REGARDING SPOILERS: Despite the fact that the game is nearly 5 years old please do not post unmarked spoilers for the game. There will be people playing the game for the first time in the OT so please be considerate. This also refers to non-story secrets in the game.
So let's get this started shall we? Required listening.
- Developer - Platinum Games, Bee Tribe (Wii U port)
- Publisher - Nintendo (Wii U), Sega (PS3 and Xbox 360)
- Director - Hideki Kamiya
- Producers - Yusuke Hashimoto, Hitoshi Yamagami (Wii U)
- File size - 14.6GB
Release Dates:
- Japan - 20th September 2014
- North America - 24th October 2014
- Europe - 24th October 2014
- Australia - 25th October 2014
So how do I get Bayonetta on Wii U then?
- Japan - All copies of Bayonetta 2 will include a disc copy of Bayonetta 1.
- North America - All copies of Bayonetta 2 will include a disc of Bayonetta 1 in the same case. Purchase Bayonetta 2 on the Eshop and get a discount for Bayonetta 1 for a total cost of $59.98.
- Europe and Australia - Bayonetta Double Pack or Bayonetta 2 First Print Edition includes a case for Bayonetta 1 with it's own Club Nintendo code. Purchasing one game on the Eshop will give a £15 discount on the other game.
Is this a bad port like the PS3 version or is it actually good?
Do not worry, this is a good port. Bee Tribe handled the Wii U port and were supervised by not only Platinum Games, but also Kamiya himself. Digital Foundry did an analysis of the Wii U port and compared it to the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. You can watch that here.
500 years ago there lived two clans in Europe. The Umbra Witches, dwellers of the darkness, and their light-world counterparts, the Lumen Sages. The clans respected each other and their laws, balancing each other out. One day, that balance was toppled. There was a sacred law between the clans, they could not have a child with one another. However, the law was broken when a Lumen Sage and an Umbra Witch conceived a child together. The Sage was banished from his clan and the Witch was imprisoned for her actions.
20 years ago, Bayonetta awoke from a 500 year slumber at the bottom of a lake. She has little to no memory of her past before the slumber and seeks to find the truth behind her past. She also seeks the Eyes of the World, two gemstones linked to the Umbra Witches and Lumen Sages, which she believes can help her regain her memories. She learns from Enzo, a black market information broker, that the Right Eye was claimed to be in the European town of Vigrid.
Bayonetta has a combat system similar to the Devil May Cry series with the fast paced, over the top stylish action. Bayonetta has a dial a combo style system where every weapon has the same inputs but each with their own effects and quirks. Combo score is determined by variety of the attacks, Witch Time and Torture Attacks.
Bayonetta can equip weapons to her hands or feet. Some are exclusive to hands or feet, whilst some can be equipped on both after purchasing the second pair from Rodin. Weapons equipped on her hands are tied to the punch button, which by default is X. Weapons equipped to her feet are tied to the kick button, which by default is A.
- Scarborough Fair - Bayonetta's trademark guns which she uses to punch, kick and shoot her enemies.
- Onyx Roses - A pair of shotguns that Bayonetta can equip on her hands and feet. Special function is holding the attack button for a single, more powerful shot.
- Shuraba - Can only he held in Bayonetta's hands. A powerful blade that has great range and power. Special function is you can charge a powerful slash by holding the X button. Has the highest damaging Wicked Weaves in the game.
- Lt Col Kilgore - A pair of RPG tonfa that Bayonetta can equip on her hands and feet. Special function - Hold the attack button to fire rockets after an attack.
- Odette - Ice Skates that can only be equipped on Bayonetta's feet. Special functions - Can freeze opponents in place and also allows Bayonetta to walk over hot surfaces at certain times.
- Kusheldra - A whip that can only be equipped on Bayonetta's hands. Special function - Holding the attack button allows Bayonetta to pull an enemy towards her to continue combos.
- Durga - A pair of gauntlets that can be equipped on Bayonetta's hands or feet. Has fire or electrical properties. Special function - Holding the attack button in fire mode places an orb in the air which explodes after a short time. In electricity mode holding the attack button causes a small electrical burst which deals damage. Rotate the left analog stick and attack to switch element.
Witch Time:
One of the main mechanics of Bayonetta and the sequel. During Witch Time the game slows down for everyone except Bayonetta, giving the player an opportunity to deal damage to enemies and increase their combo score. To activate Witch Time you need to dodge an attack at the last moment. The dodge button is ZR.
Dodge Offset:
You can continue a combo exactly where you left it off after a dodge if you use Dodge Offset. Dodge Offset is done by holding down the punch or kick button while dodging and then continuing the combo by releasing the attack button and pressing another attack button in the sequence after the dodge has been completed. Useful for keeping your combo steady for Wicked Weave whilst avoiding damage.
Wicked Weave:
Wicked Weaves are a type of attack that can be executed by powerful Umbra Witches to summon forth Infernal Demons by using their hair as a conduit. At the end of a combo Bayonetta will summon a Wicked Weave to deal the final blow. The Weave is a more powerful attack that deals high damage, staggers enemies that are blocking and also clears the enemies away to give players breathing space.
The Wii U version of Bayonetta has some exclusive features and content not found in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.
- Off-TV Play. Play the entire game without using the TV screen.
- Touch Screen controls. Use the touch screen for a simplistic gameplay experience.
- Exclusive Nintendo Costumes. Dress Bayonetta up as 4 characters from Nintendo games with their own unique quirks. Check the Media section for images of these costumes. These costumes are unlocked right away so you can use them right away.
- Japanese Dub. The voice actors from the Bayonetta: Bloody Fate anime provide a Wii U exclusive Japanese dub.
Hero of Hyrule:
- Bayonetta wears the tunic that Link wears in the Legend of Zelda series.
- Enemies drop Rupees instead of Halos. They even have the Rupee sound effect from A Link to the Past.
- When using Shuraba, the sword takes on the appearance of the Master Sword. The Sword has its own animations and sound effects.
- Various Legend of Zelda sound effects play when chests are opened, doors are unlocked, when teleporting or when assembling Broken Witch Hearts.
- The costume also comes with a parry. Push the analog stick towards the opponent that's about to strike you, similar to Metal Gear Rising. This saves you an accessory slot and can be very helpful.
Mushroom Kingdom Princess / Sarasa Land Princess
- Bayonetta wears the outfit of Princess Peach or Princess Daisy from the Mario series.
- Halos are replaced by Mario coins. Even with the sound effect from the Mario series.
- Some Wicked Weaves replace the usual demon Bayonetta summosn with Bowser arms and legs. The sound effects are also changed to voice clips from Bowser.
- Some climax sequences feature Bowser as opposed to the usual demon.
Galactic Bounty Hunter:
- Bayonetta wears the Power Suit Samus wears in the Metroid series.
- When shooting with her guns, Bayonetta uses the arm blaster on the suit. The shots have their own unique visual and audio effect.
- Holding down the down button on the d-pad lets you raise or lower the visor on Bayonetta's helmet in-game and cutscenes.
Videos:
Bayonetta 1 Treehouse Live @ E3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq3Z7MoMSs4
Bayonetta 2 E3 trailer announcing the Bayonetta 1 port - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvP4EFjagfU
Bayonetta 1+2 European First Print Edition Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fauZ4wm9z-0
Screenshots:
If you want to discuss the sequel, click the logo to go to the OT:
