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Bayonetta Wii U review – Goddess of War

The first Bayonetta game makes its debut appearance on the Wii U, but four years later does it maintain its classic status?


We’re in a curious position here, because although we’re now allowed to review the Wii U version of Bayonetta, more than a month before it’s released, we’re not allowed to say anything about its sequel yet. And although this is slightly more than a port of the original we wouldn’t go quite so far as to call it a remaster. So in a sense there’s not much new to say, except that Bayonetta is still one of the best action games ever made.


Bayonetta was originally released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in early 2010. Neither version was particularly successful though and Bayonetta 2 only exists because Nintendo offered to fund and publish it. But since the original game was never released on the Wii they’ve also sprung for this Wii U port, which is either available with the sequel in a double pack or as an optional digital download (as explained here).


At release Bayonetta was often described as as a spiritual sequel to Devil May Cry, which is entirely accurate as it’s a similar sort of roaming beat ‘em-up and both games are by creator Hideki Kamiya. But compared to Bayonetta the Devil May Cry games now feel merely like preliminary sketches, preceding the true masterpiece. Which is not to say any individual element is wildly different, just refined and evolved to near perfection.


Despite the variety of abilities at her command, controlling the impossibly lithe Bayonetta is surprisingly easy. A button each for punch and kick allows access to a huge variety of moves, but it’s strategy that count in battle not rote learning of combos.


Utilising a bullet time effect by dodging enemy blows is a prime tactic, constantly tempting you into danger with the promise of turning the tables at the last microsecond. At any time Bayonetta can wield two pairs of weapons on her hands and feet, ranging from a sword to a whip to heel-mounted pistols. You can set up two sets of loadouts too, and switch between them mid combo.


Then there’s a whole gamut of special moves, that start with ‘punishments’ that have Bayonetta simply slapping an enemy’s backside. With enough magic power this escalates to torture attacks, where your angelic foes are thrown into an iron maiden or under a guillotine. And then finally there’s the climax attacks, which involve ripping apart bosses with a demonic parrot (and many even stranger creatures) made of Bayonetta’s own hair.


On top of this you can buy extra moves (including ones that turn you into a panther or crow), expensive accessories that offer helpful perks or special abilities, and a range of power-ups and health boosts crafted out of collected items.


The combat system is serious business, and far more nuanced and technical than pretenders such as God Of War. But the game itself is far from serious, and delights in paying homage to Sega classics such as OutRun, Super Hang-On, and Space Harrier. There’s also more subtle nods to everything from Ōkami to Sonic The Hedgehog. They don’t feel like steals though, but more like an extra set of exotic ingredients used to flavour an already gloriously rich interactive recipe.


As you’d expect this includes new references to Nintendo games, although this is restricted to four optional costumes based on Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Link, and Samus Aran. Apart from looking amusingly absurd each one subtly changes the gameplay, from the princesses summoning Boswer to punch and kick for them to Link’s use of sword and shield.


The only other change of note is an optional touchscreen control system, which is also used in the sequel. It works well enough but seems unnecessary as there’s already two flavours of easy mode and the GamePad isn’t used for anything else.


The original was never quite perfect though and this port doesn’t fix the occasionally wayward camera, which is still prone to spates of dizziness. The backdrops are as lifeless as ever too, and the oddly murky colour palette is thankfully not something the sequel has kept. But the only area where the game has really aged badly is the Super Hang-On and Space Harrier homages we alluded to earlier (we don’t want to spoil them if you haven’t played the game, but you’ll know them when you see them).


The most serious fault though was always the dopey plot about a war between witches and angels, and although it makes for some gorgeously bizarre enemy designs there are so many cut scenes filled with nonsensical, or just plain boring, dialogue you’re almost reminded of Metal Gear. It doesn’t help either that everyone but Bayonetta herself is such utterly insufferable to listen to, especially her hateful little Joe Pesci stand-in.

Bayonetta (Wii U) – that outfit was never in the original

Bayonetta herself we love though. And although we’ve seen some accuse her of being sexist, for us she stays just the right side of parody. With her impossibly long legs and frequent semi-nudity she may seem to be nothing but a male fantasy, but she takes every opportunity to mock those that would fetishise her and the game always paints her as firmly in control and justifiably self-confident.


Beyond these small issues we can think of no reason not to recommend the game (ideally together with its sequel, if that doesn’t count as breaking our embargo) to everyone, whether they think this sort of thing is for them or not. Unusually for a Japanese action game of this type it’s not impossibly hard on the lower difficulty levels, and all the different elements are introduced at an agreeably easy pace.


Bayonetta herself may want to punish you but the game just wants to entertain and surprise. A goal it achieves with a cocksure level of competence that is surpassed only by the witch herself.


In Short: Still one of the best third person actioners of all-time, and although the Wii U version changes very little the classic gameplay still shines through.


Pros: Superbly versatile combat that’s both accessible and deep. Huge variety of weapons, moves, and accessories. Fantastic enemy design and a great main character.


Cons: The story and cut scenes are a complete waste of time. Minor camera problems and sadly inert levels. Coin-op homage levels are endured rather than enjoyed.


Score: 9/10
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Review: Bayonetta (Wii U eShop)Review

With Bayonetta 2 around the corner as a Wii U exclusive, a reality that caused quite a stir when announced in 2012, it may be important for Nintendo-focused gamers to consider diving into the fresh port of the original Bayonetta, a title that skipped Wii when released in the last generation. Whether it's a worthwhile double-dip opportunity is another topic, but this arrival on the Wii U eShop — or as an inclusion with the sequel, depending on your region and purchase — does give a new audience a look at one of Platinum Games' definitive efforts.


The premise of Bayonetta is, like much of its approach, contrary to the norms we come to expect of big-name action games. Bayonetta herself is a witch that fights and butchers angels to survive, for example, but these heavenly enemies are rather grotesque creatures designed to inflict maximum damage. When you throw in human characters, multiple planes of reality and intersections of time, along with this continual run of biblical battles between Umbran Witches, Lumen Sages and all of their respective minions besides, you get a true sense for the fantastical setting. Despite its potential to confuse, and the fact that smaller details can be head scratchers, the storytelling works on basic levels and is enticing, drawing you in to learn more.


Of course, that's all in the context of a mature game. This is a title packed with innuendo and sexual suggestibility, and it's important to address that right away, especially as M-rated releases are rare on Nintendo's home console. It also raises questions over the portrayal of Bayonetta in terms of gender representation; there are interpretations that suggest she's a powerful, strong women asserting herself, while other arguments state that she's simply a figure of male fantasy. We dither between those two perspectives and middle-ground depending on the stage, it seems, as Bayonetta's displays of admirable power are then joined by overtly sexual 'torture' moves. Once again, be prepared for the realities of what Bayonetta brings to the Wii U, and accept that there may be some cringe-worthy sequences.


With that serious stuff out of the way, we'll switch gear to that most important detail, the game itself. In terms of structure it's a rather welcome throwback, offering up a single player action experience as a standalone mode; aside from some concept art and achievements, that's the core deal. It's a welcome approach, however, as the end result is a campaign that was clearly given the utmost devotion. A flat playthrough will need up to a dozen hours, but each chapter is carefully crafted — levels alternate from a linear series of confrontations and mini-bosses, to extensive boss battles that fill the screen and can take up to 20 minutes in their own right. The approach is one of sheer audacity, with large-scale environments and extravagant design being the key factors.


Bayonetta is, in most cases, a fluid and smooth protagonist to control — the basic third-person movement works well, but this is a title defined by the combat and the intensity of the action. There are two primary attacks — punch and kick — that can be chained into a daunting range of combos; we suspect most will settle on a few favourites for most occasions, and it's certainly vital to master these move-sets to activate more powerful strikes. As the difficulty ramps up the difference between success and failure can be to turn relatively weak primary attacks into completed combos.


There's impressive depth and complexity beyond those basic attacks however, such as Witch Time — if a dodge is triggered just prior to an enemy attack you slow time and have the opportunity to gain a significant advantage; its implementation is less generous than in the sequel, but is truly rewarding when achieved. The scope is truly impressive once you also account for a substantial range of moves and abilities that can be purchased with in-game currency. You can buff your abilities with various wearable accessories, mix collectibles to form other key items and customise Bayonetta to become increasingly powerful, with a nice balance to encourage additional playthroughs. Perhaps the most important customisation is in a selection of weapons beyond the core guns; these can be assigned to feet and hands in any mix you desire, and fundamentally change the combat, allowing those that commit to mastering the mechanics to experiment for the best results.


These factors all contribute to a tight and at times thrilling combat system. It's hard to comprehend the speed of events without a little self awareness, as thumbs and actions on screen become a barely perceptible blur that, nevertheless, makes sense when playing. Visual indicators are vitally important in holding the set-pieces together, keeping some level of accessibility to accompany the impressive range of attack options — some enemies even require basic auto-aimed gun play as you wait for them to come within melee range. At its best the action is truly breathtaking, and with Climax battle-ending moves against boss enemies there's a suitably cinematic quality as Bayonetta summons enormous beasts — with her hair, accentuating the fantastical approach — to pummel the unfortunate villain. Much like in The Wonderful 101 you'll be asked to regularly mash a button as rapidly as possible in quick-time events like these, but it fits well with the high-speed action.


Perhaps unsurprisingly, considering the ambition and bravado on show, there are moments that frustrate. These are typically found in on-rails sequences that, while welcome in switching up gameplay, can be sloppy in implementation. Though visually appealing, there's often a lack of control, making them feel overly dependent on luck or, at worse, reliant on trial and error. In addition quick-time events can occasionally feel cheap, in which you're watching a cut scene but suffer an immediate death if you fail to react to an unexpected prompt; it's rare, yet with Continues effecting your level ranking these can be frustrating occurrences.


The overall campaign, however, is an exaggerated and breathless romp, generally pushing gamers to master the complexities and mechanics to get the most out of the experience. The 'Normal' difficulty is certainly punishing enough, meanwhile (with more difficult options available), but 'Easy' and 'Very Easy' should enable almost any player to progress through the full storyline — there's undeniable motivation to improve the trophy record page that's provided upon an initial completion. There's also an optional 'automatic' option in these easier settings that enables powerful combos to be completed without the precise timing and co-ordination typically required; there's more satisfaction in removing the automatic option, in our view, but credit is due — Bayonetta may be uncompromising and demanding in much of what it does, but it supports those new to the genre or less skilled.


That brings us to a new feature exclusive to the Wii U port — touch screen controls. It's functional, as you use a combination of touch and hold, swiping and tapping to run, dodge and attack, but suffers from the inevitable nature inherent in the control scheme. For the same reason we wouldn't feel inclined to play a fast-paced game like this — especially one in which we instinctively use the right stick to swing the camera around — on a tablet or phone, we see little benefit in this case. It harms no-one, but any players struggling with difficulty can opt for the aforementioned automatic mode and still enjoy progress. Our favoured controller, overall, has been the Wii U Pro Controller, though the GamePad's physical inputs and the Classic Controller are also available.


The other major additions for this port, which have been high profile, are costumes that are available right from the beginning. We have portrayals of Princess Peach, Daisy, Link and Samus Aran available, and they are a little more than simple skins. The Mushroom Kingdom themed outfits replace combo-closing power strikes with Bowser's limbs, the Link costume enables a timed block — using a mini Hyrule Shield — while Samus Aran has a fun arm cannon. While minor changes they nevertheless add an extra dynamic, and give extra motivation to embark on additional playthroughs of stages — our only minor complaint is that these outfits aren't fully mapped to Bayonetta and the environment, so during gameplay and cutscenes there's plenty of obvious clipping.


To wrap up with the overall presentation of this title, it's a distinctly mixed bag. Audio is a highlight with some terrific music, solid — and campy — voice acting and an impressive level of polish throughout. The visuals are showing their age a little, though environment design is excellent; we smoothly move from Southern European architecture to heavenly and hellish settings, with distinct identities given to the crossed realities referenced earlier in this interview. An area that's been substantially improved in the sequel, however, is in the crispness and colour palette of the engine — though a stylistic choice, the muted colours here can lead to a fuzzy overall perspective, marginally undermining the fast-paced combat. There are also occasional dips in framerate, meanwhile, but we should be clear that they're not excessive or particularly damaging to gameplay; it's still a far superior performance to the particularly poor PS3 version.

Conclusion

Bayonetta's distribution — as part of Bayonetta 2's release in various packages or as an eShop download — makes it a must have for action fans intent on jumping into the newer entry. It lays important groundwork with the lore and story, while also giving us a look at the gameplay foundations that have been further refined in the sequel. In its own right it's a cocky, self-assured and bombastic video game, yet maintains a sense of irreverence and fantastical fun nevertheless. Whether as a free extra or standalone download, it's absolutely worth exploration for Wii U owners that fancy some frenetic action and impressive combos. Bayonetta has attitude, and while you may occasionally cringe at this one's mixed messages in empowering its heroine, it serves up a great deal of frenetic action — your controller of choice won't know what's hit it.

8/10

Порт звезд с неба не хватает, но вполне себе достойно.

 

Почему-то "продажный" майкам Polygon поставил самые низкие оценки (и кстати другие XBOX ориентированные порталы) =)

 

Ну а что можно взять с IGN, например, которые влепили 5,9 за "умный" Alien AI и незаскриптованность самой игры =))) Не этого ли вы ждали от нового поколения, наряду с новой физикой?

 

Оценки от Фамитсу почему-то неполные (нет еще от одного обзорщика):