The Bayonetta franchise has had a long and strange journey. First releasing on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2009, the original game failed to find a wide audience. Sega lost interest as a result, but Nintendo stepped in to fund and publish two sequels. Bayonetta 3 is now available on Nintendo Switch, and it provides an experience that action fans might want to check out regardless of how familiar they are with those previous entries in the series.ย
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Bayonetta 3 opens with the introduction of new playable character Viola. Fortunately, this isn’t a Metal Gear Solid 2 situation, and Viola does not replace Bayonetta in the game. Instead, a new threat known as the Singularity is threatening the Multiverse, and destroying entire realities. Viola manages to escape from her reality and warn “our” Bayonetta of the impending threat. To stop the Singularity, Viola and Bayonetta will have to strike out on a quest that brings back old friends and introduces new Demon Slaves.
The most important element of any action game is the combat, and Bayonetta 3 delivers on that in a big way. Full disclosure: I had very little experience with the Bayonetta franchise heading into this game. Thankfully, Bayonetta 3‘s combat system is easy to learn, while still offering a good challenge. The majority of the game puts players in the role of Bayonetta, with Viola also getting a chance to shine throughout. Each of the game’s chapters is broken up into multiple verses, and players are awarded medals based on their performance; before I knew it, I went from getting bronze medals after each verse to gold medals! Doing so brings an immense sense of satisfaction, and the game strikes the perfect balance between offering a challenge and not punishing players. Those that still find themselves frustrated can easily switch between difficulty levels before each chapter.ย
Demon Slaves are a big part of the game’s combat, allowing Bayonetta to channel and control a powerful creature in battle. Players can assign themselves three Demon Slaves at a time, and freely swap between them (Viola has just one that’s accessible). Some Demon Slaves are specific to each level, and play a role in the game’s puzzles. Knowing when to channel a Demon Slave to fight alongside you is an important part of the combat system, as doing so will drain Bayonetta and Viola’s magic meter. PlatinumGames has done an excellent job making each of these Demon Slaves control and feel distinct from one another, and players are sure to have their own preferences. I didn’t find all of them enjoyable to use, though; Wartrain Gouon in particular was one I tended to avoid using unless I had to.ย
Even when I didn’t care for some Demon Slaves compared to others, the creature designs are impeccable, and the same can be said for the rest of the game’s characters. The Switch isn’t known for being the most powerful system on the market, but Bayonetta 3proves that the hardware can still produce great looking games. The visuals are vibrant, and the locations look amazing. I personally preferred to play the game docked based on thescale of some of the game’s enemies (Bayonetta goes up against some big foes!), but Bayonetta 3 performs beautifully in bothmodes.
One area where the game really excels is the sound. Bayonetta 3‘s soundtrack is catchy and perfectly matches the action in each verse, with earworms that will stick in your head long after the Nintendo Switch has been turned off. Of course, one element of the game that has caused a significant amount of controversy over the last month has been the replacement of Bayonetta actress Hellena Taylor with Jennifer Hale. The news came as a disappointment to many fans of the series, but I’m happy to say that Hale does an excellent job with the role. She captures the character’s humor and playfulness in a way that can’t help but make you smile. That humor is sure to be divisive for newcomers, though. The titular character’s confidence and sexuality are a big part of her character, and that can be seen in many ways throughout the game. I couldn’t help but laugh at the game’s over-the-top references and visuals, but not everyone will appreciate the humor (or the slight nudity).
After playing Bayonetta 3, I found myself wanting to spend a lot more time getting acquainted with the first two games in the series, and I think that says a lot about the world PlatinumGames has created. Bayonetta’s unique sense of style and humor really sets the series apart from other action games on the market, and it’s easy to see why the character has proven so endearing. The game’s over-the-top humor and sexuality probably won’t win over anyone that didn’t care for the first two games, and not all of the Demon Slaves are enjoyable to use. Despite these minor flaws, Bayonetta 3 delivers an experience that shouldn’t be missed by series fanatics, and is well worth trying for those new to the series.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Bayonetta 3 is available now on NintendoSwitch. The game was provided by thepublisher for the purpose of this review, and it was reviewed on a Nintendo Switch OLED.
