E3 2013: Hands On With ‘Bayonetta 2’
When rumors were swirling that Sega had cancelled plans for a Bayonetta 2, fans of action, developer Platinum Games and virtual women in tight clothing continued to hope for the best. Little did anyone know, the outcry to actually getting the game dwarfed the outcry of not getting it, since it was announced that Nintendo was funding the upcoming sequel and would be a Wii U exclusive. Amongst the overreaction of some people not getting the game on “their” system, there were some legitimate concerns. Would Nintendo’s known censorship get in the way of some of the risque elements Bayonetta is known for? Will the action be as tough as other games Platinum has produced? Will there be any forced game pad integration? My time with the game answered all of these questions, and the answers just might win over fans of the original.
Picking up some time after the first game, Bayonetta, a centuries old witch with some killer gun grabbing heels, is still at war with the angels who are looking to end her. The formula remains relatively unchanged as far as combat is concerned. Each section is divided into acts, or “verses.” Players are judged by how fast they finish each verse, how many points they score by comboing, using special torture attacks and finishing moves called “Climax” attacks. Mixing horizontal, vertical and projectile moves shows off some of the cooler aspects of Bayo’s skill set, (I mean, you haven’t seen a kick until it’s from a giant foot made of hair.) Dodging right before taking damage slows time to a crawl, creating an opening for huge damage against multiple enemies. And if these skills aren’t enough for you, playing well fills your “Umbra Climax” bar, which powers Bayo up, giving her a health boost, a reach extension, upgraded power and speed. The combinations are only increased by multiple weapons that can be switched on the fly, like the standard guns and fists, or dual swords in this demo.
The most obvious difference was former rival turned ally, Jeane, joining the fight and fighting side by side with Bayo. While the version I was playing had my partner being controlled by the AI, the person running the demo confirmed with me that there will be a separate co-op campaign so you can run through hordes of enemies with a friend. Since the Wii U is limited to one game pad per console, it’s safe to say that the classic controller will be a must for two player angel slaying, but aside from the optional touch screen control scheme, (complete with tapping enemies to attack, swiping sideways to dodge or sliding up to jump,) the button based style is the same for each.
Co-op isn’t the only surprise found in my brief time as the witch. After being confronted by a massive boss, Bayonetta sprouted butterfly wings and took the battle to the sky. It was surprise moments that broke up the standard game play like these that helped make the original so unique, so this change up was a welcomed change of pace. After hacking away at the behemoth, the demo came to a close with Bayo standing tall.
So in short, fans worried that the core of the game would be lost in transition can rest easy. Bayonetta 2 brings back the challenging, fast paced and seductive action of the original. Thanks to game pad control, co op game play and different scenarios that differ from the standard combat, there’s little fear of the game being a copy and paste job either. So far, this highly requested game is well on its way to matching the reputation that the original earned, and I for one can’t wait to see how it will turn out.
Look for Bayonetta 2, coming exclusively to the Wii U in 2014.
