When Bayonetta was confirmed as the final character in Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and 3DS, I couldn't help but be amused. Here's a character that's spent two games torturing and spanking (literally, at points) angels from heaven and demons from hell. When a combo move is achieved her outfit made of hair leaves her body to form a giant fist or boot, and she's the heroine of games that have sparked fairly heated debates on the portrayal of female characters - some say she's a powerful woman that is dominating and self-confident, others argue that she's merely a juvenile male fantasy.
Well, we can definitively say she's a Smash Bros. character, or soon will be at the time of writing. She's also the star of one of the Wii U's best exclusives - Bayonetta 2 - and naturally of its predecessor, which is also available on Nintendo's system. Both games are critically acclaimed, and rightfully so, but have endured tough market expectations to the point that Nintendo had to step in to fund the sequel - thus securing exclusivity - when SEGA decided it wasn't a sound investment.
Both are also classic PlatinumGames experiences, and that's partly why I love them. With the Smash Bros. Bayonetta DLC due in February I'm taking the opportunity to play them both again, and remembering just why I keep recommending them to anyone on the fence. In a modern gaming world that's often focused either on accessibility or on making games so dense and complicated as to demand complete dedication, these sit somewhere in the middle. You can play them for 30 minutes after a lengthy break and have fun, or you can devote a couple of solid gaming weeks to them and master combos, clear difficulty settings you previously thought were impossible and have a blast.
I still feel that the sequel is the stronger of the two, though recall being accused of blasphemy when I said as much in the process of reviewing both titles. The first game is excellent nonetheless, though, especially as, lest we forget, it was only PlatinumGames' third game, and its first in the HD era. It has a darker visual style than its successor, and the combat at that stage was slightly trickier and more demanding in terms of the timing required. Witch Time is tougher to trigger, combos are effective but not as deadly, and the overall mood is a little more sombre.
It's terrific, though it's evident in Bayonetta 2 just how far the developer has come, and its willingness to take the exuberance of the original and dial it up. Between the two games the studio had produced the likes of Vanquish, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and - of course - the brilliant The Wonderful 101. Across those games the studio further honed its approach to action (in diverse ways) but also improved its technical capabilities with increasingly handsome visuals. All of that shows in Bayonetta 2, with gorgeous art design, tight controls and an almost ludicrous sense of scale. Both titles have scarcely believable set pieces, but the Wii U exclusive pushes the boat out in a big way.
As a character Bayonetta is, of course, ideally suited to Smash Bros., as she's a character that primarily fights in melee attacks. Much is made of the four guns she wields - or other weapons, as can be customised - but the joy of the game is in the visceral combat. Finding the rhythm of combinations and late dodges - in order to enable the slow-mo Witch Time - is engrossing, potentially exhausting. The easy difficulty settings allow for more automated attacks and an easier ride, but the fun for me is tackling the harder difficulties and chasing improved mission rankings. I can't be happy with a load of silver trophies against levels in my profile, can I?
When armed with a Wii U Pro Controller the controls feel - pretty much - perfect. To observers I've been told it can appear to be button mashing, but the pyrotechnics and combo bonuses on screen show that it's simply an electric pace. I'm not always a fan of action games that require such intensity, yet the systems employed in these titles - light and heavy attacks, optional gunplay - are beautifully structured; it feels natural.
My hope is that all those that buy the Bayonetta DLC for Smash Bros. consider adding both Bayonetta 1 & 2 to their Wii U library. Terrific value for money - especially with some of the deals to be found online - and carefully crafted, there are few games as audacious and exciting as these two. I expect I'll be playing them for years to come.
Comments 82
Yeah, although the first one punished you brutally for missing QTE's or using items
This and Rising are considered button mashers only by the kids playing on easy.
On hard, these games get relentless, especially Bayonetta 1. Road to 100% is extended ballbusting session with a lot of blood, sweat and cursing.
Bought it day one for PS3, 100% it and came back to it from time to time crying, that there would be no more of that. And then U came and I cried tears of joy... Bayonetta 2 was the sole reason I got this console. Both games are great value and it is sad that nowadays there is not that much market for games with this much gameplay. I love these types of games and always look up what they are cooking. I hope the 3rd game will happen.
What is ridiciolous and stupid in Bayonetta situation is SEGA, actually. The first game sold pretty good for new IP - nearly 1,5 mln copies in 2 months and they did get profit out of it, because it wasn't high budget title. After all, Kamiya reused some things from DMC4. And yet they considered it a fail.
Bayonetta never appealed to me, I think because of all the button smashing. But when I saw that it was selling for £7 on Amazon, Bayonetta 2 that is, I bought a copy. I have yet to open it though.
When a game like that is selling at such a discount it is easy to assume that it's not much good despite the reviews. But if that is not the case and it is a good game then why did it not sell that well?
It could be that it is more of a game for a select type of gamer and many of those select gamers have abandoned the Wii U.
@zool if you think you'll live by mashing buttons past easy mode go ahead and try. you'll soon learn it's more skill based than people think.
Still haven't opened 2 yet, played 1 on PS3, but am looking forward to them both after XCX.
I started playing Bayo1 for the first time this month. What an amazing game. At first, I thought it was senseless button mashing but as the chapters went on the mechanics became natural! Finished the game on Normal, then went back and done all the possible achievements. Now I'm about to start it on hard!
Although Bayonetta is a bit suggestive in a carry on sort of way, I never really got why she's any more sexualised than the original image of Lara Croft or Chun Li. And the truth is all the killing she does is unreal Angels and Demons- she doesn't kill a single human. I suppose there are several rude words scattered through the games, but in no way the same as certain other games.
For me no game manages to combine slick control, variety of gameplay, satisfyingly weighted combat, humour, unique soundtrack, and a huge dramatic spectacle as the Bayonetta series. I played through 1, Platinumed the 2nd from start to finish, and soon hope to go back and revisit the first.
The best game of this century.
Thanks Kamiya for making the first one and Nintendo for making (possible) the second one.
@kenrulei I hope so. But as you say 'it's more skill based than people think.' And maybe that is the problem, people don't think.
I'm not really huge on 100% games...even more so once trophies and achievements came out...but I am hooked on 100%ing W101 and both bayonetta games.
@zool There are plenty of reasons why Bayonetta 2 didn't sell well. Here's a few.
I love games like Bayonetta, DMC, MGR etc I have got the platinum for Bayonetta on the PS3, I wish the Wii U had some sort of trophy support other than in some in-game games.
Completely agree with this, Bayo 2 is one of my favorite games! I really hope they make this a trilogy.
It really is hard not to fall in love with Bayonetta tough, it's a game I like to revisit. I would really Nintendo to keep investing in Platinum Games. If I dare dream, I would love to see "Vanquish" (the original game plus a sequel since the story is left unfinished) and "Madworld" (original re-release in HD and a sequel) get the same treatment.
Well geez, I guess I'll finally take the plunge and pick these up.
I'm so happy I have the 2 disc set. (^_^ )
I bought my Wii U just to play Bayonetta 1 and 2. I thought she looked awesome and felt like she was the start of a newer, more experimental Nintendo. The game is amazing and I wasn't disappointed.
and I think she's pretty empowering. I mean, she kills angels, demons, and gods, and she does it all with gun stilettos. I would love to see anyone try to even jump in high heels, let alone try to fight.
Bayo 1 & 2 are among my favourite games. Anybody that has a Wii U needs to try the demo and hopefully pick them up.... And I dare people who think this is only button mashing to face Gracious and Glorious. Those two are a real pain.
@Grumblevolcano are you saying that with other stuff going on Bayonetta 2 was overlooked? Not enough marketing?
With the lack of games maybe Nintendo thought they did not need to push it, gamers will go for it.
I still think that it is a bit of a unique game and there is not enough Wii U gamers out there who want to spend money on it.
@zool
it's not just Bayonetta though. Nintendo (especially Nintendo of America) has always had a problem with marketing games that weren't 1st party games.
I mean even Xenoblade Chronicles, which was their only big game this last Christmas, barely got any marketing outside of a few trailers online and a pic on the eShop.
I'm really looking forward to playing Bayonetta 2. I bought the pack with both a good while ago, but so far only managed to find the time to finish the first one - which I really enjoyed and plan to replay on the higher difficulties.
Bayonetta herself seems as though she'll be a crazy character in Smash Bros. as well, going by the trailer. I'll definitely be making an effort to learn the character and be able to use her competitively.
I'm picking up the combo pack with both games sometime before the end of the month.
@MrGawain: I love B1 & B2 as well. Rude comments? There are some cheeky ones to be sure, but remember, it's "Flock Off!" and not the something else I though it was the first 20 times I heard it ; )
When B2 was released, my local gamestop received something like 3 copies and acted like they were doing something wrong by selling me my pre-ordered copy. So copies were not too plentiful. Then they were selling for dirt cheap on eBay and Amazon (U.S.) until recently. With the tie-in to Smash, demand is up and so are the prices. Good luck to those hunting, it is worth it (even at full retail!).
For the record, I like B1 better by a smidge, but B2 is more fun to play.
Bayonetta is bad-ass! Just completed Bayonetta and it was AWESOME!!! Nintendo need to purchase Bayonetta as a series as it works really well with Nintendo IP as something a little more mature and because its fun as hell. I say; bring on Bayonetta III for NX.
Bayonetta is bad-ass! Just completed Bayonetta and it was AWESOME!!! Nintendo need to purchase Bayonetta as a series as it works really well with Nintendo IP as something a little more mature and because its fun as hell. I say; bring on Bayonetta III for NX.
Bayonetta will live forever, and thank heavens for that.
Bayonetta 2 is in my personal top 3 of WiiU games. Such a tense and engaging experience! It is definitely avreason to own a WiiU for me.
Watch your mouth please.
~Santa
I said this before, but Bayonetta 2 was my main reason for me to get a Wii U. I bought Bayonetta on day 1 when it was released on the 360 and I played it so much. I loved the game, and hearing that a sequel may not happen really sucked. The day that Bayonetta 2 was announced as a Nintendo exclusive was shocking and amazing. So even though I enjoy playing Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World they are not the reasons why I got a Wii U. It was Bayonetta, and Smash. I hope a 3rd Bayonetta can still happen, and I don't care what console it comes to.
@zool Try button mashing on hard or infinity climax. Trust me, you're as good as dead. Best thing to do is sit in the loading screen for like, a half hour practicing your combos. Only using the exact button inputs. Then try to execute those moves when you're surrounded by six relentless enemies, with two giants in the foreground trying to stomp on your head. Not easy
" Why we're still playing Bayonetta 1 and 2..." Because you only own a Wii U and have nothing else to play?
@Utena-mobile The November NA Direct even showed more of amiibo Festival than XCX, that's how bad the situation is. I totally expect GIR#FE to get neglected.
@zool
you only button mash once you have initiated the attack. the game is about positioning and timing. i struggle to think what games have been keeping bayonetta 2 out of your consoles:) its one of the games of the decade, assuming you like action, and a bad mother of a hero.
Bayonneta 3 for NX ninty and hire kojima for new gen Tactical Espionage Action.
i have only played her on the wii u. the only flaw is i wish i could play her games and wonderful 101 with the nunchuk. the only technical issue it has is that the peach, link, daisy, and samus costumes don't disappear with wicked weaves and summonings.
@Ryu_Niiyama
you always use hypnotic avatars damn you:)
i agree about achievements they suck unless they are at the end of a level and mean something(excepting Gran tUrismo), but with bayonetta and w101 i scrapped and cursed and lusted for every medal!
@Clownshoes yeah but i bet you got a lousy score to upgrade your stuff lol
Bayonetta 2 has one of the greatest opening levels in gaming history with Hell On Earth, talk about getting the player pumped!
I hope if there is a 3rd game, that its just Bayo & Jeanne's adventure. Im not a fan of the twatty sidekicks Luka & Loki
Well it looks like Nintendo has done away with the combo pack so I guess I will have to pick up Bayo 1 on PS3 or Xbox 360. I just hating splitting a series but unless I can find it used at a decent price....
@Grumblevolcano
ugh. It's so bad, I'm not even sure if GIR#FE is even coming out in NA. At least you wouldn't know it going by the way NoA treats it.
@Kurtz Nintendo can't hire Kojima he works for Sony now. Pretty sure that would be considered conflict of interest.
@zool The sequel has sold more than the original did on 360,which was the best selling version.The 360 obviously had a far larger user base too,so it's not just Nintendo gamers that ignore games like this.Considering the sequel has has sold near 1 million to such a small user base ,I wouldn't say it's done too badly at all.Sales will probably spike too once the Smash DLC and the re-release comes out.
@Kurtz Sorry! If the gif hurts your eyes I can change it. As a person with vision issues I don't want to cause pain for others. On the off chance you were saying you like my Avatar well: Perfume is Love, Perfume is Life.
@Shiryu So about that Madworld sequel...it already exists sorta, it's called Anarchy Reigns and it came out 3 years ago. Unless you mean that you want a remake of Anarchy Reigns, which would be cool as well.
@larry_koopa " Why we're still playing Bayonetta 1 and 2..." Because you only own a Wii U and have nothing else to play?" Exactly!
@larry_koopa hey troll I'm sure your mind is programmed to think all wii u owners have only one console.
On this I'm as stubbornly unshakeable as my namesake: Platinum Games, and by extension Bayonetta and its high style/low substance ilk, tend to attract an undesirable element to the Nintendo brand. Getting involved with that lot is not something Nintendo needs at present, or ever. Just fighting the good fight here; I've said my piece.
@Solid_Stannis
Good point. Why would Nintendo need an audience of games players who like good games?
(Sigh)
Agree with the article, it's an excellent game. Hopefully it gets a full 1080p60 remaster for NX launch.
@Tasuki
Bugger
@Grumblevolcano #12 I would also add that there is almosto no fanbase for games like this on Nintendo Platforms....
@arnoldlayne83
... and yet it's sold around a million copies, putting it in the Top 20 of Wii U games, saleswise.
@OorWullie A million is good, if true, the best selling Wii U game has only sold just over two million.
@gcunit Indeed, and fortunately. But as a lover of that game, it surely deserve much more....
@zool Where you getting your figures from? 5 Wii U games have sold more than 4 million, according to VGChartz at least.
@Ryu_Niiyama
yep i do! dont change for my sake, look forward to the next installment of hypnotic avatar:) i'll check out the reference on youtube, if its what i expect it is then the google advertising profiler will wonder what to sell a guy who listens to Dr Octagon, Sunn O))) and perfume:)
@arnoldlayne83 #53 Back around release, sure. But Smash will make the fanbase grow just like it did with Fire Emblem such that if a Bayonetta 3 happens on a Nintendo console we could potentially be seeing Awakening/Fates type sales..
@BlueNitrous Yep I know about "Anarchy Reigns" but never had the proper console to play it on sadly. It would also be very welcome on the Wii U. But I am a minority within a minority of the home console market, my voice and my money has very little influence on what ends up on the shelves... this is sometimes quite frustrating.
@zool It didn't sell well because it was a mature rated game on Wii U.
@Mr_Diabolical I get where you are coming from, I think. But where have all the mature gamers gone? To the mature Xbox and PS4 consoles?
I hope you don't define 'mature' as cartoon females wearing very little. I play mature games and I class most Mario games as mature. : )
Funny how things are, yesterday I began playing this same games...
They are fun, the strong point of B2 is the graphics ovar the B1, buy they are some awkward moments disguised in some kind of sexiness...
@MitchVogel I hope so, Bayonetta and Nintendo seems like a strange pairing but so far so good.
I'm actually playing this as a theme week on my twitch. This game is a fun game to come back to and just kill a bunch of enemies
@Clownshoes God of War doesn't feel fun to me but I see why you're burned out of these games. Give Bayonetta a shot if you happen to be in the mood again.
Just noticed this is only £12 in the UK Nintendo store.Anyone who hasn't picked this up yet,now's the time.
I'm glad you liked this game but I got tired of Bayonetta 2 pretty quickly. Towards the end it got to be very monotonous. The camera controls are also pretty bad and walking around between fights is really annoying. The music is really bad too. Again, I'm glad many if you liked this, but there's too many aspects of this game I didn't enjoy.
I have not purchased the game because of Wonderful 101 - the control does not work in W101, no matter how Thomas says otherwise.
I am usually not too into action games but Bayonetta 2 took a genre I thought I wouldn't enjoy and made me fall in love with the game anyway. Truly one of Wii U's best games, period.
I completed the first game on PS3 but picked up the double pack for Wii U. I actually haven't had a chance to play Bayonetta 2 though. I want to clear a few of my "now-playing" titles and then enjoy the hell out of it
@GreatPlayer Got done with W101 2 days ago. The controls require practice and patience to adapt yourself to the game because it's one of THOSE games where you WILL suck on the first play through.
@electrolite77 why? Can we freaking stop with "remasters" of recent games?!
@SamirMalik
Why? The obvious reasons.
A) To sell it to those who've played it before but would be interested in doing so again at twice the resolution and twice the framerate.
B) To sell it to people who don't have a Wii U but may see it as a reason to buy NX.
C) To bulk up the NX library for minimal cost and time investment
If Nintendo have any sense quite a few Wii U games will get the remaster treatment on NX
@SamirMalik No, I finished that game long time ago, so i don't suck in playing that game. Instead, the drawing mechanism does not work ∼ it has difficulty recognizing Z from S, for example.
@GreatPlayer Just because you finished it doesn't make you good at it. Platinum's games take inspiration from arcade and fighting games. But mostly fighters. It matter's little of how well you can get through it. What matters is your rank and combo transitioning. But in order to get to those ranks you have to adapt to the game's sharp drawing angles in order to do stuff like this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bya_kIINBfQ
The genre is called "stylish action" for a reason
@electrolite77 Why not new games? They have Virtual Console for a reason. The only reason why there were so many remasters was because companies tried to take advantage of the lack of backwards compadability
@SamirMalik Just because you are good at certain things with the game does not mean that the game has no problem. In contrast to what Thomas Whitehead thinks, most reviewers think that the game has severe control issues, most on changing from one form to another. The video that you posted simply hide the problem with the game - the player did not even attempt to change from one form to another. You should look at more objective review of the game here:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/18/the-wonderful-101-review
Thomas like to applaud Nintendo's game even though other sites think the same game sucks. As long as the game is from Nintendo, he will habitually gives one or two points more.
@GreatPlayer Wrong video. They have the same starting name and thumb nail to where Youtube Mobile makes things hard to see.
https://youtu.be/sdHbPXNJvVE
Also, the reviewer makes out that she perfers the gamepad, something I never did due to too many cons. I and many other combo heavy players used the stick and made it faster via Speed Liner and L Trigger Speed. The drawing mechanic comes straight out of Okami.
Also, that judgement of Thomas on your part is EXTREAMELY unreasonable.
@SamirMalik Yes, the reviewer states that she prefers the gamepad. I agree that there are too many cons but doing it with the sticks do not much better - the game has poor recognition. period. She is not the one reviewer criticizing the control.
@GreatPlayer did you watch the video? the guy clearly states that it's like putting in fighting game inputs on a stick. like I said Platinum (formerly Clover Studios) comes from a background of being inspired by arcade and fighting games. the used to be owned by Capcom after all.
you can go on and on about how everybody is criticizing the controls but I can very well criticize them for not even taking their time to get used to them in a safe open space or even changing their tactics when it comes to how they control.
@SamirMalik My time is very precious - i don't have time for a game that is considered flawed in its control by every reviewer except Thomas Whitehead.
@GreatPlayer If you have no time to learn competitive Marvel VS Capcom then why bother with the game?
controls are flawed if there's no way around the problem you're having. I just showed you there is but requires time and patience and practice in precision. that's basically the majority of Platinum's catalog in a nutshell. in order to have some fun you need to have some patience. also to say every reviewer said that is ridiculous. Pushing it even.
@SamirMalik Delusional
@GreatPlayer How?
That's because there aint much on WII to be played. Sorry bout it
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