That's her name.

What happens when you take God of War, Devil May Cry and mix them together with a heavy dose of shameless sex appeal?

Apparently you get Bayonetta, because the above sentence pretty much sums the game  up. Or the first five to six hours, at least. But don’t get me wrong, this is hardly a bad combination – Bayonetta is a ton of fun to play, and earns its rightful place among the paragons of the super-stylized action subgenre.

Upon starting a new game, you’re instantly thrust into the thick of things, with a bombastic opening fight sequence. At this point the game offers no tutorial – you mash buttons, and watch the action onscreen as a narrator attempts to establish some sort of confusing backstory. Good luck paying attention to what he has to say – I certainly couldn’t. But if you’re like me, you’ll be having so much fun beating Heaven’s soldiers to a pulp that you won’t care.

In fact, that more or less sums up the storytelling present in Bayonetta. That is to say it’s difficult to grasp, and always takes a backseat to the game’s non-stop, frenetic action sequences. You’ll always be confused, but you’ll almost never care.

Why? Because Bayonetta’s combat is an absolute joy to partake in, for a myriad of different reasons. First and foremost, the titular character herself, Bayonetta, is undeniably appealing and likable, and not just because of her voluptuous features. She’s gorgeous, yes, (in a mildly creepy way) but she’s also strong willed, independent, and one of the most prolific female ass-kickers in the world of video games.  The game shamelessly plays up her sexuality with every opportunity, yet instead of feeling embarrassing or annoying, it just… fits.

I could talk about her all day long, but seeing her in action is the only way to fully appreciate her awesomeness. Bayonetta’s combat system is a triumph in design, because it’s incredibly easy to pick up and play, yet features almost unbelievable depth. And I know full well that every journalist says that about almost every game, but in the case of Bayonetta, it’s absolutely 100 percent true. It’s evidenced by the opening sequence of the game – no tutorials are offered, and enemies attack by the dozens, but I found myself handily shredding them within seconds. It’s that easy to grasp. It’s hardly necessary to master the game’s endless number of special attacks and combos in order to survive, but if you’re that kind of player, you’ll have a field day with Bayonetta.

You might have a bit of an easier time, too. I’ve been playing on Normal mode, and Bayonetta is consistently challenging. I initially wondered why the other two options were “easy” and “very easy.” Many defeats later, I think I understand. But unless you’re the type who frustrates easily, don’t let that deter you. Despite the many deaths, I’ve never felt that the game is unfairly difficult – it simply demands quick fingers, and an alert player. Let your guard down for a moment at a poor time, and most of the game’s many baddies can shred you in a single go.

To win, you’ll have to use everything Bayonetta has at her disposal – and believe me, she has enough. Devastating combos, guns that fire with a speed that surpasses Dante from Devil May Cry, special “torture” attacks, and of course, a variety of evasive tactics. Also worth mentioning is “Witch Time,” which is essentially Bayonetta’s version of bullet time – enemies move in slow-motion for a few precious seconds, allowing Bayonetta to beat on them without fear of being hit herself. Witch Time can only be activated by dodging an enemy attack at the last possible second, so it’s not exactly easy to use. However, you’ll find it to be an essential tactic against the game’s faster enemies and boss battles.

Oh, and speaking of the boss battles: they’re huge, epic, and challenging. That is to say, they’re pretty awesome.

There’s a good deal more I could say about Bayonetta, but I’ll stop here for now. To sum up, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my time with the game. It’s stylish, fast-paced, and features an incredibly addicting combat system. The only reason I’ve put it down is to write these impressions. Look for a full review soon.

Tags: Bayonetta, Impressions

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 7th, 2010 at 2:42 pm and is filed under Best Riddlethos of 2009 Week. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.