Hideki Kamiya has one of the greatest resumes in gaming history . Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry (my personal favourite game of all time), Viewtiful Joe, Okami, Bayonetta and Wonderful 101. What a sublime catalogue of games of varying genres but historically significant in their respective genres.
Such a legendary game. Also probably most content rich one on the market after you beat the game, i'm still impressed by it. All the secret weapons, playing as Jeanne, i still haven't beaten Rodin legitimately lol. What i love the most about Bayonetta is its brutally rewarding rating system (though the style meter itself leaves a lot to be desired), loved getting good enough to be worthy of the Pure Platinum.
Playing as Jeanne is something I really fail to see the novelty of, to be quite honest. Like people sometimes complain about DMC Special Editions only ever giving Vergil a rehassed version of the story campaign, but atleast he is completely unique as a playable character. Jeanne is barely anything more than a reskin of Cereza, with colour-swapped and renamed versions of the same exact weapons.
Goddamn dude, your writing/scripts are always so sharp. I feel like I wake up when I listen to your vids. They’re really fun and packed with detail and emotion without feeling superfluous or drawn out.
Yeah. They never felt as condescending like Dunkey’s (even if it’a usually part of his style of sarcastic humor that mixes his serious feelings). Or as soft-spoken essay-like in tone like Eyepatch Wolf. I love Brit’s incredible style of mixing in insight in so many accounts and perspectives in what he’s reviewing, while putting humor through his honest feelings and self-awareness of the tropes of his content.
YES. I have been waiting for someone to give Bayo the full review treatment like this. I feel like Bayo gets a ton of a great ratings/reviews but nobody quite puts it into words like you can. Great review!
I like how you talk about Bayo's feminenity without bringing up her sexual and flirtatious nature. When talking about the character, I always feel people focus too much on that aspect and forget other elements that make her appealing, especially to women. Some nice, cheeky jokes in this video too!
He did though, he talked about her flirtatious dances, and you have a move that makes a sexual pose every time you use it so he would be justified in mentioning this as well
Her confidence is inspiring I think. How openly she owns her sexual movements and flirts with Luka and sort of angels is a breath of fresh air as someone who's very introverted.
I just finished Bayonetta literally less than ten minutes ago. I turn off my PS4, go to TH-cam and the first thing that pops up is this video. Marvelous.
You know, I actually had no idea Bayo 1 was on the PS4. I always thought it was 7th gen and PC only (and I count the Wii U and Switch as 7th gen). Nice to know.
I appreciate your take on the space harrier section. I don't want it removed, I just want it improved. I play shmups, I like them, I just think they can be better than that. The camera and placement of the section are my biggest problems. I'd also enjoy replaying it even more if it changed on higher difficulties, which I don't recall that it does. Correct me if I'm wrong on that. I found myself enjoying phase 1 of Mundus in DMC more, and it does change with difficulties, namely DMD. It helps that in DMC that feels like a part of the fight rather than just arbitrarily being put in the same chapter as a boss. Balder and the angel abominations have their own chapter with one verse, so why not the last Jeanne fight? Btw Charlie, if you haven't gotten to nonstop infinite climax difficulty - I highly recommend it. It's why I don't care for witch time nearly as much as dodge offset, and it annoys me when other games only copy witch time. It's also still unique to Bayo 1.
@@voodsood I never got around to that game. Makes sense, it's Platinum as well, right? Just to be clear, what I'm saying is unique to Bayo 1 is nonstop infinite climax difficulty. I was thinking of something like Norse GoW which has witch time for some reason, even though I don't think it adds much.
Not a huge fan of this section (and I also hate Space Harrier lol) but it was awesome in a "now for something completely different" way. Loved the reference as an old gamer and I also love it when over the top and spectacular games just go silly because it fits the overall theme. My only complaint is that the stage was a bit too long, but it's still super cool that it's there.
No matter how many survival horror or other types of games Charlie reviews, when he decides to cover his favourite "just action games", you can feel his excitement and enthusiasm reverberating throughout the entire video. Not saying the new, more laid back analytical videos are worse, but this style is what got me hooked on this channel. Pure platinum, Smoking Sexy Style content, keep 'em coming.
Absolutely right, my friend. With some of the newer videos, like: Sly, Kingdome Hearts especialy and Road to the Rocket Launcher starting from REmake, I was getting afraid that TGB was unnecesserily putting a leash on himself. His best work and the one I fell in love with, was the one when he was Unboud, Unleashed, Free and Spontanious. When he follows his path and let's his Heart lead him I see his most Triumphant and Badass. Crash 4, early Rocket Launchers, Ratchet Deadlocked, his newer shorter videos or Metroid Prime Echoes or Silent Hill 3. I saw the True Mad Lad back - my old friend was back, better that ever. Never left... I do hope that from now on Charlie will follow that Fire that Burns within his Soul and alows himself to run free and speak from the Heart about the thing he loves. Planing out these things isn't a bad choice, but I hope he does it only to support what is allready strong within him. Peace.
One of the best action games of all time. It just FEELS good to play and nail the pace of combat, and bayonetta happens to be one of my favourite protags in gaming, lady just oozes style
I just finished Bayonetta 1 for the first time last month after putting it off for years. Such an iconic and amazing title and I'm so happy I got to play through all three games back to back
@@scottroxford5715 I hate to think of any of them as "best," because despite everything they all have very unique attributes that appeal to different sensibilities. Bayo 1 was probably the most "honest" game. No big insta-win mechanics like Umbran Climax (or worse, Umbran Armor) or Demon Slaves, just do sick combos with your hands and feet and make sure to throw a Wicked Weave here and there to maximize damage and reset combo point degradation. I still think this one is most suited for hardcore DMC fans, as it was literally the extreme evolution of the first DMC. Bayo 2 was clearly designed for beginners in mind, while still giving plenty of tools for hardcores to do fun shit. Much easier game, much simpler combo counter, much bigger attacks. The new Witch Time emphasized tactics over pure skill, as its duration was based on the attack you dodged rather than how close of a shave you got, so getting good Witch Times meant hovering near dangerous enemies rather than just good reactions. And Bayo 3 just said "fuck it" and gave us the most unabashedly broken Bayo yet. You want balance and nuance? Go play a cute babby gaem like DMC5.* Nah, you're here to REALLY indulge the most absurd and bombastic power fantasy ever. Send in an army of Kaiju, locomotives, and sentient landmarks to assist with the most excessively screen-filling combos with the some of the most ludicrous weapons in gaming history. Viola, meanwhile, was basically a Bayo 1 character thrust into Bayo 3's wildly broken multiverse, a character who was SO honest that she often felt out of place in a game so utterly jacked by design (something that I felt was thematically appropriate). TL;DR, Bayo 1 is for the character action purists, Bayo 2 is for the character action casuals, and Bayo 3 is for people who want to have a good time doing dumb shit. And all three have ridiculous amounts of depth in their own way, and I love them all equally. *This is a joke. Don't flame me.
@@Tenchigumi Well humongous bias on my part cause I have been playing Bayonetta since launch but when 2 came out it just felt... Off. And I'm not a fan of 2's flow and philosophy when it came to playing Bayonetta, Bayo 1 is a game where you can do fancy sick combos or just a dumb fuck amount of damage when needed, there's a balance between being efficient and stylish, Bayo 2 throws that out the window wanting to nerf Bayo's overall damage in favor of umbran climax, the weapons felt very awkward to control, unique sure but limiting since 4 of them are hands only weapons and even then they don't feel as effective as Bayo 1's weapons, the depth just isn't there and I haven't played the game in years due to that and just the game overall being a let down in many areas, hype at first but hindsight has not favored that game in my eyes. And I haven't played 3 yet because of overall consensus being mixed, the game doesn't look that good, the controversy with Helena Taylor and not owning a Switch so the investment at the moment doesn't feel worth it. I don't mind because it's Bayonetta but I wanna spend my money on other things.
@@scottroxford5715 Yeah, I pretty much agree with all of that, though I do recommend trying Bayo 3 and ignoring all those weird (and ultimately pointless) controversies. 3 actually brings back a lot of good things from 1 (a combo system that rewards attack variety, Witch Time that rewards close calls, etc.), but also just makes everything really... Big. It's a very, very unique experience you really can't get anywhere else, and I do hope you get to try it for yourself once all the angst and controversy simmers down.
@@dunkelwelpling He lacks the Brit's precision and wit (and guns), but I think he isn't half bad at expressing his thoughts poetically. Quite a wordsmith, that one.
@@Maggerama He always has to shove his political views into his reviews, that's why i unsubscribed. But i also dislike the humor KBash uses - it's so dumb but not in a funny way. There are rare moments of wordsmithery, as you say it, where i too like the guy but he always ruins it with a bad joke or his political opinion.
Bayonetta is my all time faves in the hack and slash genre. This game is a well worthy to be a spiritual successor to DMC,and how ironic is that it’s made by Hideki Kamiya himself.
Getting the Normal difficulty Pure Platinums in this game is one of my greatest achievements in gaming, and it says a lot that 2 and 3 can't hold a candle to it still.
@@marcusclark1339 By quite possibly jeopardizing her whole acting career going forward in the process. Regardless how bad you think Bayo3 supposedly is, that is hardly a win.
Which more time in this vid was spent on enemies and bosses. The inventiveness behind some of them are top even amongst character action games. DMCs feel very vanilla afterwards. I mean just look at the Angel's designs. The Golemis one of the best enemies in any game. And they even went so far as to give Angels their own accurate language.
The tiresome button mashing QTEs are why the Steam version is the best version of Bayonetta. If you're using a PS4/5 controller or a Steam Deck, you can use the touchpad (or the myriad of extra buttons on the Deck) to simply map a turbo button that auto-mashes all the face buttons at inhuman speeds (the game doesn't care if you're mashing all the buttons as long as the correct button is one of them). Is this cheating? Sure. But after over 300 hours of Bayo, do I care? Nah.
@@VexX6 There are a few tutorials for general setup (look up "Steam Controller Configuration"), but as for the specific settings for turbo functions, I'm not sure. And unfortunately, I can't recall off the top of my head how I created the button (there are a LOT of settings in there). However, there are some user-uploaded configurations that have the turbo buttons (including one that I made), so you might be able to just pick one of those and rock with it. And honestly, it's worth spending time fiddling with Controller Configuration in Steam, because it allows you to utilize your PS4/5 controllers in ways Sony could only DREAM of. That little touchpad can be remapped to do some truly wild stuff.
Watching this video as a DMC player, I feel catharsis over someone else making the exact same observations about Bayonetta's HORRIBLE placement of the dodge button. When googling if the controls could be changed I even found an article with an interview where a dev said that "the controls are perfect and doesn't need to be changed". >_> Pro tip if you play on PC: Steam big picture mode let's you change your controller to only register a digital input instead of analog. Then you can alter that digital input to be whatever. Swapping LT and RT made the game actually playable for a change. Edit: I just unpaused the video to see you point out the exact same thing. Lol, well it's good to get the message out there. Non-rebindable controls in action games is a fad that needs to DIE even if idiots defend it. (Looking at you Dark Souls community)
Yeah the control layout is terrible, I don't know what sort of hands those defending it have to say it's "perfect". Unless the idea was to have you fight the controls as well as you play for added misery, in that case fair enough. Good thing you can remap via Steam or other tools on PC but having to suffer through this layout on console sucks.
I always liked the still cutscenes and I never bought the idea that it was done for budget reasons, especially since PlatinumGames has done smaller titles which didn't use them. I always saw it as a stylistic choice, and imo it works. There's a lot of attention to detail in these scenes too. Angles and poses are carefully chosen and there's a lot of clever camera work. I don't think they get enough credit.
Kamiya himself did a commentary let's play of the game(which I highly recommend, it used to be on the Platinum blog or whatever but someone's since uploaded the episodes to youtube) and called it a cost-saving measure. A cost-saving measure that ended up still being a pain in the ass to make though thanks to those stylistic choises, lol.
My issue with the Shmup section is that it's a mandatory section in a game that is otherwise not about Shmup'ing at all. It's the only section like it in the game, and the dodge mechanics carrying over isn't enough to feel like there's enough mechanical continuity. Another big issue is the difficulty and length. Kamiya treats the section like it should carry on from the game's prior difficulty curve, and not adjust the difficulty based on the fact that it's the only section like it, and not nessessarily a genre all players are going to have prior experience in. Coupled that with it being a full levels worth in length, leads the section to feel exhausting if it's not a gameplay style you care for. It's biggest sin though is gatekeeping not just story progress, but arguably the best boss in the game. If a player wants to fight Jeanne 3, they have to do the whole section all over again, as there's no dedicated boss selector in Bayonetta. If Kamya absolutely had to have his Shmup (and bike) sections in the game, he should have made them dedicated side games outside the levels (simular to the end of level arcade shooter sections).
I don't remember why I played the original Bayonetta. I remember being kinda weirded out by the marketing and publications hype, which was just a lot of "ERMAGERD SHE'S SO SCANDALOUS, LOOK HOW HOT AND SCANDALOUS SHE IS GAIZZZZZ." I wasn't a big DMC fan at the time, and I wasn't a big Kamiya nerd yet. Literally nothing about this game appealed to me on the surface. Then I played it. Holy shit, it was not what I expected. It was so zany and over-the-top, and all its attempts at sexiness were so comically tryhard that it was more endearing than titillating. But it also had an undeniable attitude and style that was all its own, and it drove this whole package all the way to the most memorable ending sequence I'd ever seen. And the gameplay. Oh god, the gameplay. The first time I landed a Witch Time and launched someone into an air combo that culminated in a Wicked Weave that literally stomped them into the ground, I was in love. Then I realized I could stroll up to the enemy I just drove into the floor... and spank them. This was it. This was the game. That intersection of the smooth controls, the ultra-satisfying reward of a good Witch Time, the incredible combo variety and the crushing impact of Wicked Weaves, and the absurdity of furiously slapping an angel's ass cheeks with an oversized pistol... yes. This was everything. I remember playing DMC 1 at launch and skipping every other DMC that followed until over a decade later. As a result, whenever I thought of a "stylish" action game, I thought of Bayonetta. For all its various flaws, if a game is judged by how memorable it is, how good it is to play when it's at its peak, and how often it reaches those peaks, then Bayonetta is damn near the ideal game. And while the following game refined the formula, and the third game absolutely blew it up to cosmic proportions, the original Bayo still has a very firm place in my heart and still feels damn good to play today.
You know I'm enjoying some of these little jabs to other games, Brit. Keeping it cheeky as always. Pairing kids with your protagonist is so cheap and I wish more people would point it out - Like god, I get it writer, you're a mother or a father, that still doesn't make it good writing!
"Luca is fun because it's funny to see this ladies' man go up against the final boss of all women." Holy crap I've never seen a more perfect summation of Bayo's character design. She really does take third-wave feminism and throw it into the sun.
Surprised to hear so many little things bothered you about this game. Maybe I'm just biased; this was my first real 3D action game, and it's still my favorite. Since you've been playing so much Sonic I'll assume this comparison makes sense: saving Jubileus for the end is a little like finishing off with the Super Sonic fight. The game tests you on the core mechanics, then climaxes with something spectacular and less testing because you've earned that. At least, that's why I prefer my monstrous godfights after that personal shit 9 times out of 10. Also no thoughts on Nonstop Infinity Climax? I know Dante Must Die started it all, but nothing's ever satisfied me quite so much for how it kicked my crutch out from under me. Game just kept getting harder until my sixth playthrough in when it said "Oh wait, you've been _relying_ on Witch Time? Well we can't have that now can we?"
My favourite review of yours so far. Cheeky and informative. Also correction: the ability to use witch time on command is only unlocked when you beat the game under 2 hours.
Good video! Back in the day, Bayonetta's poor PS3 performance was actually the reason I decided to go for a 360 instead of a PS3. I thought the game looked really cool and wanted to have it in an actual playable state. There are a lot of little annoyances to the game, but on the whole it's a game I really like. I also played DMC4 at practically the same time, and despite releasing only a year apart, Bayonetta felt like a much more modern title. DMC had stuck to a lot of old stuff seemingly out of tradition, and Bayonetta looked like it was free to just drop and change stuff that now felt pretty antequated in DMC4 - and it took a decade until they got that presentation right for real in DMC5. The similar locales of Fortuna and Vigrid and certain similar elements like the Savior/evil pope and Jubileus/Balder only made the comparison to DMC4 less favorable for that game with how underwhelming comparatively it was, at least in my eyes. Bayo might have had some ungraceful asset reuse but it was obviously better than just playing the whole game backwards at the half-way point. There's a joyful vibe to everything in Bayo that I just adore, lots of funny little jokes and energetic quirky segments that stand out and make it all fun. I think it's easy to appreciate Bayonetta as one of the greatest action games despite the frustrations with elements like the instant death QTEs, a pretty messy story and prolonged minigame segments thanks to the heights it reached in combat and presentation, and how it got there ahead of pretty much anyone else.
Personally I really like the Durga. The electric mode's charge attack does a pretty big chunk of damage, and you can charge an electric burst with every punch in the combo, so you can really chew through some enemies. If I recall correctly, at least. I love these kinds of games but I'm not too good at them, so it was really helpful for some of the tougher enemies.
Agreed. The electric Durga had the base Scarborough moveset, but those bursts were almost Wicked Weave tier in terms of damage, trading long-distance chips for close range blasts that was great for exploding crowds. And the fire Durga had a completely different moveset that was both wilder but more methodical, allowing you to set devastating traps for aggressive big boys. I'm honestly really surprised how "hardcore" players stick to the Scarborough Fair so tightly and never really experiment with the more interesting weapons. Perhaps its because charging the Durga involves a lot more risk for its reward, and getting touched once can ruin platinum aspirations.
@@Tenchigumi I think that might be exactly why I liked them. With my reflexes the pure platinums were a pipe dream for most fights, and I'm probably gonna be taking the hits the charges leave me open for anyway, so what's basically happening with them is yeah I'm taking damage sometimes, but I'm also killing the enemies a lot quicker and thus ensuring I can't take any more. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense.
I played the shit out of this game (and it's sequels) but always average around gold at end of level because of the hidden fights, I would do them if I knew where they were but since they frequently require you to backtrack to places you've already cleared and have no reason to go to I often forget they exist / miss them outright. This honestly bothers me more then the quicktimes or the insta-death falls as those at least are instantly perceivable and thus fixable if you know they're coming.
I think the most distractingly dated aspect of the game is the fire effects. I didn't like them back then, but after seeing so many better effects all these years later, it makes me wonder why they were so bad back then
@Kriss especially weird since the blood effects look pretty good (especially compared to every other game that messes up blood even today). I wonder if the fire looks worse depending on framerate(ps3 user)
Excellent video that captures many of the reasons Bayonetta will always be one of my very favorite games and one of the best action games of all time. I'm pretty curious on your thoughts on Bayonetta 2 and 3. One game that is much the same with lots of little things changed, and another that changes an absolute ton but is still Bayonetta at it's core.
Is this is a joke? 🤣🤣🤣. Bayo that is know for having one of the worst stories in gaming. Even bayo fans don't care about it. Dmc 3 on the other hand is pretty much the standard for action game story with the birth of Dante and vergil's rivalry
@@jasonsamueltoye Nah not a joke man xD I do think the first Bayonetta had really good story. The writing of character are on point. The worst stories in these character action game should be... Ninja Gaiden 2? xD My favorite game lol My man Ryu casually walk from Futuristic Tokyo to modern day Venice and then out run a nuclear explosion in point blank range... Story doesn't even connect from chapter to chapter and so too the design of enemies... So yeah Bayonetta are pretty good xD
I've 100%ed the game just a couple weeks back and would have to agree to some of the takes Britt makes. Though, the section with the complaints about the controls did feel a bit drawn out and just gave me the vibe that he didnt spend that long with the game for him to perhaps get used to them? I personally didn't feel much discomfort playing the game (had a great time actually), but I could see where he's coming from. To me it was comfortable enough to play to not even think about the controls, nor feeling the need to change them, but to each their own. Didnt think that section needed that much time dedicated to complaining about them. And I'd disagree about the space herrier section. I paid for an action-hacknslash title, and now suddenly I'm basically forced to endure a 10 minute harrier section BEFORE a an actually interesting section with a boss fight. Good luck getting pure platinum on that shit cause if you get hit once in the second section, there's no checkpoint to the second half of said section, so youre forced to do it all over again with no way to speed that shit up. I did it, but boy was it tedious. That and his take on the weapons was really odd. Not sure how many similar action titles have half as many weapons as Bayonetta, with as much utility and variety. From the two whips, the katana, lightsaber, ice skates, bazookas, Rodin ring gloves, shotgun guns and shoes, the ice and electricity claws, all of these being fully distinctly animated and injected with unique mechanics and uniquely animated combos, yet he still complains about the lack of variety? What's he comparing it to? Ratchet and Clank? 😂 Also, Gene? 😅
Bayonetta was always such a cool game and series, there was a time period where it felt like Bayo was picking up what the Devil May Cry series was dropping. The first still holds up so well to this day, but the sequel is also nothing to dismiss. As much as I've been enjoying Bayonetta 3, it feels like a downgrade compared to Devil May Cry 5. That's a bit unfair due to DMC5 being well, practically perfect. But I still wish 3 could have gone to some great places that DMC5 demonstrated, especially with how much longer it took Bayo 3 to come out.
@@ubadman1 I think honestly they were trying to get *too much* out of the Switch. I'd be happy with a Bayo 3 that looked more like Bayo 2 if at least ran like Bayo 2.
@@rna151 I feel they tried to get too much of a game too tbh, like a new weapon granted every chapter, with a demon and it's own gimmicks, while in the other games many weapons were optional, plus Viola gameplay, plus the Jeanne stuff.... in a game where knowing your combos and moveset is critical. it felt crammed in.
The incessant and unstoppable escalation of stakes made me completely check out of b3's story even before the halfway point, which is why my entry for "who would win between bayonetta and Dante" is "bayonetta, but it would be lame"
Bayo 1 is easily the best in the series, I never understood why 2 and 3 never really expanded on the history of the witches vs the angels, Vigrid and that entire part of the story and instead just became their own stories. They are still great games gameplay wise but the soul was gone imo.
Intro is a huge improvement from what you were able to articulate in the Bayo 2 video, I did wince a bit back then when you were saying it was cool to have a protagonist inspiring for women, but here you’re able to elaborate on that without having to make a broad statement and put angles on it I don’t think I’ve encountered. The rest of the video stayed strong and supported your initial argument as the story progressed while making me reflect on my feelings for the entirety of this game’s experience.
Interesting how much of this review matches my feelings toward Bayonetta 3 too. I know people tend to disparage Bayonetta 2 for some mechanical missteps with the combat but for me it still feels like the most polished and consistent experience in the series while also having the least amount of annoying half-baked bullshit that drags me out of the experience.
This game is 10yrs old but it puts a lot of others to shame. Tho the game needed a few mechanical tweaks, not the nitpicks mentioned but actual fixes to the core gameplay loop.
The space harrier section is pretty good, but I hate how long it last and that you have redo this everytime you want to do the Final Jeanne fight which sucks.
Just letting people know, you only get insta-killed in route 666 when you drive on the other side of the road cause you're driving into oncoming traffic. You only need to be on that side to a get a witch heart.
No you don't, the only two witch hearts in that level can be found on the right side. One on the arch of the bridge in verse 3 and the other on the side winding road guarded by traffic cones in verse 4. You never have to drive on the oncoming traffic lane.
I've never had quite the same taste in video games as you, and this is no exception: I just don't find much joy in incredibly deep gameplay mechanics such as these. I prefer "reasonable to master" rather than "hard to master". But it's always just so much fun taking in your perspective on games. Even though I don't share your taste, your videos are just so sincere and you always articulate your thoughts so clearly. You go into specific details about gameplay mechanics that I would never care about, but you somehow do it without ever making me feel alienated or bored. After watching this video I am almost convinced to get this game, and I have to actively remind myself that I wouldn't enjoy playing it even 2% as much as you did. Watching your reviews is always a great ride. Edit: (just noting that I edited this comment a bit, adding more text in the process)
@Morkgin Isn't it? I haven't played Bayonetta but I've played The Wonderful 101 on Wii U. If they've got similar difficulty curves, then it's definitely hard to master - I could mash buttons and get by, but most of the time I had no idea what was happening or why my inputs weren't doing quite what I expected them to do. There were *a lot* of advanced moves and tactics that I just had no idea how to use or why I should use them. While I absolutely did beat the game and enjoy it a lot, I could tell throughout the whole thing that something wasn't clicking between me and the game.
@@NeatNit As someone who's played both, Bayonetta is among my favourite action games, while Wonderful 101 decidedly is not and the former is definitely more beginner friendly than the latter. Like Wonderful 101 is a fun game in its own right, but dang it if a whole lot about it didn't rub me the wrong way.
Something I'm surprised you didn't mention when talking about the combo system is the Punish mechanic and some other hidden techniques. Maybe you weren't aware of them or felt they weren't necessary to mention but the Punish system is pretty interesting in it's own right.
Manual lock-on button is actually the worst way to lock-on in Bayonetta games. The preferred way is just to keep pressing punch/kick buttons which is more ergonomic not requiring additional finger strain. Manual gun button and taunt also have lock-on mechanics -- also better than clutching RB, DMC-style. You can switch lock-on by tilting stick while holding manual lock-on or by just reengaging another enemy. When Kamiya said: "bayonetta doesn't need button configuration because it's already optimal" -- it's not just him being an asshole because he is correct.
I actually love Jeanne, especially the way the game handles her at the end. I can't think of another rival character where the twist turns out that they are actually your best friend that you've forgotten, and once you both remember, they actually become your best friend _again,_ and you end the game by kicking ass alongside them. It's a nice little twist on a genre staple, and very uplifting to boot
While I can agree Bayonetta's way of integrating rival characters introduced as antagonistic enigmas, whose real identity and reasons for fighting Bayo you'll have to play through the game to find out, is in concept an interestingly different way to go about establishing a rival, I feel Balder from Bayo 2 is the only one with whom the series has so far managed to make it work without feeling like bit of a cop out. Besides that, the thing that I find makes Jeanne fall short as a rival, is that a good rival, who is fun to juxtapose with the hero, generally has to have attributes that actively contrast with those of the hero, whereas Jeanne is more or less identical to Bayonetta, with every facet of her character being just a colour-swapped and renamed version of whatever Bayo has. Not to mention nothing about her personality or ideology clashes with Bayo's, which is why she needed to be brainwashed to even function as your rival in the first game (and while i'm at it, I've never understood how that brainwashing was supposed to have worked; it seemingly changes nothing about Jeanne's general demeanor or personality, just gives her the urge to want to kill Bayo, despite how succeeding at it would run contrary to her puppet master's plans). To me the friendly rivalry from their past growing up as the outcast and heir of the Umbran clan actually seems substantially more interesting, but only time that actually gets any narrative highlight in the story proper is in Jeanne's chapter from Bayonetta Origins and the only time it directly factors into the gameplay is that initial flashback bossfight against Jeanne in Bayonetta 1.
The jeanne mind control plot is still the dumbest shit of all time to what was a really great rival, this rival had no pity for you, she even jokes about the fact bayo thinks they were sisters or something, like no there is nothing between them except that they are the last witches and jeanne has to kill the only other like her is the entire point.
Probably been said but I can't search through these comments (thanks google): the shmup dodge roll is an Afterburner reference. Doesn't make it good though. Edit: an extra clue that they were thinking like that is the Angel Attack minigame. When the announcer is talking, Afterburner's theme song sometimes plays in the background. Edit2: and the achievement "Fire The Afterburners." Edit3: and route 666's BGM, though I don't know why they didn't use Super Hang-on instead, since it's a bike segment, and instead use that theme for Isla del Sol.
I think Kamiya's got a lot of great qualities as a developer, but his story writing isn't one of them - if he's responsible for writing his games alone, mind. Credit where it's due, I think the Wonderful 101 has an equally outlandish story that lands a lot better. Actually, come to think of it, I thought Okami had a lot of fun lines and moving moments. There's a sequence near the end that made me cry. Nothing like that in Bayo, but maybe that's just the nature of the game.
I don't really mind, since his games are basically the B movie equivalent - spectacular and fun with just enough coherent plot. At least the writing isn't painfully terrible like some high budget blockbusters but maybe that's just me.
Plans to cover Metroid Dread and No More Heroes III anytime soon? Would love to hear your take on them. And no I didn't mean "Dread or NMH III", I want one video covering both and have you scramble to find out some obscure and nonsensical way to connect them disregarding the ridiculously minuscule audience overlap between the two. Anyway, best regards. Xoxo
Obviously the lack of controller customization in the game sucks but I was surprised to see you spend so much time talking about the default controls as being unwieldy, they always seemed extremely natural to me. Holding R1 and then constantly hitting R2 doesn't feel that weird at all when coming from DMC. I probably change weapons with Dante about as much (if not more, especially in DMC3 and 4) as I dodge with Bayo so index finger on one button and middle on the other just seems normal to me. I had the opposite reaction when I played Bayo 2, shit felt wrong and I had to go in and change it back to Bayo 1 controls immediately. What does feel wrong though is doing all of that on a Xbox controller. The way triggers rise way above the air beyond the bumpers does feel weird to try and hold both at the same time. I bought a Xbox version of DMC5 on a whim (mainly cause it was on sale) for a fresh start and I struggle way more than when just using a playstation controller where I've done full S ranks. Probably will go away with practice, but, it feels like starting from 0 again every time I play.
I think there's still a bunch of us from the SNES generation who grew up only using our index fingers on shoulder buttons, and find it uncomfortable to use both our index AND middle fingers up there (despite that being the optimal way to play). It took me nearly two decades to finally decide to change it up. That said, I don't think Mr. Gaming Brit is that old, so he has no excuse.
Man after having no interest in Bayo 3 whatsoever I gotta say this review made me reinstall Bayonetta on Steam. What an absolute classic. Bayo 2 also to a lesser degree.
"the final boss of all women" got me good, hope we see videos on the other 2 bayo games!
Hideki Kamiya has one of the greatest resumes in gaming history . Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry (my personal favourite game of all time), Viewtiful Joe, Okami, Bayonetta and Wonderful 101. What a sublime catalogue of games of varying genres but historically significant in their respective genres.
Too bad he hates everyone who doesn’t speak Japanese lol what a G
He's probs my favorite developer ever. All of his games are such wild and unique concepts. I can't wait to see what he does with project gg
I mean let’s be honest RE2 is good cause of mikami
He really likes Shoot 'Em Ups, his only flaw as a director lmao
@@DanielJimenez-vq5gw Sol Cresta shows that to be his strength
Such a legendary game. Also probably most content rich one on the market after you beat the game, i'm still impressed by it. All the secret weapons, playing as Jeanne, i still haven't beaten Rodin legitimately lol. What i love the most about Bayonetta is its brutally rewarding rating system (though the style meter itself leaves a lot to be desired), loved getting good enough to be worthy of the Pure Platinum.
i've had it for years and STILL haven't unlocked Zero lmao
It's almost like the real game starts after you finish it.
I found this for Xbox One. It's 2 games in 1. Bayonetta and Vanquish.
I'm going to order it. I never played either game.
Playing as Jeanne is something I really fail to see the novelty of, to be quite honest.
Like people sometimes complain about DMC Special Editions only ever giving Vergil a rehassed version of the story campaign, but atleast he is completely unique as a playable character. Jeanne is barely anything more than a reskin of Cereza, with colour-swapped and renamed versions of the same exact weapons.
@@jondoe7036 she is umbra witch , so she have same move 😂
But she give more point , weave attack stronger
"The final boss of women" such a powerfull line lol
That's literally the final "boss" fight of the China stages in Bayo 3.
You and KBash dropping Bayonetta videos within the same hour?!? Im living in the best timeline
ayyy
yeah i noticed that too lol
@@adriann9919 That's some facts
Don't forget Nintendo reviewer aswell lol
I was just about to say that
Goddamn dude, your writing/scripts are always so sharp.
I feel like I wake up when I listen to your vids. They’re really fun and packed with detail and emotion without feeling superfluous or drawn out.
Yeah. They never felt as condescending like Dunkey’s (even if it’a usually part of his style of sarcastic humor that mixes his serious feelings).
Or as soft-spoken essay-like in tone like Eyepatch Wolf.
I love Brit’s incredible style of mixing in insight in so many accounts and perspectives in what he’s reviewing, while putting humor through his honest feelings and self-awareness of the tropes of his content.
YES. I have been waiting for someone to give Bayo the full review treatment like this. I feel like Bayo gets a ton of a great ratings/reviews but nobody quite puts it into words like you can. Great review!
I like how you talk about Bayo's feminenity without bringing up her sexual and flirtatious nature. When talking about the character, I always feel people focus too much on that aspect and forget other elements that make her appealing, especially to women.
Some nice, cheeky jokes in this video too!
He did though, he talked about her flirtatious dances, and you have a move that makes a sexual pose every time you use it so he would be justified in mentioning this as well
@@thechugg4372 true, I was thinking more of the beginning of the video. Regardless, the point is moreso that he didn't make it the focus
Her confidence is inspiring I think. How openly she owns her sexual movements and flirts with Luka and sort of angels is a breath of fresh air as someone who's very introverted.
I can't think of a better description for Bayonetta than The Final Boss of Women. Well done, Charlie.
It's actually really sweet how the game's energy pumps Charlie up as the review keeps going. Felt like an older cheeky video, really loved this one.
I just finished Bayonetta literally less than ten minutes ago. I turn off my PS4, go to TH-cam and the first thing that pops up is this video. Marvelous.
You know, I actually had no idea Bayo 1 was on the PS4. I always thought it was 7th gen and PC only (and I count the Wii U and Switch as 7th gen). Nice to know.
The comparison he made with life about levels at 28:00 made me go "damn, he's right" lmao
I appreciate your take on the space harrier section. I don't want it removed, I just want it improved. I play shmups, I like them, I just think they can be better than that. The camera and placement of the section are my biggest problems. I'd also enjoy replaying it even more if it changed on higher difficulties, which I don't recall that it does. Correct me if I'm wrong on that. I found myself enjoying phase 1 of Mundus in DMC more, and it does change with difficulties, namely DMD. It helps that in DMC that feels like a part of the fight rather than just arbitrarily being put in the same chapter as a boss. Balder and the angel abominations have their own chapter with one verse, so why not the last Jeanne fight?
Btw Charlie, if you haven't gotten to nonstop infinite climax difficulty - I highly recommend it. It's why I don't care for witch time nearly as much as dodge offset, and it annoys me when other games only copy witch time. It's also still unique to Bayo 1.
what's really funny is that dodge offset exists in fucking transformers devastation, which was a surprisingly decent game.
@@voodsood I never got around to that game. Makes sense, it's Platinum as well, right?
Just to be clear, what I'm saying is unique to Bayo 1 is nonstop infinite climax difficulty.
I was thinking of something like Norse GoW which has witch time for some reason, even though I don't think it adds much.
did you like more the plane section of bayo 2 then? I think it was an improvement, specially on the camera side of things.
@@endless2239 Can't say. Haven't played Bayo 2. Based on the camera alone though - probably.
Not a huge fan of this section (and I also hate Space Harrier lol) but it was awesome in a "now for something completely different" way. Loved the reference as an old gamer and I also love it when over the top and spectacular games just go silly because it fits the overall theme. My only complaint is that the stage was a bit too long, but it's still super cool that it's there.
No matter how many survival horror or other types of games Charlie reviews, when he decides to cover his favourite "just action games", you can feel his excitement and enthusiasm reverberating throughout the entire video. Not saying the new, more laid back analytical videos are worse, but this style is what got me hooked on this channel. Pure platinum, Smoking Sexy Style content, keep 'em coming.
Зашибись видеть русскоговорящих в комментах! Ура!
Absolutely right, my friend.
With some of the newer videos, like: Sly, Kingdome Hearts especialy and Road to the Rocket Launcher starting from REmake, I was getting afraid that TGB was unnecesserily putting a leash on himself. His best work and the one I fell in love with, was the one when he was Unboud, Unleashed, Free and Spontanious.
When he follows his path and let's his Heart lead him I see his most Triumphant and Badass.
Crash 4, early Rocket Launchers, Ratchet Deadlocked, his newer shorter videos or Metroid Prime Echoes or Silent Hill 3. I saw the True Mad Lad back - my old friend was back, better that ever. Never left...
I do hope that from now on Charlie will follow that Fire that Burns within his Soul and alows himself to run free and speak from the Heart about the thing he loves.
Planing out these things isn't a bad choice, but I hope he does it only to support what is allready strong within him.
Peace.
You and matthewmatosis make the best reviews on this godforsaken site.
Love every video you put out.
“Really the torture attacks shouldn’t be any longer than this”
*two unskippable ads*
Thanks TH-cam
Wow surprised that you haven't reviewed Bayonetta til now. Excited to see your thoughts!
One of the best action games of all time. It just FEELS good to play and nail the pace of combat, and bayonetta happens to be one of my favourite protags in gaming, lady just oozes style
I just finished Bayonetta 1 for the first time last month after putting it off for years. Such an iconic and amazing title and I'm so happy I got to play through all three games back to back
The whole world is playing the 3rd one, but I am gonna review the OG. This man will never change.
And god bless him for it.
Tbh the first game is still the best one, despite it's fault and rather dated design decisions.
@@scottroxford5715 I hate to think of any of them as "best," because despite everything they all have very unique attributes that appeal to different sensibilities.
Bayo 1 was probably the most "honest" game. No big insta-win mechanics like Umbran Climax (or worse, Umbran Armor) or Demon Slaves, just do sick combos with your hands and feet and make sure to throw a Wicked Weave here and there to maximize damage and reset combo point degradation. I still think this one is most suited for hardcore DMC fans, as it was literally the extreme evolution of the first DMC.
Bayo 2 was clearly designed for beginners in mind, while still giving plenty of tools for hardcores to do fun shit. Much easier game, much simpler combo counter, much bigger attacks. The new Witch Time emphasized tactics over pure skill, as its duration was based on the attack you dodged rather than how close of a shave you got, so getting good Witch Times meant hovering near dangerous enemies rather than just good reactions.
And Bayo 3 just said "fuck it" and gave us the most unabashedly broken Bayo yet. You want balance and nuance? Go play a cute babby gaem like DMC5.* Nah, you're here to REALLY indulge the most absurd and bombastic power fantasy ever. Send in an army of Kaiju, locomotives, and sentient landmarks to assist with the most excessively screen-filling combos with the some of the most ludicrous weapons in gaming history. Viola, meanwhile, was basically a Bayo 1 character thrust into Bayo 3's wildly broken multiverse, a character who was SO honest that she often felt out of place in a game so utterly jacked by design (something that I felt was thematically appropriate).
TL;DR, Bayo 1 is for the character action purists, Bayo 2 is for the character action casuals, and Bayo 3 is for people who want to have a good time doing dumb shit.
And all three have ridiculous amounts of depth in their own way, and I love them all equally.
*This is a joke. Don't flame me.
@@Tenchigumi Well humongous bias on my part cause I have been playing Bayonetta since launch but when 2 came out it just felt... Off. And I'm not a fan of 2's flow and philosophy when it came to playing Bayonetta, Bayo 1 is a game where you can do fancy sick combos or just a dumb fuck amount of damage when needed, there's a balance between being efficient and stylish, Bayo 2 throws that out the window wanting to nerf Bayo's overall damage in favor of umbran climax, the weapons felt very awkward to control, unique sure but limiting since 4 of them are hands only weapons and even then they don't feel as effective as Bayo 1's weapons, the depth just isn't there and I haven't played the game in years due to that and just the game overall being a let down in many areas, hype at first but hindsight has not favored that game in my eyes. And I haven't played 3 yet because of overall consensus being mixed, the game doesn't look that good, the controversy with Helena Taylor and not owning a Switch so the investment at the moment doesn't feel worth it. I don't mind because it's Bayonetta but I wanna spend my money on other things.
@@scottroxford5715 Yeah, I pretty much agree with all of that, though I do recommend trying Bayo 3 and ignoring all those weird (and ultimately pointless) controversies. 3 actually brings back a lot of good things from 1 (a combo system that rewards attack variety, Witch Time that rewards close calls, etc.), but also just makes everything really... Big. It's a very, very unique experience you really can't get anywhere else, and I do hope you get to try it for yourself once all the angst and controversy simmers down.
Brit and KBash with the Bayonetta reviews back to back. Truly unreal.
I was about to say the same thing this is a good day to be a Bayonetta fan
True, true.
KBash sucks tho...
@@dunkelwelpling He lacks the Brit's precision and wit (and guns), but I think he isn't half bad at expressing his thoughts poetically. Quite a wordsmith, that one.
@@Maggerama He always has to shove his political views into his reviews, that's why i unsubscribed. But i also dislike the humor KBash uses - it's so dumb but not in a funny way. There are rare moments of wordsmithery, as you say it, where i too like the guy but he always ruins it with a bad joke or his political opinion.
Those little cheeky jokes about other games caught me off guard everytime. Great review as usual from you.
Brit covering action kino again baby, let's go
Bayonetta is my all time faves in the hack and slash genre. This game is a well worthy to be a spiritual successor to DMC,and how ironic is that it’s made by Hideki Kamiya himself.
Getting the Normal difficulty Pure Platinums in this game is one of my greatest achievements in gaming, and it says a lot that 2 and 3 can't hold a candle to it still.
Imagine Bayonetta vs Panty and Stocking.
Thoughts and prayers for Bayonetta's original voice actor.
Apparently she never learned how to read a contract.
nah she won in that case ,avoided that bad game
@@marcusclark1339 By quite possibly jeopardizing her whole acting career going forward in the process. Regardless how bad you think Bayo3 supposedly is, that is hardly a win.
The quick little switches to GoW4 and DMC4 killed me
Which more time in this vid was spent on enemies and bosses. The inventiveness behind some of them are top even amongst character action games. DMCs feel very vanilla afterwards. I mean just look at the Angel's designs. The Golemis one of the best enemies in any game. And they even went so far as to give Angels their own accurate language.
The DmC and Dad of Boy ptsd scenes were great
Finally someone who mentioned the lock-on issue, this was my biggest gripe with the game. I tought it was a PS4 only issue but apperantly its not.
The tiresome button mashing QTEs are why the Steam version is the best version of Bayonetta. If you're using a PS4/5 controller or a Steam Deck, you can use the touchpad (or the myriad of extra buttons on the Deck) to simply map a turbo button that auto-mashes all the face buttons at inhuman speeds (the game doesn't care if you're mashing all the buttons as long as the correct button is one of them). Is this cheating? Sure. But after over 300 hours of Bayo, do I care? Nah.
Is there a video tutorial for this? I never mess with steam big picture
@@VexX6 There are a few tutorials for general setup (look up "Steam Controller Configuration"), but as for the specific settings for turbo functions, I'm not sure. And unfortunately, I can't recall off the top of my head how I created the button (there are a LOT of settings in there).
However, there are some user-uploaded configurations that have the turbo buttons (including one that I made), so you might be able to just pick one of those and rock with it.
And honestly, it's worth spending time fiddling with Controller Configuration in Steam, because it allows you to utilize your PS4/5 controllers in ways Sony could only DREAM of. That little touchpad can be remapped to do some truly wild stuff.
Watching this video as a DMC player, I feel catharsis over someone else making the exact same observations about Bayonetta's HORRIBLE placement of the dodge button. When googling if the controls could be changed I even found an article with an interview where a dev said that "the controls are perfect and doesn't need to be changed". >_>
Pro tip if you play on PC: Steam big picture mode let's you change your controller to only register a digital input instead of analog. Then you can alter that digital input to be whatever. Swapping LT and RT made the game actually playable for a change.
Edit: I just unpaused the video to see you point out the exact same thing. Lol, well it's good to get the message out there. Non-rebindable controls in action games is a fad that needs to DIE even if idiots defend it. (Looking at you Dark Souls community)
Yeah the control layout is terrible, I don't know what sort of hands those defending it have to say it's "perfect". Unless the idea was to have you fight the controls as well as you play for added misery, in that case fair enough. Good thing you can remap via Steam or other tools on PC but having to suffer through this layout on console sucks.
The fact the dmc3 released in 2006(?) and had custom controls just means every other series has no excuse.
Custom controls should just be a standard at this point.
This is my favorite game of all time. It's so detailed
I always liked the still cutscenes and I never bought the idea that it was done for budget reasons, especially since PlatinumGames has done smaller titles which didn't use them. I always saw it as a stylistic choice, and imo it works. There's a lot of attention to detail in these scenes too. Angles and poses are carefully chosen and there's a lot of clever camera work. I don't think they get enough credit.
Kamiya himself did a commentary let's play of the game(which I highly recommend, it used to be on the Platinum blog or whatever but someone's since uploaded the episodes to youtube) and called it a cost-saving measure. A cost-saving measure that ended up still being a pain in the ass to make though thanks to those stylistic choises, lol.
@@Kriss_ch. didn’t kamiya or someone at platinum even say they were more costly to make anyways?
My issue with the Shmup section is that it's a mandatory section in a game that is otherwise not about Shmup'ing at all. It's the only section like it in the game, and the dodge mechanics carrying over isn't enough to feel like there's enough mechanical continuity.
Another big issue is the difficulty and length. Kamiya treats the section like it should carry on from the game's prior difficulty curve, and not adjust the difficulty based on the fact that it's the only section like it, and not nessessarily a genre all players are going to have prior experience in. Coupled that with it being a full levels worth in length, leads the section to feel exhausting if it's not a gameplay style you care for.
It's biggest sin though is gatekeeping not just story progress, but arguably the best boss in the game. If a player wants to fight Jeanne 3, they have to do the whole section all over again, as there's no dedicated boss selector in Bayonetta.
If Kamya absolutely had to have his Shmup (and bike) sections in the game, he should have made them dedicated side games outside the levels (simular to the end of level arcade shooter sections).
I don't remember why I played the original Bayonetta. I remember being kinda weirded out by the marketing and publications hype, which was just a lot of "ERMAGERD SHE'S SO SCANDALOUS, LOOK HOW HOT AND SCANDALOUS SHE IS GAIZZZZZ." I wasn't a big DMC fan at the time, and I wasn't a big Kamiya nerd yet. Literally nothing about this game appealed to me on the surface.
Then I played it. Holy shit, it was not what I expected. It was so zany and over-the-top, and all its attempts at sexiness were so comically tryhard that it was more endearing than titillating. But it also had an undeniable attitude and style that was all its own, and it drove this whole package all the way to the most memorable ending sequence I'd ever seen.
And the gameplay. Oh god, the gameplay. The first time I landed a Witch Time and launched someone into an air combo that culminated in a Wicked Weave that literally stomped them into the ground, I was in love. Then I realized I could stroll up to the enemy I just drove into the floor... and spank them.
This was it. This was the game. That intersection of the smooth controls, the ultra-satisfying reward of a good Witch Time, the incredible combo variety and the crushing impact of Wicked Weaves, and the absurdity of furiously slapping an angel's ass cheeks with an oversized pistol... yes. This was everything.
I remember playing DMC 1 at launch and skipping every other DMC that followed until over a decade later. As a result, whenever I thought of a "stylish" action game, I thought of Bayonetta. For all its various flaws, if a game is judged by how memorable it is, how good it is to play when it's at its peak, and how often it reaches those peaks, then Bayonetta is damn near the ideal game. And while the following game refined the formula, and the third game absolutely blew it up to cosmic proportions, the original Bayo still has a very firm place in my heart and still feels damn good to play today.
Now with this franchise being a trilogy. I guess I should finally start it one of these days.
5 pucks on steam when on sale. Runs on a modern potato. Got no reason to say no!
Normally I don't like dance number endings but it fits her and it helps that the song is an absolute bop
Thumbnail make Luka look like he's summon his stand, [BAYONETTA]
Bayonetta I bet enjoys seductively eating pizza like Dante.
Love this dude so much. What a class act!!
You know I'm enjoying some of these little jabs to other games, Brit. Keeping it cheeky as always. Pairing kids with your protagonist is so cheap and I wish more people would point it out - Like god, I get it writer, you're a mother or a father, that still doesn't make it good writing!
"Luca is fun because it's funny to see this ladies' man go up against the final boss of all women." Holy crap I've never seen a more perfect summation of Bayo's character design. She really does take third-wave feminism and throw it into the sun.
The Final (Girl)Boss
Ign: bayoneta 3 review
Charlie: bayoneta 1 review
Ign: modern warfare 2 remake review
Charlie: Klonoa 2 review
I recently played this game non stop (finished Hard and Normal and few missions on NSIC). The game felt so good and smooth
Surprised to hear so many little things bothered you about this game. Maybe I'm just biased; this was my first real 3D action game, and it's still my favorite.
Since you've been playing so much Sonic I'll assume this comparison makes sense: saving Jubileus for the end is a little like finishing off with the Super Sonic fight. The game tests you on the core mechanics, then climaxes with something spectacular and less testing because you've earned that. At least, that's why I prefer my monstrous godfights after that personal shit 9 times out of 10.
Also no thoughts on Nonstop Infinity Climax? I know Dante Must Die started it all, but nothing's ever satisfied me quite so much for how it kicked my crutch out from under me. Game just kept getting harder until my sixth playthrough in when it said "Oh wait, you've been _relying_ on Witch Time? Well we can't have that now can we?"
yes, you are biased
My favourite review of yours so far. Cheeky and informative.
Also correction: the ability to use witch time on command is only unlocked when you beat the game under 2 hours.
"The final boss of all women" - good one!
Good video!
Back in the day, Bayonetta's poor PS3 performance was actually the reason I decided to go for a 360 instead of a PS3. I thought the game looked really cool and wanted to have it in an actual playable state.
There are a lot of little annoyances to the game, but on the whole it's a game I really like. I also played DMC4 at practically the same time, and despite releasing only a year apart, Bayonetta felt like a much more modern title. DMC had stuck to a lot of old stuff seemingly out of tradition, and Bayonetta looked like it was free to just drop and change stuff that now felt pretty antequated in DMC4 - and it took a decade until they got that presentation right for real in DMC5. The similar locales of Fortuna and Vigrid and certain similar elements like the Savior/evil pope and Jubileus/Balder only made the comparison to DMC4 less favorable for that game with how underwhelming comparatively it was, at least in my eyes. Bayo might have had some ungraceful asset reuse but it was obviously better than just playing the whole game backwards at the half-way point.
There's a joyful vibe to everything in Bayo that I just adore, lots of funny little jokes and energetic quirky segments that stand out and make it all fun. I think it's easy to appreciate Bayonetta as one of the greatest action games despite the frustrations with elements like the instant death QTEs, a pretty messy story and prolonged minigame segments thanks to the heights it reached in combat and presentation, and how it got there ahead of pretty much anyone else.
ah yes bayonetta’s rival; Gene
Personally I really like the Durga. The electric mode's charge attack does a pretty big chunk of damage, and you can charge an electric burst with every punch in the combo, so you can really chew through some enemies. If I recall correctly, at least. I love these kinds of games but I'm not too good at them, so it was really helpful for some of the tougher enemies.
Agreed. The electric Durga had the base Scarborough moveset, but those bursts were almost Wicked Weave tier in terms of damage, trading long-distance chips for close range blasts that was great for exploding crowds.
And the fire Durga had a completely different moveset that was both wilder but more methodical, allowing you to set devastating traps for aggressive big boys.
I'm honestly really surprised how "hardcore" players stick to the Scarborough Fair so tightly and never really experiment with the more interesting weapons. Perhaps its because charging the Durga involves a lot more risk for its reward, and getting touched once can ruin platinum aspirations.
@@Tenchigumi I think that might be exactly why I liked them. With my reflexes the pure platinums were a pipe dream for most fights, and I'm probably gonna be taking the hits the charges leave me open for anyway, so what's basically happening with them is yeah I'm taking damage sometimes, but I'm also killing the enemies a lot quicker and thus ensuring I can't take any more. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense.
Everyone knows the real reason to use/master Durga is for the catgirl cosplay.
The still cutscenes were a work around because of the Xbox 360 limitations, it had to do with the memory I think.
I played the shit out of this game (and it's sequels) but always average around gold at end of level because of the hidden fights, I would do them if I knew where they were but since they frequently require you to backtrack to places you've already cleared and have no reason to go to I often forget they exist / miss them outright. This honestly bothers me more then the quicktimes or the insta-death falls as those at least are instantly perceivable and thus fixable if you know they're coming.
Great video! I don't know if this was a conscious change, but I liked the narration more than your previous videos
I think the most distractingly dated aspect of the game is the fire effects. I didn't like them back then, but after seeing so many better effects all these years later, it makes me wonder why they were so bad back then
Yeah I got no patience for the lava and fire in this one.
@Kriss especially weird since the blood effects look pretty good (especially compared to every other game that messes up blood even today). I wonder if the fire looks worse depending on framerate(ps3 user)
Excellent video that captures many of the reasons Bayonetta will always be one of my very favorite games and one of the best action games of all time. I'm pretty curious on your thoughts on Bayonetta 2 and 3. One game that is much the same with lots of little things changed, and another that changes an absolute ton but is still Bayonetta at it's core.
Bayonetta 1 had one of the best story in Character action games! This and DMC3 are legendary
Is this is a joke? 🤣🤣🤣. Bayo that is know for having one of the worst stories in gaming. Even bayo fans don't care about it. Dmc 3 on the other hand is pretty much the standard for action game story with the birth of Dante and vergil's rivalry
@@jasonsamueltoye Nah not a joke man xD I do think the first Bayonetta had really good story. The writing of character are on point.
The worst stories in these character action game should be... Ninja Gaiden 2? xD My favorite game lol My man Ryu casually walk from Futuristic Tokyo to modern day Venice and then out run a nuclear explosion in point blank range... Story doesn't even connect from chapter to chapter and so too the design of enemies...
So yeah Bayonetta are pretty good xD
Just finished watching. As Rodin would say: "Beautiful."
I've 100%ed the game just a couple weeks back and would have to agree to some of the takes Britt makes. Though, the section with the complaints about the controls did feel a bit drawn out and just gave me the vibe that he didnt spend that long with the game for him to perhaps get used to them? I personally didn't feel much discomfort playing the game (had a great time actually), but I could see where he's coming from. To me it was comfortable enough to play to not even think about the controls, nor feeling the need to change them, but to each their own. Didnt think that section needed that much time dedicated to complaining about them.
And I'd disagree about the space herrier section. I paid for an action-hacknslash title, and now suddenly I'm basically forced to endure a 10 minute harrier section BEFORE a an actually interesting section with a boss fight. Good luck getting pure platinum on that shit cause if you get hit once in the second section, there's no checkpoint to the second half of said section, so youre forced to do it all over again with no way to speed that shit up. I did it, but boy was it tedious.
That and his take on the weapons was really odd. Not sure how many similar action titles have half as many weapons as Bayonetta, with as much utility and variety. From the two whips, the katana, lightsaber, ice skates, bazookas, Rodin ring gloves, shotgun guns and shoes, the ice and electricity claws, all of these being fully distinctly animated and injected with unique mechanics and uniquely animated combos, yet he still complains about the lack of variety? What's he comparing it to? Ratchet and Clank? 😂
Also, Gene? 😅
Excellent video! Really well done with perfect expertise
Bayonetta 1 will forever be my favorite game.
That audio sting every time he splices in DMC gameplay kills me.
Well,twice DMC and once nuGoW.
Bayonetta was always such a cool game and series, there was a time period where it felt like Bayo was picking up what the Devil May Cry series was dropping. The first still holds up so well to this day, but the sequel is also nothing to dismiss.
As much as I've been enjoying Bayonetta 3, it feels like a downgrade compared to Devil May Cry 5. That's a bit unfair due to DMC5 being well, practically perfect. But I still wish 3 could have gone to some great places that DMC5 demonstrated, especially with how much longer it took Bayo 3 to come out.
I think bayo 3 mechanically got everything it could out of the switch. Dmc5 is the better game for sure but it doesn't mean bayo 3 is bad.
@@ubadman1 I think honestly they were trying to get *too much* out of the Switch. I'd be happy with a Bayo 3 that looked more like Bayo 2 if at least ran like Bayo 2.
@@rna151 I feel they tried to get too much of a game too tbh, like a new weapon granted every chapter, with a demon and it's own gimmicks, while in the other games many weapons were optional, plus Viola gameplay, plus the Jeanne stuff.... in a game where knowing your combos and moveset is critical.
it felt crammed in.
The incessant and unstoppable escalation of stakes made me completely check out of b3's story even before the halfway point, which is why my entry for "who would win between bayonetta and Dante" is "bayonetta, but it would be lame"
DMC5 being "practically perfect"... Sure, buddy.
I'm glad Bayonetta 3 had the budget to not recycle old levels
Bayo 1 is easily the best in the series, I never understood why 2 and 3 never really expanded on the history of the witches vs the angels, Vigrid and that entire part of the story and instead just became their own stories. They are still great games gameplay wise but the soul was gone imo.
3 didn’t even touch on the sages at all which is hilarious considering the protagonists dad is one
20:20 THE SHADE
Intro is a huge improvement from what you were able to articulate in the Bayo 2 video, I did wince a bit back then when you were saying it was cool to have a protagonist inspiring for women, but here you’re able to elaborate on that without having to make a broad statement and put angles on it I don’t think I’ve encountered. The rest of the video stayed strong and supported your initial argument as the story progressed while making me reflect on my feelings for the entirety of this game’s experience.
Interesting how much of this review matches my feelings toward Bayonetta 3 too. I know people tend to disparage Bayonetta 2 for some mechanical missteps with the combat but for me it still feels like the most polished and consistent experience in the series while also having the least amount of annoying half-baked bullshit that drags me out of the experience.
Kbash AND TGBS Bayonetta review on the same day?!?
Holy shit Christmas came early
This game is 10yrs old but it puts a lot of others to shame. Tho the game needed a few mechanical tweaks, not the nitpicks mentioned but actual fixes to the core gameplay loop.
The amount of innuendos Charlie made in the first 10 minutes and the last 5 minutes was laughably orgasmic.
Hur hur. "Strings"
The space harrier section is pretty good, but I hate how long it last and that you have redo this everytime you want to do the Final Jeanne fight which sucks.
Just letting people know, you only get insta-killed in route 666 when you drive on the other side of the road cause you're driving into oncoming traffic. You only need to be on that side to a get a witch heart.
No you don't, the only two witch hearts in that level can be found on the right side. One on the arch of the bridge in verse 3 and the other on the side winding road guarded by traffic cones in verse 4. You never have to drive on the oncoming traffic lane.
glad charlie is a fellow space harrier enjoyer
Agree with all you said, except the minigames, I have such low desire to replay the game because of them.
I've never had quite the same taste in video games as you, and this is no exception: I just don't find much joy in incredibly deep gameplay mechanics such as these. I prefer "reasonable to master" rather than "hard to master".
But it's always just so much fun taking in your perspective on games. Even though I don't share your taste, your videos are just so sincere and you always articulate your thoughts so clearly. You go into specific details about gameplay mechanics that I would never care about, but you somehow do it without ever making me feel alienated or bored. After watching this video I am almost convinced to get this game, and I have to actively remind myself that I wouldn't enjoy playing it even 2% as much as you did.
Watching your reviews is always a great ride.
Edit: (just noting that I edited this comment a bit, adding more text in the process)
But this game is not hard to master though
@Morkgin Isn't it? I haven't played Bayonetta but I've played The Wonderful 101 on Wii U. If they've got similar difficulty curves, then it's definitely hard to master - I could mash buttons and get by, but most of the time I had no idea what was happening or why my inputs weren't doing quite what I expected them to do. There were *a lot* of advanced moves and tactics that I just had no idea how to use or why I should use them. While I absolutely did beat the game and enjoy it a lot, I could tell throughout the whole thing that something wasn't clicking between me and the game.
@@NeatNitto me, Bayonetta didn't feel so. I thought the game was really easy to master and learn both.
@@NeatNit As someone who's played both, Bayonetta is among my favourite action games, while Wonderful 101 decidedly is not and the former is definitely more beginner friendly than the latter.
Like Wonderful 101 is a fun game in its own right, but dang it if a whole lot about it didn't rub me the wrong way.
Based. An in-depth look at Bayonetta. Well I'm looking forward to a Bayo 3 video now lol
15:22 damn you said it first,i was just about to comment how everytime i get hit or die,i restart the chapter even on my first playthrough
Great video, Brit man!
I'm loving these unbiased critiques of games you love, there's too much fanboy blinders on this site
Something I'm surprised you didn't mention when talking about the combo system is the Punish mechanic and some other hidden techniques. Maybe you weren't aware of them or felt they weren't necessary to mention but the Punish system is pretty interesting in it's own right.
20:21 DmC jumpscare
Manual lock-on button is actually the worst way to lock-on in Bayonetta games.
The preferred way is just to keep pressing punch/kick buttons which is more ergonomic not requiring additional finger strain.
Manual gun button and taunt also have lock-on mechanics -- also better than clutching RB, DMC-style.
You can switch lock-on by tilting stick while holding manual lock-on or by just reengaging another enemy.
When Kamiya said: "bayonetta doesn't need button configuration because it's already optimal" -- it's not just him being an asshole because he is correct.
I actually love Jeanne, especially the way the game handles her at the end. I can't think of another rival character where the twist turns out that they are actually your best friend that you've forgotten, and once you both remember, they actually become your best friend _again,_ and you end the game by kicking ass alongside them. It's a nice little twist on a genre staple, and very uplifting to boot
How is it interesting?
While I can agree Bayonetta's way of integrating rival characters introduced as antagonistic enigmas, whose real identity and reasons for fighting Bayo you'll have to play through the game to find out, is in concept an interestingly different way to go about establishing a rival, I feel Balder from Bayo 2 is the only one with whom the series has so far managed to make it work without feeling like bit of a cop out.
Besides that, the thing that I find makes Jeanne fall short as a rival, is that a good rival, who is fun to juxtapose with the hero, generally has to have attributes that actively contrast with those of the hero, whereas Jeanne is more or less identical to Bayonetta, with every facet of her character being just a colour-swapped and renamed version of whatever Bayo has. Not to mention nothing about her personality or ideology clashes with Bayo's, which is why she needed to be brainwashed to even function as your rival in the first game (and while i'm at it, I've never understood how that brainwashing was supposed to have worked; it seemingly changes nothing about Jeanne's general demeanor or personality, just gives her the urge to want to kill Bayo, despite how succeeding at it would run contrary to her puppet master's plans).
To me the friendly rivalry from their past growing up as the outcast and heir of the Umbran clan actually seems substantially more interesting, but only time that actually gets any narrative highlight in the story proper is in Jeanne's chapter from Bayonetta Origins and the only time it directly factors into the gameplay is that initial flashback bossfight against Jeanne in Bayonetta 1.
The jeanne mind control plot is still the dumbest shit of all time to what was a really great rival, this rival had no pity for you, she even jokes about the fact bayo thinks they were sisters or something, like no there is nothing between them except that they are the last witches and jeanne has to kill the only other like her is the entire point.
Probably been said but I can't search through these comments (thanks google): the shmup dodge roll is an Afterburner reference. Doesn't make it good though.
Edit: an extra clue that they were thinking like that is the Angel Attack minigame. When the announcer is talking, Afterburner's theme song sometimes plays in the background.
Edit2: and the achievement "Fire The Afterburners."
Edit3: and route 666's BGM, though I don't know why they didn't use Super Hang-on instead, since it's a bike segment, and instead use that theme for Isla del Sol.
GamingBritShow finally admited to it being a spetacle fighter, yay !!!
I think Kamiya's got a lot of great qualities as a developer, but his story writing isn't one of them - if he's responsible for writing his games alone, mind. Credit where it's due, I think the Wonderful 101 has an equally outlandish story that lands a lot better.
Actually, come to think of it, I thought Okami had a lot of fun lines and moving moments. There's a sequence near the end that made me cry. Nothing like that in Bayo, but maybe that's just the nature of the game.
I don't really mind, since his games are basically the B movie equivalent - spectacular and fun with just enough coherent plot. At least the writing isn't painfully terrible like some high budget blockbusters but maybe that's just me.
Plans to cover Metroid Dread and No More Heroes III anytime soon? Would love to hear your take on them.
And no I didn't mean "Dread or NMH III", I want one video covering both and have you scramble to find out some obscure and nonsensical way to connect them disregarding the ridiculously minuscule audience overlap between the two.
Anyway, best regards. Xoxo
8:27 oh dang I didn't know there were rules behind the wicked weaves like that, cool to know the attack strings are not arbitrarily defined
Ooohhh, I just realized why they're called Scarborough fair.
Because there's four guns: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme.
@inboxmeontelegraphthegamin1376 oh wow, I love viruses and identity theft! I'll message you right away
Love the Bottle Rocket thumbnail :)
Obviously the lack of controller customization in the game sucks but I was surprised to see you spend so much time talking about the default controls as being unwieldy, they always seemed extremely natural to me. Holding R1 and then constantly hitting R2 doesn't feel that weird at all when coming from DMC. I probably change weapons with Dante about as much (if not more, especially in DMC3 and 4) as I dodge with Bayo so index finger on one button and middle on the other just seems normal to me. I had the opposite reaction when I played Bayo 2, shit felt wrong and I had to go in and change it back to Bayo 1 controls immediately.
What does feel wrong though is doing all of that on a Xbox controller. The way triggers rise way above the air beyond the bumpers does feel weird to try and hold both at the same time. I bought a Xbox version of DMC5 on a whim (mainly cause it was on sale) for a fresh start and I struggle way more than when just using a playstation controller where I've done full S ranks. Probably will go away with practice, but, it feels like starting from 0 again every time I play.
I think there's still a bunch of us from the SNES generation who grew up only using our index fingers on shoulder buttons, and find it uncomfortable to use both our index AND middle fingers up there (despite that being the optimal way to play). It took me nearly two decades to finally decide to change it up.
That said, I don't think Mr. Gaming Brit is that old, so he has no excuse.
This is a series you buy for the AWESOME gameplay first, the sexual appeal in a distant second, and the plot last.
THIS!!! thanks so much for praising how good this game looks, I'm tired of speaking facts and getting downvoted for it
From bayonetta 3, i miss shuraba.
Edit: you could say simoon is the substitute but its not the same… 😢
Man after having no interest in Bayo 3 whatsoever I gotta say this review made me reinstall Bayonetta on Steam. What an absolute classic. Bayo 2 also to a lesser degree.
FINALLY! Time to dancin' a-go-go, baby!