Pre-E3 2009: Bayonetta Borders on the Ridiculous
Watching the awesomely absurd in real-time.
May 27, 2009 - Hideki Kamiya is no stranger to the action genre. With games like Devil May Cry and Okami under his belt, Kamiya and his team at PlatinumGames are tackling another stylish action outing in the form of Bayonetta for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This over-the-top gun-fest, which features one of the most insanely cool female characters in recent memory, feels a lot like the Devil May Cry franchise but boasts several unique elements. Our very own Cam Shea from the IGN Australia office wrote an extensive article on Bayonetta in March, so I encourage newcomers to check it out. I had the opportunity to see two levels from the game in motion, and what I saw blew me away.
Bayonetta is one of the most ridiculously over-the-top numbers I've seen in a long time. It gives Devil May Cry a run for its money.
Bayonetta revolves around a dark-haired witch named -- appropriately -- Bayonetta, who is part of a long-standing clan of witches that has all but vanished. Bayonetta finds herself in a massive battle against a legion of menacing angels, with a few other characters coming along for the ride. Although very little is currently known about the game's backstory, I'm already sold on the game's overriding themes. At first glance, it seems like Bayonetta is fighting for the forces of darkness, but these angelic creatures don't always look so angelic. There's something pure about the elegance of Bayonetta's character that makes her feel like a "good guy," so the dynamic between her and her adversaries is already intriguing.
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For those of you who have already seen trailers of the game, the gameplay mechanics are very similar to those found in Devil May Cry. Bayonetta moves around lavish, 3D environments, fighting enemies with an assortment of flashy moves and powerful weapons. Battles are very arena-like, as you progress from one section of the stage to another in a fairly linear sequence. Clearly, the highlight of the game's design is not the environmental exploration but the action.
And what action it is. Bayonetta can equip weapons on both hands and both of her feet, making her an extremely versatile hero. There's nothing quite as badass as blowing away rabid cherub monsters with gun-stilettos, and such a thing is commonplace in the Bayonetta world. Not only can our warrior use these more common weapons, but her hair is also a weapon in and of itself. Bayonetta can use dark magic to transform her hair into giant fists and feet, crushing enemies with an incredibly slick attack. She can also create torture devices like guillotines and iron maidens to finish her enemies in one swift motion.
The brilliant thing about Bayonetta is that her immense power is tied in with her sexual flair, as opposed to being a separate (and potentially unrelated) element of her character. As her hair also forms her clothing, using powerful magic often drains her of her normal outfit, revealing ample amounts of skin. This means when Bayonetta is at her "sexiest," she's also at her most deadly.
During the demo, the first level I saw was set in a charming European town, where a small train car scooted happily down the street. In the next instant, the train car is a flaming wreck, sliding down the cobblestone road as Bayonetta effortlessly jumps over the twisted wreckage and readies herself for an oncoming opponent. Two fiery, wheel-like creatures spin into view and begin the assault.
The entire sequence just oozes style. Bayonetta moves with an almost unnatural grace and fluidity, making the entire game a visual marvel. She quickly dispatches the creatures with a glowing whip and some assorted gunfire, all while a jazzy piano track plays in the background. Once the fiery wheels are defeated, Bayonetta is attacked by two cherub-faced giants, both wielding massive axes that would certainly scare off the average gunslinger. But not Bayonetta.
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That's quite an impressive kick.
Once again, the spectacled witch seems to have no qualms fighting creatures of such size, and it was during this fight that I witnessed "Witch Time," which is a slick, slow-motion effect that comes into play as you fight and dodge enemy attacks. After the goliaths were defeated, Bayonetta could pick up one of their axes and use it as a temporary power-up.
As the first set of battles came to an end, the player was ranked on the previous "verse," or section of the stage. After that, it was on to more crazy killing, but not before dropping by the Now Loading screen which is an empty room in which one can practice combos. A terribly underrated feature.
The second level of the demo is when my entire face was blown off by maximum awesome.
As was indicated in the recent "Climax" trailer, Bayonetta fights a horde of frightening angels... on top of a giant clock tower... as it's falling... and being attacked by dragons. This is an actual, playable stage and it puts all other action games to shame. As the crumbling clock tower plummets downwards besides a seemingly endless cliff, Bayonetta and countless angels duel in an incredibly awesome battle. The camera swoops around to highlight the action, huge rocks rip through the scene and the aforementioned two-headed dragon is there too.
Everything about this section is jaw-dropping. The sweeping music, the breath-taking visuals and the insane camera work -- it all comes together to form a remarkable experience. I can't wait to play this game.
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