't make sense but many animes do have a lot of mysticism in their stories that are never fully explained.
For someone like me Bayonetta is a godsend because I have seen some epic animes in my time but I have never seen it translated into a playable game before with such detail and perfection. I really liked the cut scenes, not only did they give you a better insight into the characters and story, it gave you time to recharge after a tough battle. There are a lot of overt sexual themes throughout but for me it helps Bayonetta stand above everything else because it dares to be different. It is quirky and very Japanese. In any other game this would be used to make a game appeal to male gamers as a selling point, games that use this tactic are usually lacking in a lot of departments. Bayonetta could have done well without it as every element of the game works beautifully, but that would have made for a boring character, and this game is certainly not boring. You could say a game so over the top demands a character that can match it. Again this is where the creators have struck gold by creating Bayonetta, a character so unique, so different that she is instantly iconic and has a lot of personality and depth that other game protagonists just can't match.
Anyway, I liked it so much that I have ordered the collectors edition of the strategy guide and the 5 disc OST.
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