Fuck yeah! Finished it - first playthrough on normal.
Wow. This really isn't my kind of game and I had more than my share of headaches, but goddamn if I didn't come away thoroughly entertained. The game doesn't let up to the very end, even during the final credits. Loved everything about the presentation, from Bayonetta's dripping style and sexuality to the music and cheesy dialogue.
I really learned a lot about how to play action games from Bayonetta and look forward to playing it again real soon to see how much I've improved. There are a few issues that I think will stand out regardless, such as the quicktime events and that fucking floating sphere, but I feel like I've just reached the tip of the iceberg with this game.
I found Father Balder reasonably easy and I must admit that any health lost to
was entirely due to my own poor timing and that beating that boss without continues is well within my grasp.
In hindsight, the only real brick walls that I hit were Grace/Glory and the later Jeanne fights, as well as that bloody floating ball. I would have liked more confrontations against vanilla enemies and perhaps there could have been a bit more variety in enemy types and less recycling of bosses, but it was all so much fun that it can be forgiven. I don't mind QTE's but I think Bayonetta's could have been better.
I'm in two minds about the AfterBurner/Bike sequences. They certainly break up the gameplay, which is refreshing, and it's hilarious that they've been included, but I can't help but feel that they drag on a bit. I enjoyed both on my first playthrough, but can see them being tedious in future.
Otherwise, it was a hell of a ride and I'm a better action game player because of it.
