Bayonetta Review

5/5 Stars *****


The next illogical step up from Devil May Cry.

In our awe of realistic graphics, true to life physics effects and expertly acted voiceovers, I feel that sometimes it's easy to overlook a large part of a game's worth; its ability to entertain us. Don't get me wrong, attention to detail in games is great, but do games really benefit from the use of real world weaponry, or meticulously animated blades of grass? I guess in the end it depends on the game in question. Bayonetta though, the latest game from Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya, prefers to wow you by ensuring your brain never quite catches up with the onslaught of nonsensical action and bizarre creatures. Strap yourself in; you are sure in for some turbulence.

Taking the general gameplay ideas from the aforementioned Devil may Cry, and cranking it up a few notches, Bayonetta puts you in the high heels of an acrobatic witch, beating the crap out of angels on your path through the game to regain your lost memories. Combat is frantic, and hugely enjoyable, with an emphasis on dodging and counterattacking, keeping you constantly on your toes. The amount of moves available is huge, with combos and unlockable moves, and then a heap more when you change your weapon layout, with your original quartet of guns (2 for your hands, 2 for your feet -obviously) being replaced by swords, shotguns, clawed gloves and more, each with their own moveset. You can also upgrade your magical abilities with purchasable accessories. The range of enemies too, while limited, encourages you to change tactics and pay attention to the moves of your foes, as often only split second timing will open up the window for you to lay into them with a combo, finishing with a demonic boot to the face, summoned from the ether via Bayonetta's hair. Yes that's right; in this game you summon demons with your hair. Also, as your body suit is made mostly of said hair, you get a flash of naked witch whilst a hairy dragon demon chomps down on your foe. In a nutshell that image describes Bayonetta.

The voice acting is good, with a loveable cast of misfits, and some occasionally overlong but nevertheless enjoyable cut scenes. These range from subtle plot exposition to overblown action, with things exploding and setting fire all around you. A drawback to some cutscenes comes with times where you quickly have to jab a button to dodge or jump - these are too easy to fail just because you aren't expecting them. The plot is pretty much gibberish, but done in such an insanely over the top style that I couldn't help but enjoy it. Boss battles too, are memorable and enjoyable, with some huge enemies to take down and some eye-popping finishing sequences. The game also features a level spent racing a motorbike through traffic whilst shooting car shaped enemies, and a Space Harrier-esque shooting level complete with exactly the same dragon boss as found in that game's first level. These and a few other nods to gaming clichés, keep the tone of the game firmly tongue in cheek, and alongside the frenetic action serves to create a highly enjoyable, if absurd experience.

If you haven't picked it up yet, I really really liked this game. The utter chaos and downright refusal to take itself seriously made it the perfect antidote to the rash of recent po faced shooters, and the focus on the feminine protagonist and almost constant movement during battles gave a much less brutal but high paced battle system than other similar games. The game itself is of a reasonable length, it finishes well before you tire of it but allows a good chance to get to know the characters and master the flow of battles, and a decent amount of unlockables and difficulty modes will keep you going for a while if you like that kind of thing. It would have been nice to see a couple of extra modes available though, a challenge mode for example would have helped extend the game's life a touch.

Overall then, I thought this game was amazing. With a sense of humour and ridiculousness which can't fail to bring a smile to your face, the 'Non Stop Climax Action' of this game truly is something to behold. If this sounds like your kind of thing I assure you, you will love it, but if it all sounds a bit too much perhaps you should stick to Modern Warfare. I heartily recommend this game and if you give it a chance I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Version reviewed: Xbox 360

Thanks for reading! Andrew