Bayonetta – Review

A fleeting glance at Bayonetta’s hyper-kinetic visual style will likely prove divisive for those not schooled in the medium. This, for all the progression the industry has to offer, is a videogame. And what’s more, it’s a videogame that knows it’s a goddamn videogame, and would like to respectfully remind you of its origins at 60fpsthankyouverymuch. Subtlety and narrative progression are definitely not watchwords here; but for all the craziness and old-school mentality on display, Bayonetta’s heart beats to a rhythm of pure reverence for the Japanese development scene.

In terms of mechanics, traditional 3rd-person combat sits alongside gameplay tributes to the likes of Outrun, Super Hang On, Afterburner and Space Harrier; along with nods to former Clover-lords Capcom. But scratching that playful veneer reveals a title of immense depth and polished originality. Director Hideki Kamiya has continued the legacy borne of Devil May Cry, infusing Bayonetta with a stripped, streamlined and effortlessly impressive combat system that echoes Dante’s fluidity - embelishing it with a feminine grace and willingness to reinforce player progression. Death is as rewarding as it is frequent, every continue fuelled by a desire to try something new.

With a gun strapped to each arm and leg, and a repertoire of moves that borders on the insane, Bayonetta caters for button-mashers, experimentalists and perfectionists alike. Combination attacks are executed with singular punch and kick buttons; auto-lock gunfire serves to chain scores together; and the right trigger performes a quick dodge which, if timed correctly, can counter enemy attacks and activate temporary slow-motion ‘witch time’. If they weren’t developed at roughly the same juncture, Batman: Arkham Asylum would be the obvious touchstone for combat flow, albeit with lightening quick pace, an additional dose of verticality, and hair. Lots and lots of hair.

The beauty of PlatinumGames balancing act here is that – unlike the DMC series – players of all skill levels are constantly rewarded. On normal, Bayonetta can prove occasionally challenging, with only a few sequences that overstep the line into frustration. Simply completing the game is satisfying enough, but skillful players will gravitate towards a scoring system that rewards both speed runs and meticulous combo attacks. The urge to one-up the next on your leaderboard list is compelling, with two unlockable and incredibly tough difficulty levels opening up progressively. Going the other direction, Easy and Super-Easy modes basically play themselves, eschewing movement control and requiring only attack buttons to pull off the most complex and well-timed combos.

And then there’s Bayonetta herself.

The hyper-sexualisation imbued into every animation of our ethereal amazonian-librarian-dominatrix is certainly polarising; but make no mistake, this is no dress-up session or damsel in distress. Yes, the camera lingers lecherously and close to the ground a little too frequently to be entirely comfortable, but the difference between a Bayonetta or a Kasumi is tangible. For all of its dubious characteristics, Bayonetta is constantly aware of the lens through which she is viewed, playing to the audience and in control of her own identity. It’s not subtle, it’s hardly refined, but it is challenging; and just the right side of that wafer-thin line bordering objectification.

Just.

In the end though, even Bayonetta’s exaggerated character traits are tempered by the rest of the game. If normal design is a process of throwing things at a wall and seeing what sticks, Platinum must be using some powerful glue. This is a universe in which nothing is considered too bombastic, nothing too crass, nothing too outlandish, nothing too imaginative. When you think they’ve finally peaked mid-way with a battle in which a building becomes a weapon, somebody turns up with a skyscraper. Boss encounters feature entire colossus-style stages, rockets are occasionally used as vehicles and flying combat arenas, mythical beasts are conjured from hair, motorbikes activated with a glowing finger, planets decimated under player control… all set to J-pop techno remixes of crooner tunes such as ’fly me to the moon’. Somehow, it’s completely appropriate.

It is, in short, entirely lovable, with the only serious mis-step being a few overly-long cutscenes and a plot that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Dips in pacing and difficulty spikes occasionally rear up to spoil the party, but if those are the side-products of a talented studio given free reign to craft the experience they desire, I can only hope others get the same chance.

On a technical and creative level, Bayonetta demands absolute respect.

9/10