Bayonetta 2 Review

As stylish, sultry and oozing with confidence as before, Bayonetta returns to her Umbran Witch roots exclusively on the Wii U. And with a varied choice of weapons, individual combo sets and heart-thumping boss battles, Bayonetta 2 plays just as beautifully as it looks.

From the developer who brought the original Bayonetta and The Wonderful 101 to Nintendo home consoles, Platinum Games has designed a true marvel of a game with the hack-and-slash sequel. While Bayonetta 2 may not revitalise the franchise’s core gameplay mechanics, Platinum chooses to refine them with a delicate touch. This isn’t a simple button bashing game, and it never encourages players to do so. Rather practice mode is displayed during loading screens to guide players to combo attack success. It’s by digging a little deeper, learning when to dodge to initiate Witch Time, or when to hold back to find enemy weaknesses to string combos together, that the game begins to knit impeccably. The initial sluggish, heavy-handed attacks from the start will eventually transform into smooth fluidity between movesets and taunting enemies. And as it becomes second nature, Bayonetta 2 evolves from its cocoon.

As was the case with the first Bayonetta, the story is diluted here to make way for the exhilarating combat sequences. But the various cutscenes and comic strip-esque sequences endeavour to bring the player into Cereza’s world and describe the main plot with linearity. The sassy dark witch’s character shines throughout too, delivering those tongue-in-cheek witticisms with more than a touch of class. Bouncing off familiar characters such as Enzo, Rodin and Jeanne, it won’t take long for first-time players to embrace the comedic episodes, while long-time fans will settle in just as comfortably. But before we can sit down to eat chicken and waffles in The Gates of Hell – Rodin’s choice, of course  – Jeanne is dragged mercilessly into the underworld, and it’s down to Cereza to bring her back.

Within story mode, players will be able to change the difficulty setting between easy, medium and hard whenever they wish. You’ll be able to customise your weapons on Bayonetta’s arms and legs – such as Rakshasha, Undine and the Alruna whip – before any battle, and also pop on an alternative costume, including the Hero of Hyrule and the Peach Mushroom Kingdom outfit. All weapons and their accessories, along with the different costumes, can be bought with Halos collected throughout the game in Rodin’s store: The Gates of Hell. New weapons can be picked up by exploring the various levels in Noatun, Inferno, Paradiso and so on, as well as moon pearls for extra magic, broken witch’s hearts for extra health, lollipops and crafting equipment.

The weapon variation and the movesets available are simply a joy to discover in Bayonetta 2. Each weapon is meticulously designed with individual combo attacks, so pairing different weapons together such as Undine on the arms and Rakshasha on the legs can make for a devastating string of attacks. But learning what works the best and what may be able to award you with the best combo score and that elusive – though not impossible – pure platinum medal at the battle’s end is what keeps the game fresh and the player hungry for more.

Throughout the 16 in-game chapters within story mode, players will be able to explore many locations during select chapters. In these segments, you’ll find the glowing spherical warp panels and a challenge awaiting in Muspelheim. Varying from air time, one combo restriction and defeating a number of enemies within a time limit, the Muspelheim challenges allow unfamiliar players to hone their skills. While they may not serve up much of a challenge for experienced gamers, these areas are a great change of pace from the main storyline. Miss one Muspelheim challenge, though, and it counts as a stone medal, so you’ll want to master them all to get the best scores.

The hack-and-slash game does have one minor flaw, however, and it lies solely at the feet of the GamePad’s touchscreen controls. While Platinum Games have utilised the GamePad well with off-TV play, there’s no incentive to use the touchscreen controls whatsoever. An afterthought to the main dish, the controls lack precision. And automatic triggers for combo attacks just sucks the fun out of those eclectic boss battles. Plus, in order to perform the crushing torture attacks or Umbran Climax, you’ll need to avert your eyes from the main screen to focus on the GamePad. The heat of the battle dissipates, and the sublime HD architectural designs are left behind.

The best section of the game comes, perhaps, with Tag Climax. Facing demons and archangels encountered throughout the story, you’ll be partnered up with strangers or friends in online co-op. Staking a higher number of Halos before the battle begins will ramp up the difficulty, but stringing impressive combos together may just clinch a victory. There’s not much room for error here, throwing players straight into the deep end to test their ability, but it’s a superb feature worthy of merit.

With a flutter of her eyelashes and her wings, Bayonetta’s flirtatious appeal is infectious. Twinned with addictive gameplay and cheeky witticisms, Bayonetta 2 will leave you gasping for more. It may take two to tango, but it only takes one to Umbran Climax.

9.5/10