Bayonetta - A Platinum Games / Sega Game

Bayonetta has had an unusual arrival upon our shores, coming out in the first week of January after a Japanese release late last year. It comes from Platinum Games and the creative force behind Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe and it seems to have been preceded by a mass of critical warmth not often seen for games, all which left me intrigued enough to try a game which would not normally appeal to me at all.


Right from the beginning you have to accept that you will not have a clue what is going on story wise in this game. Bayonetta is the last surviving witch from a war that raged 500 years ago and she was found in a coffin at the bottom of a lake 20 years ago with no memory of that life. She is only aware that as she should rightly be dead heaven frequently send angels and other creatures to try and reclaim her so she faces a constant battle to stay alive. Add to this a quest to discover her past and reunite two all powerful jewels. It gets to the point about 10 hours in that the developers seem to have realised that the players would have no idea what was going on so suddenly every character you meet will spontaneously recap the entire story in some menacing monologue for the benefit of you the player.

The only area where I felt this game let itself down was the length of the main story. There are 18 chapters but at the end of level 13 you really are ready for the story to end. In fact I went from being amazed by the game at chapter 9, which features the most beautifully crafted gaming level I have ever experienced, to being frustrated at the later levels which include riding a missile for an entire level dodging attacks and attacking enemies from it as a platform. There is a good 12 – 15 hours of game play on the normal difficulty level for the average gamer but you fill find yourself having to repeat a lot of fights on the harder level trying to find the right way to take down some of the enemies.



The game is heavily focussed around combat be it with minions, agile sub bosses or massive bosses. The combat works on a system of building attacks using a combination or mainly Y and B buttons and incorporating the analogue sticks and shoulder bumpers into more devastating combos. Although at first there is a great deal of button bashing involved you will soon settle down into a few combos that really work effectively for you. Every time the loading screen appears it shows a list of all the possible attacks and a tally of how frequently you have used each attack. By pressing the back button you can enter a practise area where you can work through the listed combos perfecting your attacks. As you build up successive attacks your magic gauge fills up allowing you to perform spectacular torture attacks that are really well presented.


One of the main tools at your disposal during combat is Witch Time, you can dodge attacks at anytime by pressing the RT button but if you dodge right at the last possible second it triggers Witch Time where the world around you slows down but you can still act at full speed allowing you to pull off spectacular attacks on your foes. The game also uses Witch Time as a tool for puzzle solving which seems like quite an innovative technique when you discover it.

The combat is kept varied by a solid upgrade system that is not overly complicated and allows you to purchase new techniques and accessories that unlock more attacks. For your character to access these upgrades you have access to “The Gates of Hell”, an area presented as a bar run by your friend Rodin. Here you can purchase new items, equipment, accessories and even outfits for your character.

Although at first glance a lot of the achievements point to tedious item collecting and secret area finding the in game rewards for these almost make the achievement reward a secondary consideration. For example there are vinyl records to collect that can each be exchanged for a new weapon and witches resting places to discover that reward you with increased health and magic.



Although Bayonetta has no online features it relies on its addictive game play to prolong its longevity. I found as soon as I had completed this game on normal I started straight away on the harder difficulties that are only unlocked through completing the game. And although the game is very accessible on the normal difficulty it does present quite the challenge on the harder difficulties with large sub bosses thrown at you a very frequent intervals which take a lot of skill to overcome. The game is also packed with Easter eggs and side games to provide plenty of variety through your journey with Bayonetta. From the arcade shooter game “Angels Attack” you play at the end of each level to the Alfheim Doors leading to challenge areas, and even references to other Sega games from the past.

Where this game truly excels is in its presentation. The cut scenes are well made and vary from full motion video to a series of film like cells telling the story one cell at a time. The graphics are at worst good and at their best mind blowing. There can be a huge amount of action going on at once on the screen but the quality is never diluted by this. The action is always fast paced and you never lose a sense of what is going on during combat. The boss battles with the huge end of level bosses are truly mind blowing at times and the imagination you have to put into beating those equals the presentation. The soundtrack also is beautifully well crafted with a range from classical orchestral pieces to funky pop music straight out of an eighties arcade game.

I would say that overall Bayonetta is not a perfect but it is a near perfect gaming experience. An addictive game that is easy to pick up but very difficult to master. This is an old fashioned gaming experience which reminds of the era when realism did not matter just how much fun I was having while I was playing the game.9/10

Good review.

but even if it got an 11/10 I would never buy it as Sega refuse to send GSA any games to review as we are not big enough.
SO, as all other publishers will work with us, I boycott them until they get off there high horse and see sense.

Kent Hammer wrote:Good review.

but even if it got an 11/10 I would never buy it as Sega refuse to send GSA any games to review as we are not big enough.
SO, as all other publishers will work with us, I boycott them until they get off there high horse and see sense.

What about Football Manager games. LMFAO!!

Nice review there Mr Niteowl, will definately give this a look at some point in the not so distant future... I have some Blockbuster vouchers around here somewhere...

niteowl1980 wrote:

Kent Hammer wrote:Good review.

but even if it got an 11/10 I would never buy it as Sega refuse to send GSA any games to review as we are not big enough.
SO, as all other publishers will work with us, I boycott them until they get off there high horse and see sense.

What about Football Manager games. LMFAO!!

*cough*doublestandards*cough*

They are in some inexplicable way immune to the boycott

Nice review mate.
It does seem that this game has really been received well. the only reviews I've read that hated it, really seemed to be slating it, just for the hell of it. (perhaps to stand out in a sea of thumbs up?)

I bought this on release but not gotten very far into the game. Whilst still not really having a clue what the hell is going on, I'm having great fun.

Whilst I dont entirely agree with the whole boycott thing, I can understand why Kent would take a stand against Sega's attitude towards GSA. Personally, I cant help but have a soft spot for them, as I grew up with Sega. We've had our falling out (such as the sudden dropping of the Game gear, and The Saturn) But over time, I've learned to Forgive them lol.

I just picked this up and have played through the first 5 chapters and it is a brilliant looking game, and even though there is alot of button bashing, if you string them together you can perform some wicked little and large moves!

I am actually looking forward to playing this game more, plus there seems to be alot of focus on the look and expressions of the characters i.e sexy and alluring while still able to kick ass!! especially when her clothes which are actually her hair unravel (sp) from around her body to take down your enemies lol

Really good review that man!

I can't believe i've never got round to buying this game! Especially at the price you can pick it up for! Everyone seems to rate Vienetta as one of very finest games on Xbox!

Might move it up my wanted list after reading this review!

Aye I've got it being delivered by Zavvi at the end of the month and I'm really looking forward to it, especially since I haven't played a game like this since Devil May cry 1

Tenlo wrote:Aye I've got it being delivered by Zavvi at the end of the month and I'm really looking forward to it, especially since I haven't played a game like this since Devil May cry 1

Aaaaaah Devil May Cry 1. I love that game. I'm definitely dusting that off for a play after the Everton Comp!
I love the bosses with their stupid cartoon/ hammy voices!!

Won this in one of Everton's comps a few months back. Haven't got round to playing it yet, but think I'm gonna give it a go over the weekend