Bayonetta Plot & Setting

[Judge]

A slightly unusual question, but hopefully someone here may be able to help me.

I've played my way through the first 45 minutes of Bayonetta, and as a Christian, I had some issues with the plot and scenario of the game, particularly the opening scene. Obviously the game has its tongue deeply in cheek, but I'm not sure I want to play a game where the protagonists is shown killing the servants of God.

My question is, is the game's plot and setting actually based around Christainity, or does the game end up merely portraying a generic light/dark face-off of extra-dimensional beings? If the former, it's a pity- even from the short section I played, it was obvious that the gameplay here is something special, but I'll probably have to pass. I love the Devil May Cry series, and have no issues with its generalised fantasy setting, but Bayonetta's apparent setting itself up in opposition to my faith left me rather cold.

[Largo]

Its a generic light vs dark, lumen sages and umbra witches, both actually pretty much portrayed as decent enough people, it just so happens bayonetta has a bee in her bonnet about the lumen

I know bayonetta taunts say "angels" but aside from that im pretty sure the winged enemies are supposed to be lumen sages or at last minions, and not any direct link to actual biblical angels. Like you said, they are just other dimensional beings and such and such.
Theres certainly no other references, and the protagonist and antagonists are DMC-esk eccentric/wacky/bad ass characters not named from borrowed well known figures etc

If you like DMC, which imo is a lot more graphic on its demons and devils stuff, i wouldnt worry about bayo


No clue if im on the mark here to be honest, but might help out i guess
This could turn into the life of brian vs the church all over again

[NeoDragoN]

Don't worry, Bayonetta, like Jesus is a fictional character.

[Judge]

Largo- Thanks, I'll sink some more time into it an see what I think.

NeoDragoN- Well, at least we half agree!

[dvdx2]

most games nowadays involve 'immorral' acts of violence, killing, corruption,evil; etc etc

i think you have to put these in perspective - as entertainment/fiction/etc They dont mean you are a bad person, immorral or a violent person in 'real' life and hopefully 'video games' wont be able to impact through your strong beliefs.

I would say their are more things that happen in everyday life (the real world) that question/challenge religion. I'd say a game is probably the least of your worries.....

[rmoxon]

The enemies are all named after things from religious mythology though right? They are all Angels and Cherubs and stuff like that.

Ive been playing Bayonetta over the last few days and am actualy suprised that the church havent made a bigger deal over it, especially after they got all up in arms about the first Resistance game, I would imagine this is more offensive.

To be honest though I doubt most people who play it can follow the plot in the slightest, so maybe they wernt worried about it for that reason.

[plopboy]

Bayonetta is quite clearly portrayed as being a witch who is sided with the dark side of life e.g. Hell

She visits a bar called the Gates of Hell
She has made pacts with Demons
All defeated bosses get sucked into hell

So if your a committed Christian then you shouldn't play this game.

[Mayhem]

Then again, she is using the hell-powered weapons in order to defeat the forces of Paradiso coming after her. The early cutscenes made it quite clear in my eyes that she sits between both planes and occupies more the Purgitorio realm instead.

[plopboy]

Ah but

->Open Spoiler<-

To bring about the re-birth of the creator there is needed one from the Light side and one from the dark

, tbh if is just how you interpret the story and the characters, during the game Bayonetta does acts which are 'good'.

As previous posters have mention the fact that alot of games could be considered an affront to Christianity, you just have to be comfortable with what games you play and how that sits with your beliefs.

[rmoxon]

Then again, she is using the hell-powered weapons in order to defeat the forces of Paradiso coming after her. The early cutscenes made it quite clear in my eyes that she sits between both planes and occupies more the Purgitorio realm instead.

True, or well I'm not sure about it being made clear, but I think it is stated at some point. The fact is though shes still killing the forces of "light" which most would asume means "good guys" and seems to be friends with a guy from hell with an evil laugh, so I can imagine why it would be offensive to christians.

[Brodie]

I thought it was quite a good twist on the usual good versus evil formula myself.

It's always the "evil" dark, satanic, witchy types that get cast as the bad guys, the nutcases, the ones who are trying to reshape the world in their dark image, but in this case it's the supposedly "good" ones that are the actual enemy of the world.

Much like real life I guess - everyone has a different viewpoint depending on their culture and upbringing and country of origin, and religions are much the same.

Christian Crusaders must have seemed as much like the barbaric devils to Saracens as the Saracens did to them after all.

They're all mad mind. ;p

[nakamura]

It's always the "evil" dark, satanic, witchy types that get cast as the bad guys, the nutcases, the ones who are trying to reshape the world in their dark image, but in this case it's the supposedly "good" ones that are the actual enemy of the world.

Yeah and it is a refreshing change too.

[spagmasterswift]

Bayonetta is an anarchic character imo, she lives between the worlds of light and dark happy to **** with both.

[rmoxon]

I'm up to the last chapter and from what ive seen so far she just seems to like killing angels, the only person you have fought from the dark side/world is the blonde witch who folllows you about all day long and I'm still not sure why she was fighting you.

The story is barmy anyway, to be honest I cant even be bothered to try and grasp it.

Maybe she'll be fighting the dark folk in a sequel?

[spagmasterswift]

Nah, not after Resi5.