Topic: Bayonetta 3

@Ralizah
They have a few brief moments with the old static story explanations, but they only do it like 5 times in the entire game, and only for very brief backstory introductions for a new Bayonetta, couple seconds and its over, and then goes to a real cutscene. But they're stylish and brief and more of a nod to previous games than anything else. Cutscenes dominate them 99:1. They're tastefully implemented rather than being the go-to to save money.

But ya, story being easy to follow this time- I think that's why I enjoy the story so much more. Like, it's still a far out concept with multiverse and stuff, but it's not hard to follow. It's very basic stuff. Here's this threat, we've gotta do this to stop them, let's go do it. And that to me is perfect. In past games I just ignored the confusing story and enjoyed the flashy cutscenes for what they were, but in this game I can actually understand and follow what's happening.

There's so many different gameplay concepts too, but they're usually smaller bits within stages or shorter side stages themselves. But Viola actually provides a fundamental change with blocking instead of dodging. I think I prefer dodging. It's one of the reasons Bayo always appealed to me more than DMC, but it is fun to get that alternative playstyle mixed in here and there to keep things fresh. It forces you to constantly be learning and mastering, and it makes you appreciate the dodging more when you have it with Bayo. I also really love the character. She's stylish, funny, endearingly clumsy... can't help but love her. She's the perfect pairing with Bayonetta.

But the biggest part of this game that elevates it to legendary status is the breadth of weapon and summons variety. It's mind blowing. Some of these weapons and summons are so insane and off-the-walls I never would have imagined it being used as a weapon. You can tell the devs just let loose in this game. They were like, I don't care how crazy it is- if it's fun, we're adding it. I don't wanna spoil the awesome weapons and summons. The thrill of discovering them yourself as you progress is part of the fun. But let's just say the spider you swing around as like Spiderman... that's the least crazy thing in this game lol.

Speaking of which, that's also part of the insane fun. The Demon masquerading, which is separate from the slave mechanic. You can summon the giant spider to fight, sure, but you can also transform into the spider (aka masquerade as the spider) and swing around, climb walls, yank yourself forward with web, etc. That's the cherry on top.

If you have save data for the first two games, you unlock their entire combo trees in the menu, which is nice. Because all 3 main weapons have different combos. If you really liked the Love Is Blue guns with the wicked weave combos from Bayo2, you can use them. If you prefer Scarborough Fair with the original game combos, you can do that too. Or use Color My World, the new purple guns from Bayo3. Or don't use any of them. Stick with the spider yo-yo's and whatever else you want.

Oh, that's another thing, you can equip two different weapons, each with their own demon masquerade attached and integrated combos, and switch between them on the fly with L. You can also equip three different summons and switch between on the fly with D-pad. They will serve as your combo finishers, counters and in the slave mechanic.

I've also found the difficulty much more balanced. There have been some pretty intense challenge rooms toward the end of the game where I died at least 7-8 times before beating it. But I remember in Bayo 1 and 2, I'd die 30+ times, often not even being able to beat them.

The whole game is just fun. Unlike the first two, this game is super fun to explore as the environments are bigger, and virtually everything is destructible. Everything. Even buildings on the side, you can smash their windows. Trees, lamp posts, fences, cars, statues... all of it can be destroyed for currency and lollipop crafting materials. So it's super addictive to just run around destroying everything in sight as you search for puzzles, secrets and hidden challenges.

Beat the game.

Wow. That ending is actually pretty fire. And the song that plays with the softer ballet dance as the credits roll, it's very moving. I've never played a game where I liked the credits so much.

This really makes me want a Viola spinoff now. I know they were gonna make a Jeanne spinoff. Really hope they come through with that. It would help expand the franchise and lore. And I think Bayonetta has earned that at this point. Then again, they may just keep her as a mainstay in the next game, which I'd not only be on with, I actually want. Going back to just traditional Bayo would feel a bit bland now by comparison.

@JaxonH same. It was an amazingly touching ending that I'm glad happened. It was also pretty dope thinking the game was over and the end credits gameplay just kept coming. I don't understand the negative feedback regarding the ending.

@NintendoByNature
Ikr? Everyone is free to their opinion of course, but suffice it to say I can't relate. I absolutely adored it and think it was a perfect way to cap off such an excellent game. And tbh, I take back what I said earlier about the plot. After having beaten the game.... ya. Ya definitely. I enjoyed the story in this game. It was wacky and crazy and not to be taken too seriously, but for the first time ever, I can say I enjoyed the story in a Bayonetta game. It's not Uncharted or anything, but it was entertaining.

Have you tried the new Jeanne mini game that gets unlocked or the Witch Trials that gets unlocked after beating the game? Also Umbran Climax difficulty, but ha! I haven't even done Hard mode yet. It also said Jeanne was unlocked as a playable character but I haven't tried that yet.

There's supposedly a secret level or something if you buy Rodin's old book for 4100 Halos, then find the 3 hidden keys throughout the game... I'm working on that now.

@JaxonH And that's fine. I'm not trying to convince you of anything. I am only going on some of the reactions I've read and the way that I myself process narratives.

Like I said I quit playing so I haven't gotten very far at this point. I will hopefully have time during the holiday break to play. But I have a server migration that has gone to heck in a handbasket so I will be toiling away on that until its done. I hate legacy proprietary software.

Already down for $46 on Amazon NA. Check it out people!

@JaxonH it doesn't make sense and they updated Bayonetta 2 with new text in the introduction to try and retcon a multiverse into the story. Bayonetta 1 isn't Bayonetta 2, what a giant load of rubbish. It's like this:
Plot twist. I'm an alien possessing a human to type this comment. I'll be back in a few hours to edit my original comment and leave some clues about how I'm an alien possessing a human. Perfectly explained twist.

@sirmrguitardude
The games have never made sense. Almost nobody cares if they "retcon" stuff because it's all a bunch of nonsensical malarkey anyways. Story is just there to provide some entertaining cutscenes and give you a reason for fighting.

They'll do it again next game too. It's Bayonetta, not Uncharted.

Gameplay first. They will NEVER sacrifice gameplay for "story" in a game that lives and dies by its gameplay. Having Bayo1 and Bayo2 versions to play as made the game better, and if that means retconning them as different then so be it. Who cares.

@JaxonH because you didn't follow the story of the 1st 2 games doesn't mean other fans didn't. And if you haven't notice the outrage the ending of 3 generated then I don't know how you missed it. Plus Bayo 1 is the best when it comes to gameplay. I disagree with essentially everything you say.

No I'm gonna agree, I don't know why anyone cares about the story of these games. Characters maybe, the story, no. I would've had a way better time with 2 if I had just skipped most of the cutscenes after the prologue tbh (and if I didn't bother with reading the lore).

It's like if an NES games' story got needlessly dragged out with "worst written parts of any Final Fantasy" inserted at random.

In the interests of building some common ground, can we all agree that the rock/paper/scissors battles are a bit crap?

Hmm... I just started playing it and I dont like it. I mean the cutscenes are beautiful and Bayonetta is so pretty that just watching her walk forward is entertaining, but as soon as I am in control I am like "hm, Id rather watch a cutscene of her doing it". I think this is the perfect youtube game - Fantastic to look at, boring to play.

Also nothing really makes sense, things just keep on happening for the sake of it. "I had this fetish about a Bayonetta Mermaid, so lets have this Kraken attack, so I dont feel so guilty designing this lul".

And graphically I mean it looks like a PS2 game trying to catch up to the PS3. I know the Switch has terribly old hardware, but BotW exists, so as always thats not an excuse.

Sad to say this, but I think I would have refunded this if possible. Bayonetta 1 was so challenging, edgy and sexy, its still the best game, and its available everywhere. Kamiya might have been able to live out his fantasies with Nintendo supporting them, but I dont think the gamers won anything by it.

Hmm, everyone's entitled to their opinion, but its quite odd to see the words Bayonetta 3 and boring to play in the same sentence.

Well I've just completed 3. Honest opinion, it's another Platinum masterpiece, I loved it. The story is more engrossing than I thought it would be and the gameplay is just typical Bayonetta. I personally really like the changes. Viola, while not as good as Bayonetta herself, is great fun to use. And Cheshire might be one of my favourite game characters ever!
It's just ridiculous fun. Not to spoil anything but some of the stuff Bayonetta gets up too is just brilliant. Jeanne's 2D sections are good fun too. I was sceptical about the 2D but it really does work.
Performance wise I played 80% handheld and it ran great. The game looks stunning, bright, colourful with busy environments. Framerate was stable throughout and the music is epic. Yes it may not be PS5 level graphically but honestly I was so engrossed I wouldn't have noticed.
All in all I'd go 9/10. It's not perfect but it's to good to be rated any lower than that, IN MY OPINION!

On the subject of Bayonetta's lore and story, I just saw a video on YouTube from the, always excellent, Super BunnyHop about the influences on the games from medieval Catholic art and elsewhere.

Never played any of the games in the series but have a desire to jump in and pick up Bayonetta 3. It looks good.

Is it the type of game someone with no experience in the series whatsoever can pick up and enjoy?

It costs a small fortune at $69 AUD at the cheapest so I'm keen to hear your views for the novice/first-timer ...

@Tendo64 Pretty sure you can enjoy it from anywhere, as they are all pretty great games i would say. I have heard lots of people say that 2 is the best starting point overall, but i would like to say that just playing the games chronologically is actually the most fun. I don't think you will really enjoy the other games if combat didn't click with you in any of them so... you just appreciate improvements the most when starting from the beginning.

Next spoiler for my opinion on Bayonetta 3 and its seeming conclusion for the bayonetta games:

Rate your favourite Bayonetta games in order. For me it’s as follows:

1. Bayonetta 2
2. Bayonetta 1
3. Bayonetta 3

P.S. I loved Bayo 3 and I thought the ending was bad ass, contrary to what everyone thought about it. Also loved Viola. Bayo 3 is definitely one of my favourite games.

So I've gotten around to playing it now (damn backlog) and it's very nice. I can't say I enjoyed it more than 2 but still very nice. I think it comes down to it is less of the tight combat from the last few games and expanded the gameplay to have other bits which work very well but I just prefer the hack and slash nature of the games.

Not a massive issue but I don't like the baddie designs as much as I did in the other games. I loved their take on angles so instead of beautiful angelic beings they were these ugly angelic abominations. If you look at old timey testament descriptions whenever an angle appear they had to warn the hu-mans don't be afraid because they had like 4,000 wings, the face of lion or something stupid like that.

I would have prefer if they kept the "story" to chewy b-movie pulp mush like the others than actually tried to have some sort of story as vidya game stories are almost always rubbish anyway.

On the ending yeah I can see the problem and called it being Bayonetta getting married/settling down instead of being killed off before I played the game which I was half right on. As a character she works so much better being footloose and fancy free as she's in this very unique situation of sexy as fudge and owning it without being spank material, she is more like a dominatrix mistress teasing rather than a stripper shaking he booty for money so tying her down is doesn't feel right let alone to an annoying character like Luka. The character herself is part of these appeal games so killing her off with a new Bayonetta was gonna rub people the wrong way too. However it's Bayonetta, the lore and plotting is bewildering at the best of times let alone with variant/multiverse silliness which they can later undo.