Nintendo’s Hitoshi Yamagami couldn’t render his excitement for Bayonetta 2 and Platinum Games any more apparent if it were printed in jumbo font and duct-taped directly to his sleeve. “The department I belong to is tasked with doing projects that Nintendo isn’t typically accustomed to doing,” he says, and all told the truth of his remarks rings loudly. His company’s generous offer to bankroll Platinum’s ill-fated followup to its 2010 hack-n-slash diamond-in-the-rough has largely been seen, at best, as a risky, possibly desperate grab at an exclusive mature-rated title. Yamagami’s justification isn’t all that reassuring, either. “More than anything,” he chuckles, “I just really like Platinum Games.”
If 2009’s MadWorld (also Platinum-developed) was the aforementioned fast-grab for mature exclusive content on Wii, Bayonetta 2 is anything but — its R-rated moments, though cheeky, are wholly essential to what Bayonetta always was, and continues to be on Wii U. More importantly is the quality of the end product, and the way Bayonetta 2 feels and plays is precisely the reason Platinum has hit an undisputed, adrenaline-fueled action-game home run. Nintendo’s supervision has been known to make good studios great, and Platinum’s games have always been great on their own. You do the math.
I’ve oft discussed the Wii U’s surprising penchant for delivering experiences that look and feel “next-gen,” and Bayonetta 2’s improvements to fit and finish across the board are immediately evident — even from the moment Bayonetta’s deadly high-heeled footwear firsts snaps into view. The game is 720p, yes, but it’s where most Wii U games ought to be; the compromise allows for a silky 60 frames per second through the game’s most hectic action sequences, and leaves room for improved detail and absolutely outstanding art, both substantially improved from the original game. The original Wii was sometimes disparagingly described as two GameCubes duct-taped together: Bayonetta 2 proves that similar methodology was abandoned when forging the internals of Wii U.
What, then, of Bayonetta 2’s gameplay? The combat remains similar, largely because it was far and away the original game’s greatest treasure. Here it’s been tweaked and refined, made even more fluid (if you can believe it), and perfected in a way that is almost hypnotic. Words like “frenetic” and “hectic” still apply, but as you learn your way around the system’s finer points, you begin to find yourself entering a sort of zen state, where your onscreen avatar executes almost exactly as your brain directs it to. The limbs connected to hands, connected to fingers mashing buttons, just sort of melt away – you’re not playing, but doing. It’s a hallmark of superbly balanced combat, and it’s difficult to fathom how controlling the titular Umbra Witch could possibly be more satisfying, smart, and utterly enthralling. I usually associate immersion with excellent plot and story, but Bayonetta 2 seduces on its own terms.
If you’re looking for specific new tricks, Platinum has delivered them in spades, be it the superpowered, devastating Umbran Climax combat mode or the unexpected yet exceptionally useful and satisfying Witch Time, a slow-mo opportunity to unleash hell upon achieving a perfect dodge. The former is introduced early on and proves useful immediately, offering new players a means of tearing through tougher foes and having a blast while doing so. As the hours passed, though, I came to appreciate Witch Time more than anything else. Chaining together series’ of precise dodges followed by brutal slow-mo beat-downs is a true thrill, and a perfect example of the seamlessness with which Bayonetta bobs, weaves, and destroys onscreen. While Umbran Climax feels like a standard special move (and a great one at that), Witch Time is a ferocious yet technical ace in the hole — one no action heroine but Bayonetta could feasibly manage.
And what of Bayonetta herself, as a character and leading lady? Well, the writing hasn’t improved, but determining whether or not anything in the game was ever meant to be taken seriously hasn’t been made any easier either. Cutscenes are trimmed appropriately this time around, and though still goofy, they never feel too long overly indulgent. You’ll get your fair share of crotch-shots, as well as close-ups on Bayonetta’s legs and behind, yet through some miracle the game feels less gratuitous than the exploits of many typically sexy female leads in recent memory. Perhaps it’s because at any given moment Bayonetta could theoretically take down most every character on-screen with relative ease, in a way that’s neither contrived or implausible. I never once questioned the integrity of her skills nor the authenticity of her abilities, and given the steadily increasing ridiculousness each mission heaps on, that itself is a marvelous feat.
And boy do the missions get wacky. By the time you reach the back third of the game, audible exclamations of disbelief become the norm as Bayonetta squares off against opposing forces of all kinds, with bosses that range from a hulking, angelic suit of armor composed of solid gold, to the mammoth, Koloktos-esque Urbane, a grounded foe dual-wielding deadly flames. Each boss fights differently, and it’s no exaggeration to say that these are the best boss fights I’ve encountered this year, if not this generation. The obvious runner up Dark Souls II, though stacked with menace and formidable challenge, lacks the pure hysteria and vibrant, ludicrous savagery of Bayonetta’s varied opponents. My mention of Koloktos was no coincidence — these bosses are massive, clever, and surprising time and time again, leaving an almost physical tiredness in their wake as you sit slack-jawed on your couch post-encounter.
Related: Bayonetta’s 7 Craziest Moves
Single-player missions are far and away the main course here, but Platinum has imbued the game’s remaining disc-sectors with various modes, each interesting or worthwhile in their own specific ways. An online-only co-op mode allows you to team up with another player, taking on story-mode segments and bosses from various parts of the game. Though fun, the mode has its limitations — each encounter usually lasts under five minutes, and unless you’ve got lots of friends who plan to buy the game, trying the mode with strangers isn’t all that exciting. It’s hardly a knock, but here you mileage is definitely going to vary.
At the end of the day, Bayonetta is all about melding perfected action gameplay with incredible style, and the waypoint at which these two elements meet is among the most blissful experiences I’ve played so far this console cycle. As a sort of ironic icing on the cake, Platinum has gone the extra mile and included Nintendo-themed costumes, each with their own unique attacks and surprising levels of detail. Though you may suspect Nintendo shoehorned these into the game, it’s actually the opposite — Platinum sent them for approval of its own accord. Not only that, but Nintendo’s mascots partake in some untraditional behavior; watching Bowser brutally slay angels is, admittedly, a very odd sight. Still, the care with which these costumes have been assembled is clear, and their value is beyond that of a mere easter egg. Were Bayonetta 2 a multiplatform title, the Nintendo costumes would easily make the Wii U edition the one to buy.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Bayonetta 2
Of course, that is far from the case with Bayonetta 2, and if you want to experience one of the best action titles of the decade and what is arguably the eighth console generation’s most stellar, well-balanced, and breathtaking experience to date, there’s only one place to do so. Bayonetta 2 is a huge leap for Platinum, a massive score for Nintendo, and most importantly, a win for Wii U owners and gamers everywhere. Buy it if you can, and borrow it if you cannot. But do not, under any circumstances, miss out on Bayonetta 2.
Griffin Vacheron is an Associate Gaming Editor for CraveOnline. You can follow him on Twitter @novacav.
Copy provided by publisher. Bayonetta 2 is exclusive to Wii U.
