Bayonetta 2 Review

The witch hunts aren’t over quite yet as the Umbra Witch is back in her Wii U-exclusive sequel with Bayonetta 2. As you would probably expect, this sequel from Japanese developer Platinum Games does not revolutionize the Third-Person Action genre in any way. In fact, Bayonetta 2 could be described as the original Bayonetta game along with a few technical upgrades and gameplay tweaks since the objective of the game remains beating up some Angels and Demons in the most ridiculous ways possible. That being said however, those little subtleties are the reason why this sequel delivers an experience that surpasses the first installment’s. Sure, the game hits a few bumps along the road with its convoluted story and abysmal writing at times, but, after mindlessly mashing my way through Bayonetta 2 for roughly 16 hours, it finally occurred to me that this is the most entertaining and fun game currently available on the Wii U, and it alone is enough to justify the purchase of the $300 system.

If you have played the original Bayonetta before,  there won’t be any drastic surprises when you sit down and play this sequel. Bayonetta 2 takes the highly addicting and accessible combat system introduced in the original and puts it right into the sequel without changing anything significantly. The button layout and inputs are identical with Y, X and A being your main gun-related attack buttons and the ZR trigger to dodge enemy attacks. You’ll be pulling off ridiculous combos in no time as the game does a very good job of explaining the combat system with tutorials and allowing you to enter a practice mode, while in a loading screen, to test out your various set of attacks before going into the real fights.

Bayonetta’s combat is the front and center of the experience, it is the reason why the game remains so engaging and fun, even after you have completed its six-hour story multiple times. It’s faster than the original, aiming for a steady 60 FPS frame rate and remains consistent throughout the entire game, is a little bit more forgiving with its Witch Time ability, which allows you to slow down time and deal massive damage by dodging right before an enemy hits you, and never stops delivering satisfying action scenarios whether they are over-the-top set pieces or with absurd-looking enemies and bosses. At first, I thought the game’s visuals were quite underwhelming as the level of detail wasn’t as strong as I would’ve hoped for, but it was quickly forgotten because of how well the game runs without any technical hiccup whatsoever. That’s the thing with Bayonetta 2: Its gameplay is so great that it makes you forget all of its negative elements. Plus, there are some great backgrounds to admire and you’ll only be mesmerized by the ridiculous and is in-your-face action throughout the entire experience. The addition of the Umbran Climax is another great new feature because you now have the choice of spending your Magic meter’s energy on devastating Torture Attacks, or go for more damage and health regeneration with the Climax. Bayonetta 2 wants to shock in every way imaginable and succeeds in doing so multiple times, and I simply cannot stress enough how good Bayonetta 2’s combat is.

One flagrant thing I did notice in this sequel is that the entire game is a lot more accessible than the original. I found myself absolutely crushing my foes on the Normal difficulty setting, or 2^nd Climax as it is referred to in the game, by dying less often and getting gold and silver end-level Trophies left and right. Then again, I was fresh off the original Bayonetta once I sunk my teeth into Bayonetta 2, so it must’ve helped me a little bit. The harder difficulty modes, on the other hand, are a completely different story as they will put your skills to the test very quickly. I highly recommend playing the game on Hard, or 3^rd Climax, if you have experience with the Bayonetta franchise or any Hidemi Kamiya game for the fact of the matter.

Nonetheless, knowing Nintendo’s audience, Platinum put a GamePad-centric feature in this Wii U sequel that appeals to the more casual gamers: Bayonetta 2 can be played entirely with touch controls from the Wii U GamePad by tapping, dragging and swiping the screen at any particular instant. It makes the game very easy as automatic combos are pulled off in a ridiculous fashion, but this also destroys the controller’s battery life as the action remains displayed on the GamePad at all times and cannot be turned off, even if you are always playing with the sticks and buttons. It tends to get very annoying after a while as you’ll constantly have to charge the GamePad mid-game or switch to a different controller to keep on playing.

Bayonetta 2’s story is complete non-sense. It picks up shortly after the events of the first game and features a familiar cast of characters with Rodin, Enzo, Jeanne and Cheshire all making appearances throughout the title. Just like the first game , Bayonetta is put through ridiculous events that demonstrate her empowerment and overall badassery. The set pieces are completely over-the-top with scenarios taking place on jet aircrafts, underwater and even in the sky, while the cutscenes are just as crazy as the game itself, making for entertaining cinematics despite the game’s dreadful voice acting. As I mentioned previously, Bayonetta 2 does not shy away from its shock factor, and that aspect truly stands out with Bayonetta herself. She does have a brand new set of pistols and is rocking a brand new hair style in this sequel, but what will really hold your attention is how there is a strong emphasis on her sexuality instead of her personality and struggles. Bayonetta does go through some decent character development throughout her journey, yet the constant over-sexualized aspects make it hard to take her seriously and can make the player feel uncomfortable at times. Fortunately, once gain, because the gameplay is so satisfying and consistent, it is very easy to overlook the game’s flaws with its characters and presentation.

The action in Bayonetta 2 does not stop once you are done with its main campaign. There is the obvious option to replay each level on a harder difficulty or try to obtain all of the platinum medals for each combat scenario, but you can also go for the upgrades in the Gates of Hell shop, find every collectible item, complete every single Muspelheim secret missions, or achieve the Ubran Tears of Blood in-game challenges. Moreover, there is also an online co-op mode with Tag Climax that puts you and another player in a random combat scenario against enemies to see who does the most damage to them in the end. It can also be played with an AI-controlled partner and is a great way to earn additional Halos, which are the games currency, to buy additional upgrades for Bayonetta. It is just a shame that there is no splitscreen feature at all as this mode would’ve the perfect couch co-op experience.

Additionally, if you are a newcomer to the Bayonetta franchise, you are in luck because the retail version of Bayonetta 2 comes with the full first game (also available in the eShop for a discounted price with the purchase of Bayonetta 2) with updated visuals, alongside various Nintendo character costumes and touch controls support. However, if you are going back to the first game after playing the sequel, you’ll notice that it is a bit difficult because the action is a little bit slower in the first game. Nonetheless, it’s a great addition for players who have never played the original game back when it came out in 2010 and a treat for those who want to replay the adventure that started it all.

VERDICT

Bayonetta 2 is arguably the best game on the Wii U as of right now. With its fast-paced, action-packed combat, and ridiculously over-the-top writing and sequences, every single Wii U owner must owe it to themselves to add this gem to their games library. Platinum Games has, once again, delivered an experience that ranks among the best titles in the genre, and proves that Third-Person Action games remain some of the most addicting and engaging video games out there. Bayonetta 2 is not a perfect game, but when a game’s core gameplay remains that fun and satisfying, even after playing the same areas dozens of times, I cannot penalize it for having a few issues with its story or characters. It is just that good.