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LTTP: Bayonetta Series

JayK47

Member
So I recently purchased a used Wii U and one of the games I grabbed was Bayonetta 2, which came with the original game as well. After playing them, I grabbed the 3rd game for the Switch and played on my Switch 2. I never did get into the series when it first came out.

Bayonetta (2009):
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The original was pretty awesome. I will admit I played it on easy. At one point I switched to normal and got demolished and switched back. But playing on easy was too easy. I really enjoyed the style and combat and characters. I liked how they introduced every new enemy. A perfect beginning to the great combat.

Bayonetta 2 (2014):

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New haircut, but same great characters, style and combat. I think overall, I enjoyed Bayonetta 2 more than 1. I played on normal this time. While the story was not as good as the first game, the level design, combat and playability were improved. No more annoying sudden deaths if you were not quick enough to jump or do a quicktime event. I think they also did more fanservice in the sequel.

Bayonetta 3 (2022):
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Lots of changes for the 3rd game. Combat was completely overhauled. While they introduced a bunch of new fighting styles, none of them appealed to me and they went hard on transformations during combos. They introduced summons, which at times were fun, but if Bayonetta got hit, she would lose the summon. Considering how hectic most combat was, your summon would disappear nearly as soon as you summoned it. Tons of bosses had an attack that would insta-kill your summons as well.

New characters to play. You get to play as Jeanne, but only as a stealth side scroller. I did not like these sections of the game. You get to play as a Viola, a completely new character. Her summon was actually decent. A Cheshire cat. Otherwise Viola was pretty annoying. So the game has you switching from Bayonetta, to Viola, to Jeanne and back again throughout the game. I much preferred to play as Bayonetta.

They added in the multiverse, which I am not a fan of. But considering how many movies do this, someone must like it. Get ready to be introduced to dozes of other Bayonettas.

Considering when it was released, it felt censored compared to the first 2 games. Fanservice was still present, but reduced to a few cutscenes. Still impressive considering when it was released.

The ending of the 3rd game was a downer. But with the introduction of the multiverse, they can basically do anything with the series if they choose to make anymore games. With how the 3rd game turned out, I can't say I would be too interested in another game. They did make some goofy origins game, which just looks awful. So I think they basically killed the series.

Overall, I enjoyed the first two games on the Wii U. Playing on the Wii U tablet is not the best controller for an intense action game though. I did prefer playing Bayonetta 3 with the Switch pro controller better.
 
The prime example of a franchise that ended up exclusive to the wrong platform (especially given it started as a multiplatform game). Love both 1 & 2 but can't motivate myself to delve into 3.

The sequels would have never existed had it not been for Nintendo's intervention (based on reports), though why Xbox or AA publishers didn't pursue publishing these games is prima facie baffling. All I can guess is the risk heavily outweighed the reward.
 
The prime example of a franchise that ended up exclusive to the wrong platform (especially given it started as a multiplatform game). Love both 1 & 2 but can't motivate myself to delve into 3.

The sequels would have never existed had it not been for Nintendo's intervention (based on reports), though why Xbox or AA publishers didn't pursue publishing these games is prima facie baffling. All I can guess is the risk heavily outweighed the reward.
There would've been no other entries if that platform hadn't stepped in.
 
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I truly love this series. I got into them pretty late, right around the launch of Bayonetta 3 (my favourite in the series). The game's combat has infinite depth, every time I play them I discover something new.

The game obfuscates mechanics and expects players to figure them out during game play to have that 'eureka' moment. A design that is rooted in arcade game design.

There is great amount of effort put into the lore and world building that lots of people miss.
All the runes in the game can be transcribed to English. The angels and Bayonetta don't speak gibberish during incantations, but it's based off a real occult language from a few hundred years ago.

Each game has unique weapons and enemies, making them stand out from one another.

In addition, people dismiss Bayo 3 but it's a great game on par with the rest.
 
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My opinion sours everytime i touch this series, especially Bayo 1. Bayo 1 could've been an all-timer if Kamiya wasn't autistic in his vision, the game constantly throw bullshit minigames at you, from space harrier to the bike sections, to "Angel Attack" between chapters. The first few and last few chapters are amazing to play, but everything in the middle is riddled with constant interruptions to the action. I don't know why developers thought having non-action elements and deviating from the core mechanics of the game was desirable, were they afraid we'd get bored of the game? This is why in my opinion Ninja Gaiden 2 on the 360 is the best action game, it has no interest in telling a story or distracting the player, it has decent levels, plenty of weapons, and endless hordes to grind through with amazing gore, nothing else.
 
The first 2 are some of my GOATS, love them both. 2 in particular is awesome, while it could be argued that the combat is less technical than the first one I still enjoyed playing it more, and I just loved the encounter design, locations, bosses, set pieces and more colorful presentation.

3 was underwhelming though I still think it was a fun 7/10 game. I'd like to replay it some day if there's a good remaster (or if I have a PC that can emulate it). I have issues with the design and story, but the fact it looked like absolute shit (specially in docked mode) didn't help either.


EDIT:
OP, if you want to play some really underrated Platinum goodness on the Switch check out Astral Chain
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Sadly, I think it never got a SW2 upgrade so it's still locked at 30fps. But it's still worth checking out if you can get past that.
 
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The first 2 are some of my GOATS, love them both. 2 in particular is awesome, while it could be argued that the combat is less technical than the first one I still enjoyed playing it more, and I just loved the encounter design, locations, bosses, set pieces and more colorful presentation.

3 was underwhelming though I still think it was a fun 7/10 game. I'd like to repay it some day if there's a good remaster (or if I have a PC that can emulate it). I have issues with the design and story, but the fact it looked like absolutely shit didn't help either.


EDIT:
OP, if you want to play some really underrated Platinum goodness on the Switch check out Astral Chain
j4RkbJM.gif


Sadly, I think it never got a SW2 upgrade so it's still locked at 30fps. But it's still worth checking out if you can get past that.

Astral Chain and Bayo 2+3 are my most anticipated Switch 2 patches. But Platinum seems like it's barely hanging on these days. NG4 flopping must've been disastrous for them.
 
Bayonetta 1 and 2 are the two GOATS.

Hopefully one day they'll make a Bayonetta 3
I didn't realize they made a Bayonetta 3 until recently. Was it a stealth drop? You are probably better off not playing the 3rd one, most seem to dislike it. Glad I was not the only one.
 
Loved the hell out of this trilogy.

1 and 2 are some of the greatest action games ever made for my money, and while 3 doesn't quite reach the same heights due to being less polished, it's still a blast thanks to how much sheer insanity it throws at you.
 
3rd one looked atrocious on Switch. I went back to some of my screenshots and yikes! I couldn't believe how rough it looked. There were a few good boss fights, but underwhelming overall. The pacing was dragged down a bit by those stealth missions and that they added a demo for Cereza and the Lost Demon right on the menu. I thought that was tacky. For whatever reason I never replayed the 3rd game. I reinstalled it the other day wondering why. The file size perhaps? The sequel was excellent. Lots of fun cutscenes. There was a huge debate back when the first game came out because 360 had the superior version of the game. PS3 owners got the crappy version with low frame rate.
 
I have some good memories playing the first Bayonetta on the 360. A lot of goofy and fun Japanese games were released at that time, like Lolipop Chainsaw, Shadows of the Damned, etc. I never got into the sequel because I never bought a Nintendo system, but I'll buy a Switch 2 within the next year and consider picking up the sequels then. An update patch would certainly make a good case for buying them.
 
What was so bad about 3? Never played it never knew it was hated this much.
At a base level it looks and runs rather poorly (can't speak to any post launch fixes though). There were also several story decisions that did not sit well with a lot of people. The pre-release drama with the voice actor(s) also did some shit stirring though it has nothing to do with the game's quality.

After the long wait, I was incredibly disappointed and struggle to think of things I liked (blowing bubbles was pretty funny I suppose). Maybe if it got a Switch 2 patch for better performance.
 
Just played 2 and 3 for the first time last month (played 2 two times in a week).

Bayo 1 and 2 are just the best out there. 3 is a complete mess.
 
I bought this edition two weeks ago.


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I haven't had time yet, but next Saturday I'll play Bayonetta 2; I still have a brand-new copy for the Switch set aside.And I'll be getting Bayonetta 1 for the Switch soon.
 
Great series, I pretty much align with you on it. The second entry being my favorite and the 3rd the worst of the bunch (or rather not being as appealing to me as the other two).

why Xbox or AA publishers didn't pursue publishing these games is prima facie baffling.
I don't think publishing (in the meaning of just bringing the game to market) would've been an issue for any of them. Iirc Nintendo didn't just publish the new entries but also financed their development after SEGA put the projects on hold internally.

I can understand why most wouldn't want to make that kind of investment.
 
I didn't realize they made a Bayonetta 3 until recently. Was it a stealth drop? You are probably better off not playing the 3rd one, most seem to dislike it. Glad I was not the only one.
I'm still waiting for Bayonetta 3 to one day come out. There is no Bayonetta 3 yet.
 
They did make some goofy origins game, which just looks awful. So I think they basically killed the series.
I am actually halfway through this game right now, and it's not bad at all, even if it looks like trash in screenshots. It's a completely different game that has some clear Astral Chain inspirations, but it's a shame how Bayonetta fans ignored it.

They tried to do a game with a small budget to see if people were interested, because the series isen't selling well enough to justify it's existence.

Bayonetta 2, 3 and Bayonetta Origins only exist because Nintendo wanted some action games on their consoles, they haven't made any money.
 
Bayo 1 is still a masterpiece and likely still the best character action game for group fights, for 1v1 DMC5 surpassed it by a mile.

Very strange to hear that gameplay and combat was improved in 2, because the sequel is extremely disappointing in those regardds to anyone that likes to play deeper than surface level combat.

3 is very strange vfrom a fan perspective.The story and characters are almost unrecognizable, but the combat is more solid than 2, even if it still pales compared to one...a big issue is the little amount of bayonetta-sized enemies to fight...too many kaijus.

All in all I think the series is done, and given the very fluctuating quality it's maybe for the best.
 
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