Bayonetta is an action game created by the name man who brought us Devil May Cry. And that fact is fairly obvious the moment you start playing. Now I have to start this review with the fact that I was never much of a fan of the Devil May Cry series, partially because I’m not very good to it. So that may bias my review here a bit.
The game starts with a stylish cut scene introducing the core cast and setting the otherworldly over the top tone the game carries throughout. The game leans heavily towards fan service. Bayonetta’s rather pronounced anatomy is shown off as often as possible in various evocative poses, and during the first cut scene alone she has a sexy nun outfit torn from her body by demonic “angels” and we get a brief nude scene, with naughty bit just barely concealed, before her hair transforms into a skin tight leather like outfit. She then nearly crushes one “angel’s” head with her thighs while blasting away at the rest. And she finishes this intense battle off while licking a lollipop provocatively. Her dialogue is full of innuendo throughout the game and even the characters walking pose in the few quieter moments seems designed to exude sex.
Graphically the game is beautiful, and has a very distinctive style. The in game models are only slightly lower in detail from there cut scene counterparts and the animation is very fluid. This is complimented by superb voice acting and a great soundtrack that leans heavily towards female artists and techno style tracks. Of course though these appeal to me they might not be high on everyone’s list. But they do fit the style and the look of the game and give a nice up-tempo beat to the combat.
Combat being of course the focus of the game, and there is a fairly complex mix of punches, kicks, and of course guns used to beat your enemies senseless before killing them. In this case our lovely heroine is equipped with a gun in each hand and one attached to each high heeled boot. Which makes for some very visually appealing attacks such as a spinning leg kick that sends a barrage of lead downrange. And the many combos in the game all look incredible. The torture kills are over the top strikes where Bayonetta summons things like guillotines or iron maidens to execute her foes. And at times you will find yourself shape changing or using her hair as weapons. However though a deep combo system does exist it’s really not all that necessary for most of the game. In fact the easiest mode can practically be played one handed, I’ll leave the dirty jokes to you. The game also uses the always popular bullet time, in this case called “witch time”, that triggers whenever you successfully dodge an attack. All this makes the easy setting ridiculously easy and thus boring. Unfortunately at the higher difficulty levels the game is painfully and punishingly difficult. There doesn’t seem to be much of a middle ground. Between fights you can purchase upgrades and new attacks using halos picked up from slain enemies.
The game has one significant flaw. Loading times throughout the game are insane. Literally everything you do, from moving from chapter to chapter in the game to pausing, yes even pausing, has a significant load time to it which pulls you out of the game. I even noticed a pause when I went to pick up items. It’s obvious they knew the problem existed as the load time between levels allows you to practice your combos, but when you get a ten to fifth teen loading pause just to pause the game or access the menu that’s just bad design.
Add to this the game’s story line is a vague mess. Your basically one of the last of your kind on earth. Your memory is in tatters after spending 500 years in a sort of stasis and your attempting to piece together your past while hunting down and killing “angels” who are attempting to take you to hell. I won’t spoil what little story there is but I think it’s safe to say this is the weakest part of the game. Though things are pieced together in beautiful cut scenes it’s a matter of style over substance.
In fact most of the game seems to suffer from this problem. The game is incredibly high on style with very polished graphics and voice acting. But when it comes down to actual substance its lacking in story and the combat only becomes worthwhile if you can handle the tougher difficulties where the deep combat has the potential to actually be interesting. But a paper thin story and a game that in easy mode can be completed in a single sitting of six or seven hours makes for very little of interest unless you want to go for high scores. For some the game will be a hit, and the great reviews its gotten elsewhere attest to that, but for me at least the game was a rental that I have no desire to return to.