Support NeoGAF

[Danjin44]

Developers : Platinum Games
Publishers: Nintendo
Genre: hack & slash
System: Switch


Story
With the help of old and new allies, including her alternate selves and a witch-in-training named Viola, Bayonetta must confront and defeat mysterious man-made threats known as "Homonculi" while travelling to the island of Thule, in order to prevent the destruction of various worlds by an evil entity known as the Singularity


Characters

Reviews
Review Thread​

 

[Alexios]

​

 

[ssringo]

Nice! I was wondering where this thread was . Glad to see it before I went to bed. Copying my comment from another Bayo thread because it should've been here anyways.

I'm only a couple hours in but I'm quite enjoying it. Definitely in the honeymoon phase so all that could change once I've finished the game and go back to replay stages.

Other than performance issues the only thing I don't like was an early section where you

Spoiler

rapidly ride Gomorrah through a collapsing city

Kept taking chip damage from various stuff I couldn't even see coming. Didn't come close to failing but that shit is highly irritating. Like the camera was pulled back and angled where I couldn't see the pillars under bridges until the last millisecond. I do have camera distance set to max for the on foot sections so maybe that affects that section too and the default closer camera works better for that part.

I guess I also don't like Bayo's pigtail hairstyle either. Looks goofy to me. As much as I like her outfit I'm gonna have to put her in something else with a different hairstyle once I'm able.

 

[F31 Leopard]

I already posted these pics in the other thread but if anyone is wondering here's what's included in the North American Trinity Masquerade Edition.

Bayonetta 1 and 2 cases are also shrink-wrapped.

Bayonetta 3 has a reversible cover that matches the other 2. (Not shown)

Art Book

 

[rubhen925]

Beat the story on normal. Enjoyed most of it. But the game by the end had some issues.
- combat is too focused on summons now.
-fps drops are plenty about
- camera can be wonky as hell lol
- felt Bayo 2 had better visuals unless I'm misremembering from when i played it 3 weeks ago
- story is meh. like the final boss is a joke, along with the plot twist seen coming a mile away. Same with some characters and their identities.
- Viola's combat is a nice drift from Bayonetta's but man can she be an annoying character as a whole
- I didn't 100% it, but the story and some side content took around 11 hours. But i felt the game dragged a bit story wise.

I'd love to hear other people's thoughts.

 

[Danjin44]

I already posted these pics in the other thread but if anyone is wondering here's what's included in the North American Trinity Masquerade Edition.

Bayonetta 1 and 2 cases are also shrink-wrapped.

Bayonetta 3 has a reversible cover that matches the other 2. (Not shown)

Art Book

I also finally got my Trinity Masquerade Edition and this one better CE I got this year.

 

[Kazekage1981]

Beat the story on normal. Enjoyed most of it. But the game by the end had some issues.
- combat is too focused on summons now.
-fps drops are plenty about
- camera can be wonky as hell lol
- felt Bayo 2 had better visuals unless I'm misremembering from when i played it 3 weeks ago
- story is meh. like the final boss is a joke, along with the plot twist seen coming a mile away. Same with some characters and their identities.
- Viola's combat is a nice drift from Bayonetta's but man can she be an annoying character as a whole
- I didn't 100% it, but the story and some side content took around 11 hours. But i felt the game dragged a bit story wise.

I'd love to hear other people's thoughts.

I never played bayonetta 2 and 3, but looking at the gameplay videos on youtube, is it me or the fighting mechanics for bayonetta 3 all over the place? I am coming from playing bayonetta 1. Here is what I noticed:

-Hardly anyone uses witch time, or it is very hard to execute
-witch time doesn't last very long
-The demon slave summoning is over used and gets in the way. Its like "oh ma gawd, lets just smash and kill all the enemies at once"
-no one uses juggles in mid air to execute combos
-no one uses tortures to finish
-godzilla type fights with painfully limited movements and attacks: looks boring as fuck. I mean what the fuck with madama butterfly blowing bubbles with this one boss fight?
-Where are the fucking weapons from bayonetta 1 and 2? Such as the whiplash, katana, durga, etc?!
-Jeanne looks like a hideous drag queen clown with seizure inducing outfit. Not classy, sassy nor beautiful.
-Viola is just stupid. No back story except little hints.
-Why cant bayonetta turn into a panther, raven, and that underwater creature to move faster?

The lumen sages, and father balder (except for this weird alter luka) are missing?! The right eye couldn't be used to kick the homunculus's ass?! Their clan was not affected by any of the events in this game?

The story is just... wtf?!


looks like frustrating game with annoyances coming from veterans who played bayonetta 1

 

[Danjin44]

Why cant bayonetta turn into a panther, raven, and that underwater creature to move faster?

In 3rd games based on what weapon you equiped you can turn in to either butterfly to fly or spider to walk on walls.

 

[rubhen925]

I never played bayonetta 2 and 3, but looking at the gameplay videos on youtube, is it me or the fighting mechanics for bayonetta 3 all over the place? I am coming from playing bayonetta 1. Here is what I noticed:

-Hardly anyone uses witch time, or it is very hard to execute
-witch time doesn't last very long
-The demon slave summoning is over used and gets in the way. Its like "oh ma gawd, lets just smash and kill all the enemies at once"
-no one uses juggles in mid air to execute combos
-no one uses tortures to finish
-godzilla type fights with painfully limited movements and attacks: looks boring as fuck. I mean what the fuck with madama butterfly blowing bubbles with this one boss fight?
-Where are the fucking weapons from bayonetta 1 and 2? Such as the whiplash, katana, durga, etc?!
-Jeanne looks like a hideous drag queen clown with seizure inducing outfit. Not classy, sassy nor beautiful.
-Viola is just stupid. No back story except little hints.
-Why cant bayonetta turn into a panther, raven, and that underwater creature to move faster?

The lumen sages, and father balder (except for this weird alter luka) are missing?! The right eye couldn't be used to kick the homunculus's ass?! Their clan was not affected by any of the events in this game?

The story is just... wtf?!


looks like frustrating game with annoyances coming from veterans who played bayonetta 1

yea combat is all over the place. Most enemies end up hyper armoring through most of your attacks unless its wicked weaves or summon attacks. Kaiju battles are slow as you mentioned, and witch time is definitely limited. I tried juggling a lot, but enemies tend to escape out of the juggles super quick making it a cat and mouse chase until you stun them. Bayonetta can now turn into the summons that her weapons brings, the new weapons, and yes weapons are limited, no whip, katana goes to viola, and you can't even pick up weapons from enemies anymore lmao.

in terms of the story as I mentioned it's a joke. Taking on a fad many movies are using now. Cinematics & Spectacle for the sake of spectacle without the substance. That's my take anyways

 

[Kazekage1981]

yea combat is all over the place. Most enemies end up hyper armoring through most of your attacks unless its wicked weaves or summon attacks. Kaiju battles are slow as you mentioned, and witch time is definitely limited. I tried juggling a lot, but enemies tend to escape out of the juggles super quick making it a cat and mouse chase until you stun them. Bayonetta can now turn into the summons that her weapons brings, the new weapons, and yes weapons are limited, no whip, katana goes to viola, and you can't even pick up weapons from enemies anymore lmao.

in terms of the story as I mentioned it's a joke. Taking on a fad many movies are using now. Cinematics & Spectacle for the sake of spectacle without the substance. That's my take anyways

Are the torture attacks or finishes still there? Or did they remove it?

 

[rubhen925]

Are the torture attacks or finishes still there? Or did they remove it?

tortures and finishers are there yes, but tortures don't need button taps anymore, once you activate it, they just do the animation and damage.

 

[daclynk]

Beautiful OT. cant wait to pick it up on later today

 

[Labolas]

I'm definitely having a harder time to adjust to the combat. They do throw a lot of new mechanics at you. In regards to Bayo's moveset, you can get her gun moveset from 1 and 2. And I'm reserve judgement on the new mechanics because right now I'm just having fun and am still figuring things out. This definitely feels harder to Pure Platinum right now compare to 1 and 2.

 

[Keihart]

i have like 15 hours in and barely got the fisrt Mcguffin.
I love the combat system, is so good, so many shit to use and do, so many ways to combo with or without summons, shits all over Bayonetta 2's combat.
game really feels like a sequel and probably Platinums biggest production yet.
There are so many new animations and flair to them, it's kinda nuts.

I'm playing on expert and replaying some parts to get the alternative chapters and secret verses where i can.
You get really rewarded for doing cool combos, the difference in the amount of resources is really noticeable once i got he hang of the new system and started to get platinums.

Seems like the game is not gonna stop any time soon to introduce new shit, what a ride.
the only bad part is that its running on switch and thus almost killing it in the process, the game is so ambitious for a switch game, bunch of animations and effects on the screen all at once, huge stages and shit, kinda nuts, no wonder some textures look like shit and it has frame dips.


Also, the new abilities that replace beast within and crow within are such interesting touches, devil mascared transforms bayonetta in a platformer character with double or triple jumps, gliding, double dashes and what not if you switch weapons and get the skills, what a brilliant touch of design. There is a bunch of shit on shibuya, on the roofs if you havent explored.

 

[ungalo]

The game definitely has a less "visceral" feeling compared to the first two, but damn the gameplay is good.

Love the game, it's a breath of fresh air.

 

[Keihart]

I never played bayonetta 2 and 3, but looking at the gameplay videos on youtube, is it me or the fighting mechanics for bayonetta 3 all over the place? I am coming from playing bayonetta 1. Here is what I noticed:

-Hardly anyone uses witch time, or it is very hard to execute
-witch time doesn't last very long
-The demon slave summoning is over used and gets in the way. Its like "oh ma gawd, lets just smash and kill all the enemies at once"
-no one uses juggles in mid air to execute combos
-no one uses tortures to finish
-godzilla type fights with painfully limited movements and attacks: looks boring as fuck. I mean what the fuck with madama butterfly blowing bubbles with this one boss fight?
-Where are the fucking weapons from bayonetta 1 and 2? Such as the whiplash, katana, durga, etc?!
-Jeanne looks like a hideous drag queen clown with seizure inducing outfit. Not classy, sassy nor beautiful.
-Viola is just stupid. No back story except little hints.
-Why cant bayonetta turn into a panther, raven, and that underwater creature to move faster?

The lumen sages, and father balder (except for this weird alter luka) are missing?! The right eye couldn't be used to kick the homunculus's ass?! Their clan was not affected by any of the events in this game?

The story is just... wtf?!


looks like frustrating game with annoyances coming from veterans who played bayonetta 1

witch time has never lasted this long, it increases exponencially with how close to the hit you are and you combo during it, you can run laps around enemies even thanks to the new movement abilities.
all my complains of Bayo 2's combat have been fixed, is really good if you are into learning the mechanics instead of mashing and dodging.

 

[Danjin44]

There are so many new animations and flair to them, it's kinda nuts.

I notice that too, even after a kick animation she does this tab dance. There is lot of nice detail animation in this game.

 

[Keihart]

I notice that too, even after a kick animation she does this tab dance. There is lot of nice detail animation in this game.

i love that kick, its my go to move to break things just to see the animation play out

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Really don't like how gritty and grungy it looks. Horrible aesthetic that does not lend itself to the chaotic moments of the game at all.

 

[Phil_the_goat]

Im playing 2 right now before I start 3 and its so fucking sick. What a game. Why did I stop playing 1 years ago? Dunno, maybe I stopped being gay.

 

[Hot5pur]

Opinions seem to be mixed.
Some people love the combat system, some people say the demon slave system waters it down and makes it less tight and meaningful.
The visuals and performance is almost unanimously garbage.
So hesitant to get this even though this is my favorite genre. The demon slave system looks boring as hell to me, and the sidescrolling Jeanne missions...wtf.
Character action games are about having a well defined skill set for different situations and learning how to juggle between them. Having you be a puppet master just seems so off.
How well does it run emulated at this point? Might need to demo it before committing.

 

[Neff]

Game is good but yeah it just doesn't quite feel like a straightforward, traditional, precise character action game anymore, except maybe when playing with Viola. But I'm ok with that. It's similar to TW101 in that it's wild and loose and unhinged which means crazy stuff happens while your overburdened eyes and reactions try to make sense of it all, but without the benefit of a long range camera. It takes getting used to. But there's a point where it all comes together and it's great. Tons of new ideas (and cheeky rip-offs too). I felt like it started kind of merely ok, but it just gets better and better.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

Huh the european one looks quite different; it's in a slide out box, and it comes with three separate sleeves and an extra jewel case in another smaller box next to the bayo 3 jewelcase and below that is the artbook.
The entire thing also has a kickstand so you can set it upright like a picture frame; sounds like skimped out on an extra jewel case though,

-Hardly anyone uses witch time, or it is very hard to execute
-witch time doesn't last very long

Weird I use it all the time, it also lasts as long relative to how late you dodged; dodge early and it's short, dodge right before getting hit and it lasts forever.

-The demon slave summoning is over used and gets in the way. Its like "oh ma gawd, lets just smash and kill all the enemies at once"

I only use it for the quick attacks, at the end of a combo (this is an ability you unlock) guard break, or one of those longer/heavier attacks that will keep them on screen by themselves for a bit, like the madama butterfly charm.

-no one uses juggles in mid air to execute combos

maybe, but you also have to unlock the easy launching attacks first.

-no one uses tortures to finish

use them all the time.

-Where are the fucking weapons from bayonetta 1 and 2? Such as the whiplash, katana, durga, etc?!

Well, viola has a katana...

-Jeanne looks like a hideous drag queen clown with seizure inducing outfit. Not classy, sassy nor beautiful.

It's literally just 1960's fashion, heck her missions even have that 60's style spy intro.

-Why cant bayonetta turn into a panther, raven, and that underwater creature to move faster?

That's because the transformations are linked to the weapon now, you'll notice the first bayonetta you play as, actually does have panther within.

 

[ungalo]

Opinions seem to be mixed.
Some people love the combat system, some people say the demon slave system waters it down and makes it less tight and meaningful.
The visuals and performance is almost unanimously garbage.
So hesitant to get this even though this is my favorite genre. The demon slave system looks boring as hell to me, and the sidescrolling Jeanne missions...wtf.
Character action games are about having a well defined skill set for different situations and learning how to juggle between them. Having you be a puppet master just seems so off.
How well does it run emulated at this point? Might need to demo it before committing.

It's not what it seems when you call that "puppet mastering". The invocations are very fluidly integrated into the gameplay, you can instantly call them and revoke them, you can integrate them into your combos, you can use them as a parry against big enemies, they have special attacks that take a little bit more time but you can move around while they're executing it, with Viola you can also move around at any time with the demon by your side and you get "new combos" bare-handed.

I think they knew the risk but it's well thought out in the end. Sometimes it's clearly a mess on the screen but it still seems very skill based and nervous to me. Good direction after the first two games.

 

[Kazekage1981]

 

[Buggy Loop]

Do I trust Nvidia leaked list that it's coming to PC or play on switch now

 

[Neff]

60's style spy intro

One of the best gaming surprises of the year for me. I was deliriously happy while watching it.

 

[Alexios]

WTF?!

Don't be stupid. That look was in the 500 years younger flashbacks and she had long hair by Bayonetta 2. Same face in better gfx.

 

[Luipadre]

Do I trust Nvidia leaked list that it's coming to PC or play on switch now

just wait. The release date trailer isnt the switch version so im pretty sure its coming

 

[Aldric]

just wait. The release date trailer isnt the switch version

Switch Pro confirmed

 

[Impotaku]

Do I trust Nvidia leaked list that it's coming to PC or play on switch now

Yeah you might be waiting a while for it to leave nintendo systems

Hideki Kamiya Reminds Fans Bayonetta 3 Is A Nintendo Switch Exclusive

"simply buy a Switch" if you want to play it

www.nintendolife.com

 

[ssringo]

Yeah you might be waiting a while for it to leave nintendo systems

Hideki Kamiya Reminds Fans Bayonetta 3 Is A Nintendo Switch Exclusive

"simply buy a Switch" if you want to play it

www.nintendolife.com

Article is from a year ago. Things can easily change in a year. Besides Kamiya's comments are talking about consoles, not PC and the nvidia leak happened around this time too. Not that it's definitive proof of anything but still.

That said, don't hold out on the hopes of a PC release (I didn't). Certainly not anytime soon. I'd love to be wrong though because fuck me the Switch is seriously holding the game back. I'd happily double dip on a PC release.
_______________________________

I'm still loving it overall but the sections where you ride a demon are easily the worst parts of the game. Not remotely enjoyable.

 

[Keihart]

Opinions seem to be mixed.
Some people love the combat system, some people say the demon slave system waters it down and makes it less tight and meaningful.
The visuals and performance is almost unanimously garbage.
So hesitant to get this even though this is my favorite genre. The demon slave system looks boring as hell to me, and the sidescrolling Jeanne missions...wtf.
Character action games are about having a well defined skill set for different situations and learning how to juggle between them. Having you be a puppet master just seems so off.
How well does it run emulated at this point? Might need to demo it before committing.

Made a sample combo starter so we can put this to rest, you don't near to this freedom on Bayonetta 2 against big enemies, every move on the sample is already yours when you start (except for the chase at the end, that you have to unblock) and magic gauge is barely an issue on Bayonetta 3 .

 

[Impotaku]

Article is from a year ago. Things can easily change in a year. Besides Kamiya's comments are talking about consoles, not PC and the nvidia leak happened around this time too. Not that it's definitive proof of anything but still.

That said, don't hold out on the hopes of a PC release (I didn't). Certainly not anytime soon. I'd love to be wrong though because fuck me the Switch is seriously holding the game back. I'd happily double dip on a PC release.
_______________________________

I'm still loving it overall but the sections where you ride a demon are easily the worst parts of the game. Not remotely enjoyable.

For them to leave nintendo consoles and be published on anything console or pc they would need nintendo's permission as nintendo funded both 2 & 3 it's not like platinum used their own money & chose nintendo systems to release on. Nintendo paid them to make the games so in the end nintendo have all the say in what it gets released on & i can't ever see them letting them release on a non nintendo hardware they just don't work like that anymore. Last time that kind of stuff happened was on cdi.

 

[funkygunther]

Coming off the back of Gotham Knights it's clear how great combat can feel when done right.

The slowness of the kaiju battles takes some getting used to and I miss the weird angel enemies from Bayo 2 but I'm having a great time with this. Not having an issue with the graphics or performance so far.

 

[ssringo]

For them to leave nintendo consoles and be published on anything console or pc they would need nintendo's permission as nintendo funded both 2 & 3 it's not like platinum used their own money & chose nintendo systems to release on. Nintendo paid them to make the games so in the end nintendo have all the say in what it gets released on & i can't ever see them letting them release on a non nintendo hardware they just don't work like that anymore. Last time that kind of stuff happened was on cdi.

You're not saying anything everyone doesn't already know.

Also, the last time it happened was actually...last year with Fatal Frame 5. Fatal Frame was similar to Bayonetta in that someone else actually owns the IP and Nintendo provided development funding for exclusivity and did so for several games as well as published it. When Fatal Frame came to other systems it was Koei Tecmo paying for and publishing. It's not an impossible situation, just an improbable one.

 

[daclynk]

You're not saying anything everyone doesn't already know.

Also, the last time it happened was actually...last year with Fatal Frame 5. Fatal Frame was similar to Bayonetta in that someone else actually owns the IP and Nintendo provided development funding for exclusivity and did so for several games as well as published it. When Fatal Frame came to other systems it was Koei Tecmo paying for and publishing. It's not an impossible situation, just an improbable one.

if Bayonetta 2 comes to PC then i will believe it.

 

[Keihart]

You're not saying anything everyone doesn't already know.

Also, the last time it happened was actually...last year with Fatal Frame 5. Fatal Frame was similar to Bayonetta in that someone else actually owns the IP and Nintendo provided development funding for exclusivity and did so for several games as well as published it. When Fatal Frame came to other systems it was Koei Tecmo paying for and publishing. It's not an impossible situation, just an improbable one.

Yeah, i mean, it could be done but it needs Sega and Nintendo's blessing if im not mistaken since the IP has something to do with sega?
well, regarding platinum games funded by Nintendo, it already happened with Wonderfull 101 and it was selfpublished by P* themselves thanks to Nintendo's kindness so to speak.

 

[Danjin44]

Didn't we also got "leak" about SMT5 coming to PC but yet to be announced, I never say never but its loooong wait.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

since the IP has something to do with sega?

Sega owns bayonetta

 

[Keihart]

Made a little combo, gotta unlock the bigger enemies on training mode, this guys die too fast

 

[Connificent]

Played the intro, its alright. Cant remember watching such long cutscenes since MGS4 lol

 

[Northeastmonk]

Finishing up Chapter 3. I'm having fun. It feels a lot like Astral Chain. Almost as if this is what Scalebound would have played. Playing on normal and I feel like normal enemies are tougher than the bosses. I went digital since my CE was pushed out a week.

 

[Astral Dog]

Holy shit, this game is a fucking masterpiece i can't

 

[-Zelda-]

What does OT mean?

 

[Synless]

What does OT mean?

Ogling tits, obviously.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

On Chapter 5. Don't feel as driven as I did with Bayonetta 2. Game is all over the place.

 

[funkygunther]

it's way more wacky than the last two games for sure, as if Suda51 remixed a Bayo game

 

[Danjin44]

I just got the whip and Alraune as summon, it's seems those red extra chapters it's how you get extra optional weapons/demons.

What does OT mean?

 

[Labolas]

Still messing around with Bayo. Still haven't go to play Viola. Game is super fun. Very creative.