Hideki Kamiya seems to have a knack for making over the top Japanese action video games, with Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe and Resident Evil all being listed on his CV. So when you load up Bayonetta and are greeted by the sight of a long haired witch wearing glasses, sucking on a lollipop and killing demons with guns strapped to her feet you shouldn't be too surprised.
Bayonetta sees you playing as an Umbran witch of the same name who has awoken from a 500 year sleep at the bottom of a lake with no memories of her past and who is now trying to find an artifact called the Right Eye which she hopes will restore her past memories. Of course, what starts out as a rather simple premise turns out to be far more complex than that, with revelations and plot twists frequently occurring during the course of the game. Much like Devil May Cry though, the plot is secondary to the action and at many times you'll be viewing cut scenes that seem to have been born from an insane mind.
You'll learn soon enough to disregard the threadbare plot and appreciate the game for what makes it really stand out: its beautifully constructed combat system. Most action games usually lean towards tough combat systems or enemies to try and make the challenge of the game harder, with Ninja Gaiden being a prime example. Bayonetta on the other hand is far more forgiving for novice players, even on normal difficulty. I've never been a great action gamer myself, and I'll usually resort to a mixture of button mashing and spamming the one move I can remember until I manage to beat the enemy with a mixture of luck and forgiving AI, but in Bayonetta's case I was immediately drawn in by her range of moves and techniques, and actually went to the trouble of learning several of them. While this might sound as though the game is too easy for those of you who are used to beating Ninja Gaiden with your eyes closed, you'll be relieved to hear that there are several higher difficulty levels and that the combat system has a lot of depth that rewards those of you willing to put the effort in.
Combos aren't the only form of combat, and the Witch Time mechanic which sees you using the right trigger to evade an attack at the last possible moment to slow time down for a short period in which you can pummel your enemies mercilessly works well. On top of that, Bayonetta can also perform torture attacks if she manages to avoid taking damage while defeating enemies. These torture attacks will see her performing a variety of hilariously over the top attacks ranging from guillotining her enemies, to using a whip to drag them on a spiked wooden horse. See what I meant about Bayonetta being the product of an insane mind?
Finally, the cherry on top is the climax attacks which see Bayonetta's outfit change into a demon which eats, punches or drags a boss enemy to its death. These climax attacks usually occur at the end of boss fights and to say that the boss fights are spectacular would not do them justice. The first boss I fought was a giant two headed dragon and the battle saw me tear off its heads one by one before finally killing it with a climax attack. From there on the boss fights get even bigger with some of the penultimate ones looking rather spectacular.
The boss fights are also where you'll see some amazing character designs with many of the enemies you fight having a stand out appearance compared to other games. You'll find yourself facing off against angels using trumpets or staffs as weapons, angelic lions and floating cherub heads that use projectile attacks. The character design of Bayonetta herself is also rather unique with her proportions being very much an idealised version of a woman that oozes sexuality. Of course, there might be some who feel this look is demeaning to women but I'd put forth the argument that Bayonetta is an empowering female character, and while she may very well embody sexuality, at no point does the game stoop to cheap sexual ploys to sell additional copies of the game. In actual fact she may very well be a powerful female heroine that surpasses Lara Croft in the public consciousness.
To complement the excellent character design the levels have also had a lot of care and attention lavished on them with many of the game's chapters having a unique look and layout to them, translating into the puzzles that you will have to complete in order to progress. One level that stands out was a chapter in which you must traverse a 360 degrees ethereal stairway which included a not too subtle Indiana Jones reference as you try to evade a giant rolling boulder. There are also several other occasions where mention is made of other games such as Resident Evil and movies such as the Evil Dead. It's a very similar style of humour as in previous Clover Studio games, of which many ex-Clover Studio staff make up Platinum Games.
Bayonetta has plenty of longevity with multiple playthroughs on different difficulties being worth the effort to unlock all the weapons, accessories, outfits and items, with many of them being needed to unlock achievements. There are also hidden witches' tombs scattered throughout the game which contain extra health or magic, as well as Alfheim portals which are challenges requiring you to defeat enemies in specific ways, which if successfully completed, will reward you with extra health. And if that wasn't enough, there's also golden LPs scattered throughout the levels which if they are all found will unlock even more weapons.
Bayonetta is as close as you can get to the perfect action game. It's accessible to players new to the genre, as well as seasoned veterans, and it's got a combat system that rewards skilled players without handicapping those of us with no coordination. While some gamers might poke fun at its threadbare and nonsensical plot, Platinum Games realises that a good action game is very much like a good action movie, its more about the action scenes and eventual victory of the hero than it is about Shakespearean dialogue and character development. If you're looking for a fun action game then Bayonetta is for you.
Pros:
- Fun and accessible combat system
- Excellent level design
- Wonderful character design
Cons:
- Non-existent story plot
Rating: 
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