Bayonetta 3 (NSW) Review

Back with more flair.

 

 Bayonetta 3 is the much awaited sequel to 2014's action hit Bayonetta 2, a game I loved playing on the Nintendo Wii U. It was also one of developer PlatinumGames' best works, so a sequel would have to top the game and then some. Enter Bayonetta 3 which promises more action, more style, and more over-the-top moments over its predecessors. The flashy witch Bayonetta is back and this time, is on an adventure to save more than just her world. So does Bayonetta 3 manages to live up to expectations after the long wait?

 It seems to be just a normal day until Bayonetta and company are greeted by a strange visitor from the future called Viola, who warns her of a powerful threat that's destroying every universe and her's is next. With the help of her friends, Bayonetta will travel through alternate realities beating up enemies, recruiting demons, and even meeting up with her alternate versions. The story was ultimately bonkers as it packed lots of over-the-top action and wacky moments between the characters.

 Viola ended up being a great character with a solid arc and being the comic relief of the story. I enjoyed the dynamic between Bayonetta and Viola, with the former acting as a mentor figure (similar to Dante and Nero from Devil May Cry 4). The supporting cast were also great and seeing the likes of Jeanne, Enzo, Luka, and Rodin again was awesome. That and I'm excited to see where the series goes next after the finale. 

Bayonetta's in to save the universe.

 Bayonetta 3 is a hack-and-slash game where you mainly control Bayonetta or newcomer Viola as they shoot and slash enemies in flashy ways, respectively. Both characters utilize "Witch Time", a state where time slows down briefly when you dodge enemy attacks, giving you a window to attack. As Viola, you'll have to parry an enemy's attack at the right time to trigger it. At the cost of magic, Bayonetta can summon "Demon Slaves" such as the likes of a huge spider, demonic steam train, and giant butterfly lady with her hair and controlling them was fun. Viola only has a Katana and "Cheshire", her large colorful cat as her summon and despite my reservations, she was fun to play. Over the course of the game, you'll be collecting weapons, demons, and battling new enemies across a bunch of levels-- though some levels looked uninspired this time around.

The gameplay is still as fast and fun as ever.

You can also play as Jeanne in 2D stealth-platformer segments where you must sneak around enemies, unlock doors, and reach the goal within the time limit. These are bite-sized levels that are inspired by old spy movies and compared to the main levels, they took around five minutes to clear. While charming, I found myself wanting to finish them quick so I could get back to the main game. Exploration takes a focus now since levels are bigger this time around, encouraging you to stray from the main path to find some hidden secrets. You can find collectable figurines, treasure chests filled with money, tricky platforming segments to solve, hidden challenge stages, and mystic animals that unlock bonus stages when found across the levels and most weren't the easiest to get. 

The combat is expanded, featuring giant enemies to beat.

 The action set-pieces with the large-scale boss fights were a standout and among the game's best moments. Without spoiling much, some boss fights has Bayonetta summoning a giant monster to battle with another giant monster was straight out of a Godzilla movie and pretty entertaining. I kind of wished that the enemies had some distinctive look in terms of color, however, as most are all the same. Moreover, the camera had trouble adjusting to bigger enemies, which made fighting them a chore as you often can't see your character. Sadly "Tag Climax", the online mode from Bayonetta 2 is cut, which is possibly due to the game's larger scope. Overall, the game took around 15 hours to beat with me getting most of the collectables and if you're planning on 100% the game, then it would take you even longer.

 Bayonetta 3 looks great with much more detailed and vibrant character models, backgrounds, and visual effects over its predecessors. I liked Bayonetta's new design and the rest of the cast were stylish as well. However, the game suffers from notable technical issues. The frame-rate and resolution fluctuate in the heavier fights and offer an unsteady experience. Playing in handheld mode is also hectic due to the low image quality making it difficult to gauge what's happening on-screen. Despite the voice actor drama for the game, the new VA for Bayonetta did a terrific job and nailed her character-- even though I loved the original voice more. As for the soundtrack, it was nice, packing upbeat and catchy tracks that perfectly encapsulates the game's frenetic action.

Tech issues aside, the presentation is solid. 

 Once again, PlatinumGames delivers another fantastic game as Bayonetta 3 lives up to expectations with crazy amounts of over-the-top flash and non-stop action that'll satisfy fans of the series. Despite the glaring tech issues, it was a blast with an entertaining story, cool characters, fun gameplay, and stunning presentation-- making Bayonetta 3 stand as the developer's most ambitious title yet. While Bayonetta 2 remains my favorite in the series, I had a great time and actions fans should give it a go.