This past E3, I got the chance to sit down with Platinum games and get a first hand look at their upcoming title, Bayonetta. After entering the private demo room, we all got the honor of having Yusuke Hashimoto, the producer of Bayonetta show it off for us. Yusuke-san strongly insisted that the emphasis of the game was on combos and action. So much was happening on screen at once that it was difficult to write any notes. One look away would mean a whole lot was missed. The game is stylish, action packed, and sexy to boot. Check out more after the jump!
Bayonetta stars a witch of the same name who wield four magical guns, two of which are strapped to her feet. She can also use spells at the cost of her hair, which is what covers her entire body. That's right, her bodysuit is all created from hair. Hideki Kamiya, the director of Bayonetta, has stated that "hair is a woman's beauty and power". Everything about Bayonetta keeps up with that theme of power and elegance. Her double jump leads her to grow beautiful butterfly wings, her monster targeting is a pair of lips, and her animations are so gorgeous and fluid as she leaps around on handstands and back. She's absolutely nimble and powerful at the same time. Bayonetta is one classy lady, even when fighting against the heavens.
The demo started us off with a cutscene that reveals some story elements that Platinum specifically asked not be shared at this time. We then see Bayonetta running around a lava filled street, blasting her way through angels. She used her magic to wall run, creating awesome gravity defying moments. Weapons are assigned to specific sets which can be changed seamlessly mid-battle, meaning the action never stops. Comboing these attacks lead to devastating "torture attacks" which summon Medieval devices to literally pulverize your enemies. These range from guillotines to iron maidens and more. After defeated, enemies leave behind halos, which act as currency for upgrades and more powerful attacks at a later point. Loading screens are even useful, as they let you practice combos as you wait. One of the key aspects of gameplay revolved around evading and dodging and enemy attack at precisely the right time. This activated "witch time" which slowed everything down and gave the player a few seconds of near invincibility. Other varieties of gameplay are there just to shake everything up and keep it constantly fun, such as a charge for a giant spinning wheel attack. Bayonetta gets a plethora of weapons, that will be hard for players to use everything on just one play through. One such weapon we saw was a katana that gives Bayonetta classic Japanese inspired moves. The last bit of the demo we were shown was a boss fight of epic proportions. After throwing you into the sky, you must battle the giant two headed dragon while falling downwards and shooting pieces of the building at it. There was never a down moment, and it was completely amazing to watch.
Later, when I actually got hands on experience I could tell how fluid the combat felt. Real care was put into making the player always feel in control of your on-screen girl. Bayonetta, on top of her other powers, possess the ability to summon giant creatures to fight for her. We were also told some of Bayonetta's powers relied heavily on the full moon.
Bayonetta is something I've been keeping track of for a long time. I felt so honored to have the experience to see a sneak peak at E3. Although it's constantly compared with Kamiya's previous game, Devil May Cry, Bayonetta brings enough new content to the table to stand completely on its own. I anticipate it even more now that I know just how smooth it really is. It's something that will shake up action games as we know it later this year. Bayonetta was definitely one of my top games from the show!
Awesome E3 Trailer:
