Sega’s Bayonetta sure has been getting a ton of coverage since screens and renders of the title’s heroine were first released. And the hype machine built by Sega was like a snowball rolling down a mountain. The question though is does it live up to the massive hype? You may be surprised by the answer. It pretty much meets the expectations set, but most importantly, it’s just a fun game to play.
It’s hard to explain Bayonetta. You really need to see it for yourself. This is one of those times I should have done a video review instead and explained it more like a slide show presentation. Broken down to the core however, Bayonetta allows you to play as a witch who can, among many other things, summon creatures and demons with her amazing black hair, which serves as a portal to hell. Who hasn’t heard that old tale before, right? And that’s just scraping the surface of the weirdness, surreal storyline and plain old over the top Bayonetta action. The story, as far as my mortal mind allowed me to grasp, focuses on a battle between two clans of witches which represent opposite powers. I know, I know. Boring stale old tale that we’ve heard a million times [The sarcasm is free folks]. The story isn’t exactly clear and most of it really doesn’t make much sense, but thankfully, the actual gameplay combined with the graphical splendor of Bayonetta’s world more than makes up for any confusion.
Graphically, Bayonetta looks simply gorgeous and has a great visual style that surpasses most other games available on current-gen consoles. The dark tones almost seem influenced by Tim Burton which when converted into a game you controls is a treat for the eyes. There was some minimal slowdown when the action got to frenetic, but nothing to really complain about as it never really takes you out of the illusion of the game. The audio and soundtrack are well done and do a nice job of complimenting Bayonetta’s visual. The graphics and audio alone show a high-level of production value not seen in a Sega game in years.
When it’s all said and done, Sega’s action-fest known as Bayonetta can definitely be recommended to any player who seeks something new in today’s endless onslaught of sequels and rehashes that fill up the retail shelves these days. And I should mention though that this isn’t just a great game for action buffs. It’s worth checking out for anyone who wants something original. Minus a couple technical glitches and a story that at times is simply baffling, Bayonetta is a great game that any real gamer should at least check out.
Graphics | Audio | Gameplay | Replay | Genre | Final |
