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    Review: Bayonetta

    Friday, January 22, 2010, 09:04 AM PST [General]
    Posted By: G

    Developer: Platinum Games.
    Publisher: SEGA.
    Platform(s): Xbox 360 (reviewed) & PS3.
    Release Date(s):     Oct 29th 2009 (Japan), Jan 5th 2010 (US), Jan 8th 2010 (Europe).
    Reviewer: George.

    I haven't seen a game in a long time get so much hate and love at the same time. Has all the press been worth it? Has Bayonetta set the new bar for action games? Read on to find out.

    Story as told in the book of witches...

    Right when you start the game, you are lead into a prologue and in the middle of chaos. Most games on the market start out slow, building a story, not Bayonetta. Starting Bayonetta will make you feel like you walked into the middle of a conversation, a bloody messy conversation. This is not really a bad thing about the game, I actually liked it, was rather unique way to start off such an over the top game.

    If you are looking for super awesome writing in a game, look somewhere else. Let's be honest, Kamiya's last action game, Devil May Cry, didn't have an outstanding story. Neither does Ninja Gaiden and I don't think those type of games need outstanding stories. The story is explained fully in the later chapters of the game, but you will probably piece most of it together by the time you get to the end. Yeah, it’s one of those types of stories.

    What the game does deliver is a really nice cast of characters. I know a ton of you guys are going to comment about how the number one hated thing about the game is the Bayonetta character and yes, she sort of got on my nerves to start with but she really does have her moments. Bayonetta is your basic character from a 70's exploit film, a sexy deadly woman that is not afraid to tease you. So who was my favorite character? Enzo, how could you not like him? He always cracks me up.


    That's one good looking witch...

    When the game was first shown, over a year ago, I was very impressed with the graphics, but now it has been over a year and it seems a few games have took the wow factor away.

    But the game still looks really impressive, at least the in game models do. Sure the game does not have realistic graphics, but everything on the characters seem to have detail and look really sharp.

    The environments seem to be hit and miss, sometimes they look really nice and then they look a bit drab. Though the game stays well above 30 frames-per-second throughout the whole game and that to me is more important than fancy pants graphics.

    How does she play?

    This is the best part of Bayonetta in my opinion, the game play. The fighting system is so smooth and there is more than just one way to play the game.

    I sometimes go back and try different ways to beat enemies, just to find the shortest and fastest way to destroy them. The levels are pretty much about surviving fights without getting hits, at least if you want to get good ratings and if you do, you will have to practice a lot.

    The game breaks down the ratings, giving you ratings after every minor fight. They rate you with medals ranging from stone, bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and pure platinum. In the end they will add all your sub fights, with how many times you died (if you die more than 5, enjoy your stone) and items used to rank up your medal for the whole stage.

    I wish you could go back and fight some of the minor fights to practice on the enemies, but sadly the game does not allow this.


    The game does not just offer fighting; it also has motorcycle riding, surfing, first person shooting and a few more game play mechanics. The game also lets you pick up enemy weapons; this can actually make the fights a ton easier.

    One of the easiest examples to bring up is Grace and Glory, if you are not on your toes with these two they can drain a ton of your health. Once you beat one of them, they will drop a weapon and if you use it on the other one you can kill them quickly.

    For those of you who are worried that the game might be a bit short, it took me a little over 10 hours to complete it on my first play through; yes some of the parts in the game are that hard.

    Though you will pretty much have to go through the game more than once to unlock all the items offered in the shop. Not to mention, there are areas that you will miss in the game, so you will have to go back and try to find them. So yes replay value is pretty high on this title.

    Humming them tunes...

    There is something about the music in Bayonetta that had me humming the main theme for Bayonetta, I don't know what it is but the song is really catchy. Not to mention the soundtrack has some really good remixes of classic SEGA songs, like Splash Wave from OutRun and who doesn't like Splash Wave? The game has a ton of composers ranging from Masami Ueda (Viewtful Joe series) to Mitsuharu Fukuyama (Yakuza 3).

    The game also features an action remix version of "Fly me to the moon" by Frank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra is a manly man, so this game having this song automatically makes it a manly game.


    A shout out to classics...

    Bayonetta has fan service galore, for both Capcom and SEGA fans (which if you didn't know, I happen to be both). One of the coolest ones are when you turn into a panther you leave behind a trial of skull flowers, a reference to Okami. Then there is a useful move you can buy called Afterburner, obviously a reference to the game by SEGA. There are actually more SEGA references, even SEGA "themed" levels, but if I say too much it ruin them in the game and you won't appreciate them as much as I did.

    ---

    Graham's Second Opinion:

    Bayonetta has been one of the most surprising games for me in ages.  While I have been getting excited about the game for a while now, I always had some niggling doubts in the back of my mind.

    You see I'm not a fan of the Devil May Cry series, I just find it gets a bit boring too quickly.  And seeing as Bayonetta is made by the guy behind Devil May Cry, you can understand that I might have concerns.

    I played and enjoyed the demo, but still thought; "I can see this getting boring though." But, like a lot of games, the demo really doesn't do the full game justice. 

    Bayonetta is quite simply one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played.


    It's a magic carpet ride:

    You can tell that Platinum Games have put a lot of love into making Bayonetta.  The cast of characters are colourful and quirky - if not a little cliché sometimes.

    The level designs are generally brilliant, with some very decent set pieces and original design.  Early levels are a bit basic, but still look great; it's the later levels that will impress gamers, especially the sections set in Paradiso.

    All of the character movements are very fluid and lifelike - just see Bayonetta dance at the end to get an idea of how smooth her animation is; it's like that throughout the entire game. Sexy.

    The replay value in the game is surprisingly good too, with plenty of techniques to unlock, items to buy and hidden pickups/ areas to be found around the levels.

    "Boss" used to mean "cool" - it still does:

    Enemy design is also good, you will fight quite a few of the same 'grunts' over and over each level, but Platinum Games has also been able to throw in a great mix of other enemies, especially the boss and mini-boss types.

    Speaking of boss battles, it's been a while since I've played a game where every boss felt totally unique and brilliant.   The sheer size and scale of some of the bosses just blew my mind, not to mention the brilliant design work that went into all of them.

    Shooting from the heel and winning:

    Really though, the graphics, levels, characters and boss designs aren't the best thing about Bayonetta, it's the game play.

    As I mentioned, I don't like the Devil May Cry (and similar) games much, mainly due to getting bored of the game play. There are other games, similar to Bayonetta and DMC, which just end up in a button-mashing frenzy, where you smash the joypad and just hope to come out alive. 

    But Bayonetta has plenty of moves to pull off, keeping things interesting, and they are all easy to do, making you really feel in control of the fights. I hate it when games have lots of moves to pull off, but you need to do some crazy ass button combinations to do any of them.

    Memory loss is a bitch:

    There are only two minor drawbacks in Bayonetta.  The first one is the story - it's a bit too convoluted in areas and they really don't explain anything that's going on until the very end, and even then they don't give you a definite answer of what just happened.

    But if you are ok to go with the flow, the game does take you on a fun adventure. And because the whole story does revolve around Bayonetta's memory loss, you not being filled in properly on what is happening does feel in keeping with the tone of the game.

    The second issue is that of visuals. Well not all the visuals, I actually mean of the background visuals.  Up close all environments and the characters are smooth and detailed, some games are better but you can't fault the title on what you see, because it is still genuinely good.

     

    However, sometimes you will come to an area of a level that is overlooking what should be a lovely backdrop, but instead you get a weird low-resolution jpeg effect;  Backgrounds that look like they could/ should be high detailed and fitting, but just don't seem to work properly.

    However, that is it as far as problems go.  And that's really scrapping the barrel for complaints - the backdrops being subpar are hardly going to ruin a game.

    Graham's Summary:

    Brilliant game play, great graphics, fantastic animation and an intriguing (if not a little confusing) storyline has made Bayonetta into one of the best SEGA-released titles in a long time.

    It's just a pity we can't call this a "true SEGA game," but massive kudos to Platinum Games for making a great title and also giving SEGA fans some nice subtle treats throughout the game.

    ---

    Final Summary:

    Platinum Games offers up a nice looking title, with solid frame rate and one of the most engaging battle systems I have seen on a modern action game. Bayonetta also gives us a highly addictive (and frustrating) ranking system that will keep you coming back for more. If that doesn't have you coming back, you will come back to collect rings to buy items you didn't get on your first play through.

    Pros:

    + Addictive ranking system.
    + Best battle system so far this generation, the bar has been set.
    + Nice character models.
    + High replayability.

    Cons:

    - Some environments can look drab
    - Story is nothing special
    - Wish you had more control over what sections you played

    ~After receiving a "Yes" vote from both reviewers, Bayonetta has become SEGA Nerds' second game to ever receive the SEGA Nerds Seal of Quality~

     

    I haven't seen a game in a long time get so much hate and love at the same time. Has all the press been worth it? Has Bayonetta set the new bar for action games?
    Read on to find out.
    Story as told in the book of witches...
    Right when you start the game, you are lead into a prologue and in the middle of chaos. Most games on the market start out slow, building a story, not Bayonetta. Starting Bayonetta will make you feel like you walked into the middle of a conversation, a bloody messy conversation. This is not really a  bad thing about the game, I actually liked it, was rather unique way to start off such an overtop game.
    If you are looking for super awesome writing in a game, look somewhere else. Let's be honest, Kamiya's last action game, Devil May Cry, didn't have an outstanding story. Neither does Ninja Gaiden and I don't think those type of games need outstanding stories. The story is explained fully in the later chapters of the game, but you will probably piece most of it together by the time you get to the end. Yeah, its one of those type of stories.
    What the game does deliver is a really nice cast of characters. I know a ton of you guys are going to comment about how the number one hated thing about the game is the Bayonetta character and yes, she sort of got on my nerves to start with but she really does have her moments. Bayonetta is your basic character from an 70's exploit film, a sexy deadly women that is not afraid to tease you. So who was my favorite character? Enzo, how could you not like him? He always cracks me up.
    The graphics?
    When the game was first shown, over a year ago, I was very impressed with the graphics, but now it has been over a year and it seems a few games have took the wow factor away.
    But the game still looks really impressive, at least the in game models do. Sure the game does not have realistic graphics, but everything on the characters seem to have detail and look really sharp.
    The environments seem to be hit and miss, sometimes they look really nice and then they look a bit drab. Though the game stays well above 30 frames-per-second throughout the whole game and that to me is more important than fancy pants graphics.
    How's she play?
    This is the best part of Bayonetta in my opinion, the gameplay. The fighting system is so smooth and there are more than just one way to play the game.
    I sometimes go back and try different ways to beat enemies, just to find the shortest and fastest way to destroy them. The levels are pretty much about surviving fights without getting hits, at least if you want to get good ratings and if you do, you will have to practice alot.
    The game breaks down the ratings, giving you ratings after every minor fight. They rate you with medals ranging from stone, bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and pure platinum. In the end they will add all your sub fights, with how many times you died (if you die more than 5, enjoy your stone) and items used to rank up your medal for the whole stage.
    I wish you could go back and fight some of the minor fights to practice on the enemies, but sadly the game does not allow this.
    The game does not just offer fighting, it also has motorcycle riding, surfing, first person shooting and a few more gameplay mechanics. The game also lets you pick up enemy weapons, this can actually make the fights a ton easier.
    One of the easiest examples to bring up is Grace and Glory, if you are not on your toes with these two they can drain a ton of your health. Once you beat one of them, they will drop a weapon and if you use it on the other one you can kill them quickly.
    For those of you who are worried that the game might be a bit short, it took me a little over 10 hours to complete it on my first play through, yes some of the parts in the game are that hard.
    Though you will pretty much have to go through the game more than once to unlock all the items offered in the shop. Not to mention, there are areas that you will miss in the game, so you will have to go back and try to find them. So yes replay value is pretty high on this title.
    Humming them tunes...
    There is something about the music in Bayonetta that had me humming the main theme for Bayonetta, I don't know what it is but the song is really catchy. Not to mention the soundtrack has some really good remixes of classic SEGA songs, like Splash Wave and who doesn't like Splash Wave? The game has a ton of composers ranging from Masami Ueda (Viewtful Joe series) to Mitsuharu Fukuyama (Yakuza 3).
    The game also features a action remix version of "Fly me to the moon" by Frank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra is a manly man, so this game having this song automatically makes it a manly game.
    A shout out to classics ...
    Bayonetta has fan service galore, for both Capcom and SEGA fans (which if you didn't know, I happen to be both). This are some of the references that I found while playing the game. One of the coolest ones was when you turn into a panther you leave behind a trial of skull flowers, a reference to Okami.
    There is a useful move you can buy called Afterburner, obviously a reference to the game by SEGA.  There are actually more SEGA refrences, even SEGA "themed" levels, but if I say too much it ruin them in the game and you won't appreciate them as much as I did.
    Graham's Opinion:
    Bayonetta has been one of the most surprising games for me in ages.  While I have been getting excited about the game for a while now, I always had some niggling doubts in the back of my mind.
    You see I'm not a fan of the Devil May Cry series, I just find it gets a bit boring too quickly.  And seeing as Bayonetta is made by the guy behind Devil May Cry, you can understand that I might have concerns.
    I played and enjoyed the demo, but still thought; "I can see this getting boring though."  But, like a lot of games, the demo really doesn't do the full game justice.  
    Bayonetta is quite simply one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played.
    It's a magic carpet ride:
    You can tell that Platinum Games have put a lot of love into making Bayonetta.  The cast of characters are colourful and quirky - if not a little cliche sometimes.
    The level designs are generally brilliant, with some very decent set pieces and original design.  Early levels are a bit basic, but still look great; it's the later levels that will impress gamers, especially the sections set in Paradiso.
    All of the character movements are very fluid and lifelike - just see Bayonetta dance at the end to get an idea of how smooth her animation is; it's like that throughout the entire game. Sexy.
    The replay value in the game is surprisingly good too, with plenty of techniques to unlock, items to buy and hidden pickups/ areas to be found around the levels.
    "Boss" used to mean "cool" - it still does:
    Enemy design is also good, you will fight quite a few of the same 'grunts' over and over each level, but Platinum Games has also been able to throw in a great mix of other enemies, especially the boss and mini-boss types.
    Speaking of boss battles, it's been a while since I've played a game where every boss felt totally unique and brilliant.   The sheer size and scale of some of the bosses just blew my mind, not to mention the brilliant design work that went into all of them.
    Shooting from the heel and winning:
    Really though, the graphics, levels, characters and boss designs aren't the best thing about Bayonetta, it's the gameplay.
    As I mentioned, I don't like the Devil May Cry (and similar) games much, mainly due to getting bored of the gameplay.  There are other games, similar to Bayonetta and DMC, that just end up in a button-mashing frenzy, where you mash the controller and just hope to come out alive.  
    But Bayonetta has plenty of moves to pull off, keeping things interesting and they are all easy to do, making you really feel in control of the fights.
    Memory loss is a bitch:
    There are only two drawbacks in Bayonetta.  The first one is the story - it's a bit too convoluted in areas and they really don't explain anything that's going on until the very end, and even then they don't give you a definite answer of what just happened.
    But if you are ok to go with the flow, the game does take you on a fun adventure.  And because the whole story does revolve around Bayonetta's memory loss, you not being filled in properly on what is happening does feel in keeping with the tone of the game.
    The second issue is that of visuals.  Well not all the visuals, I actually mean of the background visuals.  Up close all environments and the characters are smooth and detailed, some games are better but you can't fault the title on what you see, because it is still genuinley good.
    However, sometimes you will come to an area of a level that is overlooking what should be a lovely backdrop, but instead you get a weird low-resolution jpeg effect;  Backgrounds that look like they could/ should be high detailed and fitting, but just don't seem to work properly.
    However, that is it as far as problems go.  And that's really scrapping the barrel for complaints - the backdrops being subpar is hardly going to ruin a game.
    Graham's Summary:
    Brilliant gameplay, great graphics, fantastic animation and an intruiging (if not a little confusing) storyline has made Bayonetta into one of the best SEGA-released titles in a long time.
    It's just a pity we can't call this a true SEGA game, but massive kudos to Platinum Games for making a great title and also giving SEGA fans some nice subtle treats throughout the game.
    Final Summary:
    The game offers up a nice looking game, with solid framerate and one of the most engaging battle systems I have seen on a action game this generation, also offers up a highly addictive and frustrating ranking system that will keep you coming back for me. If that doesn't have you coming back, you will come back to collect rings to buy items you didn't get on your first playthrough.
    Pros:
    + Addictive ranking system
    + Best battle system so far this generation, bar has been set
    + Nice character models
    + High replayability

    Cons:
    - Some environments can look drab
    - Story is nothing special
    - Wish you had more control over what sections you played

    5/5
    ~George~
    0 (0 Ratings)
    [ 12 comments ]

    HELL YES! Bayonetta was a GREAT game! I enjoyed playing every minute of it! Although it isn't a "true" SEGA game as stated above.. there was still that SEGA charm that keeps you coming back for more.

    Vinny
    January 22, 2010
    01:17 PM PST

    Great review! Glad to see the review images make their return.

    Barry the Nomad
    January 22, 2010
    01:46 PM PST

    I thought that was one long review! You guys should just write separate reviews, why combine them? I feel like the game could use extra coverage.

    I am impressed with how much Sega flavoring there is in this game. You'd think that Sega would acquire Platinum Games considering how well they work together.

    Lil Mac
    January 22, 2010
    07:41 PM PST

    thank you sega for living up to your hardcore legacy.. platinum games>life

    Ray
    January 22, 2010
    07:55 PM PST

    Hmm I still don't get the popularity of this game I am a Devil May Cry fan, but I still don't get it. I don't understand how a game with such a poor story can even get good ratings these days. I mean it was only 4 years ago FPS games were getting lynched for lack of story, it shouldn't be accepted now just because the character models and battle system are pretty. Maybe I am over critical but in this gaming climate I just can't support a game that doesn't atleast make a concerted effort to make the story something nice.

    Daweii
    January 23, 2010
    04:08 AM PST

    Daweii, sit down and play the game (not just the demo) and you'll change your tune.

    Games AREN'T about story, they're about gameplay and Bayonetta delivers that in spades.

    Barry the Nomad
    January 23, 2010
    06:49 AM PST

    Nice to see another game get the SegaNerds seal of quality. I'm looking forward to picking it up once I've got some cash to spare :)

    SOUP
    January 23, 2010
    08:15 AM PST

    I don't understand how a game with such a poor story can even get good ratings these days.

    For an action game, I reckon story is worth about 2% of a rating. Rising to maybe 15% for an RPG and 30% for a graphic adventure.

    If there is one thing I'd change about Bayonetta, it would be the addition of a more arcade-like mode with all the story ripped out of it. No cutscenes, no shop, no journals, no backtracking, and no examining signs and statues. Add to that no making lollypops, no puzzles that take more than 5 seconds to get past if you know what you're doing, and generally streamline the game into something like a late '80s arcade action game, like Ghouls and Ghosts, Strider or Shinobi. Hell, add some timers that force the player to hurry up!

    It's not that I hate all the story and inventory stuff that seems to come with modern gaming. I play RPGs as well, although I've gone off the genre a bit as I feel they need to be more aurally and visually abstract to be immersive. I enjoyed several of the cutscenes in Bayonetta and will probably watch several of them again. They helped me to like the characters more too (I look forward to playing as Jeanne because of the cutscenes where she appeared, and '80s arcade games didn't really have unlockable stuff). But I had much more fun actually playing this, fighting, riding or platforming, not worrying about my motives or wondering whether I've picked up enough ingredients or halos to make or buy something!

    Anyway, I just want a purer, streamlined version of the good stuff as an option, because sometimes I'm simply in no mood for all the bloaty non-game crap that gets shoehorned into every action game these days.

    I hope Platinum Games stick with Sega. I think they would be the perfect team to take on the Panzer Dragoon franchise, although Platinum and Clover before them appear to only like making original titles.

    ZP..
    January 23, 2010
    09:14 AM PST

    Games are books.

    Kogen
    January 23, 2010
    06:25 PM PST

    lol, are you for real, Daweii? There are PLENTY of great games that come out these days that have terrible stories, and vice versa. Honestly, most games today have pretty shallow, cliche storylines. But that doesn't tend to matter cause the game is as fun as hell.

    Go buy Bayonetta. Now. The game DOES make a concerted effort to tell a story. It just aint that good. That can be said about most games these days honestly, because games aren't about storytelling.

    nuckles87
    January 26, 2010
    12:02 PM PST
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