Shazam!
02-10-2010, 02:02 AM
Bayonetta is an action game for the PS3 and XBox 360, developed by Platinum Games and published by Sega.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/76/Bayonetta_PS3_US_box_art.jpg
Bayonetta is a witch with fantastic demonic powers and the last of her order. The balance has been broken between the powers of light and dark. On a quest for revenge, you battle angelic forces to sway the balance back, and you find your role is bigger than you expected. This is a simplified summary but it will do.
It's clear this takes cues from Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden, and the action is up to the task. While those greats tried to present a grandiose platform, epic scale and a serious narrative, Bayonetta doesn't, or it tries and fails.
I am all for sex in games. In fact I'm all for fully naked chicks. Like Onechanbara- Bikini Samurai before it (another Japanese top seller but the game is a wreck, see my review), this was a sure seller in the eyes of Sega. Bayonetta is like a slutty whore. She struts around like a stripper. In 10 minutes in the opening cutscene you've seen more close shots of her crotch and ass than you ever thought you would. A demonic witch who sucks on lollipops. In her taunt move, she strikes a pose and says 'Do you want to touch me?' Her clothes come off as she performs special attacks with her hair (yes, her hair). As I said I'm all for sex in games, but c'mon. It tries to carry the title too far.
This game was clearly made for the Japanese audience, and it doesn't translate too well for my personal tastes. Some of the music sounds like something you'd hear on a Japanese version of Hannah Montana, or cue up any hardcore Japanese-only RPG. The lip syncing is off at times, badly.
The action in Bayonetta is fast and furious. Any gamer worth his salt will have no time unleashing ridiculous combos and killer finishing moves. It even has an automatic easy mode where you just smash one button and the game essentially plays itself.
This over the top take continues throughout and gets a little ridiculous. Very quickly.
Enemies who are tagged or locked on to are marked with a crimson purse-lipped logo. When she jumps and lands she sprouts butterflies. She has pistols for high heels. She is fast and the combat is fun, but the girly-take I found kind of annoying after awhile as it seemed to carry the game too much.
The story is a mess and almost incomprehensible. It's told in a weird mix of cutscenes and stills presented film reel style. It doesn't work. The cutscenes are nothing great visually and look washed out sometimes (and I have the better 360 version in HD). The bad lip syncing makes it even worse.
The game runs great with full chaos going on with no slowdown. The in-game engine looks far better than the cutscenes do. The action is fast, dizzying and top notch, but too many of the other aspects I found dragged down the overall game. Combos are too easy to do and not nearly as fulfilling as Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry. The game isn't nearly as difficult either, so it doesnt have that same reward feeling you'd get from similar titles when you pull of compex moves.
I still can't figure how this game got near 10s scores on most gaming sites. It clearly is made for the Japanese gamer. Sure the combat can be thrilling, but that alone can't carry a game through the end. It's effective buttong mashing mindlessness but that isn't enough. With great new games like Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2, and even new action games like Darksiders and Dante's Inferno, I'd avoid this one at least until the price drops.
6/10
Rated M for Mature- Blood and gore, intense violence, strong language, sexual themes, partial nudity
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/76/Bayonetta_PS3_US_box_art.jpg
Bayonetta is a witch with fantastic demonic powers and the last of her order. The balance has been broken between the powers of light and dark. On a quest for revenge, you battle angelic forces to sway the balance back, and you find your role is bigger than you expected. This is a simplified summary but it will do.
It's clear this takes cues from Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden, and the action is up to the task. While those greats tried to present a grandiose platform, epic scale and a serious narrative, Bayonetta doesn't, or it tries and fails.
I am all for sex in games. In fact I'm all for fully naked chicks. Like Onechanbara- Bikini Samurai before it (another Japanese top seller but the game is a wreck, see my review), this was a sure seller in the eyes of Sega. Bayonetta is like a slutty whore. She struts around like a stripper. In 10 minutes in the opening cutscene you've seen more close shots of her crotch and ass than you ever thought you would. A demonic witch who sucks on lollipops. In her taunt move, she strikes a pose and says 'Do you want to touch me?' Her clothes come off as she performs special attacks with her hair (yes, her hair). As I said I'm all for sex in games, but c'mon. It tries to carry the title too far.
This game was clearly made for the Japanese audience, and it doesn't translate too well for my personal tastes. Some of the music sounds like something you'd hear on a Japanese version of Hannah Montana, or cue up any hardcore Japanese-only RPG. The lip syncing is off at times, badly.
The action in Bayonetta is fast and furious. Any gamer worth his salt will have no time unleashing ridiculous combos and killer finishing moves. It even has an automatic easy mode where you just smash one button and the game essentially plays itself.
This over the top take continues throughout and gets a little ridiculous. Very quickly.
Enemies who are tagged or locked on to are marked with a crimson purse-lipped logo. When she jumps and lands she sprouts butterflies. She has pistols for high heels. She is fast and the combat is fun, but the girly-take I found kind of annoying after awhile as it seemed to carry the game too much.
The story is a mess and almost incomprehensible. It's told in a weird mix of cutscenes and stills presented film reel style. It doesn't work. The cutscenes are nothing great visually and look washed out sometimes (and I have the better 360 version in HD). The bad lip syncing makes it even worse.
The game runs great with full chaos going on with no slowdown. The in-game engine looks far better than the cutscenes do. The action is fast, dizzying and top notch, but too many of the other aspects I found dragged down the overall game. Combos are too easy to do and not nearly as fulfilling as Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry. The game isn't nearly as difficult either, so it doesnt have that same reward feeling you'd get from similar titles when you pull of compex moves.
I still can't figure how this game got near 10s scores on most gaming sites. It clearly is made for the Japanese gamer. Sure the combat can be thrilling, but that alone can't carry a game through the end. It's effective buttong mashing mindlessness but that isn't enough. With great new games like Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2, and even new action games like Darksiders and Dante's Inferno, I'd avoid this one at least until the price drops.
6/10
Rated M for Mature- Blood and gore, intense violence, strong language, sexual themes, partial nudity