10 years later, Bayonetta remains one of the best action games.

10 years later, Bayonetta remains one of the best action games.

Bayonetta: The Sassy Witch Who Dominates in Style

Introduction

There’s no game character quite like Bayonetta – she’s the epitome of sexy style, combining the elegance of a runway model with the confidence of a movie star and a devilish lust for life. But what sets her apart is how she brings every ounce of that personality into combat, making the game that bears her name an absolute delight to play.

A Dominating Presence

Bayonetta, clad in her skin-tight black attire (made from her own hair, a fashion trend we hope doesn’t catch on), is a force to be reckoned with. As she faces off against the angelic forces of Paradiso, she moves with power and agility, spanking her foes into submission while tossing out innuendos like they’re going out of style. Her slickness and composure make controlling her a privilege that shouldn’t be wasted with mediocre performance.

A Witch and her Arsenal

Fortunately, Bayonetta provides players with a comprehensive suite of offensive and defensive options. She’s armed with four pistols strapped to her limbs, allowing for devastating strikes followed by volleys of shots. But that’s not all – as you progress, you acquire more armaments, enabling you to mix and match hand and foot pairings. Picture taping bazookas to your legs and ending every kick with a rocket, or wielding flaming claws on your hands while wearing ice skates. Bayonetta handles it all with style, strutting, pirouetting, and even posing to the disco soundtrack purely for her own pleasure.

Magical Mayhem

Bayonetta is not just an agile assassin; she’s a witch, and magic accompanies her every step. From butterfly wings sprouting as she double jumps to more brutal eruptions, she casts spells with finesse. Her niftiest trick is ‘witch time’, a slow-motion effect triggered when successfully dodging an enemy attack. As the world slows down around her, Bayonetta dances around her assailants, delivering punishing combos and finishing moves that range from crushing an offending angel with a giant stiletto to summoning demonic servants from hell to devour larger foes.

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Spectacular Showmanship

The resulting show is nothing short of spectacular. Like a paddling duck, maintaining Bayonetta’s gliding serenity requires a frenzy of inputs. Hammering away without a plan won’t get you far. You have to strategically invite attacks to trigger ‘witch time’, isolate targets, save powerful ‘torture attacks’ for tougher opponents, and keep on the move. The action gets faster and busier, and as you progress to higher difficulties, ‘witch time’ becomes disabled. It may seem impossible to cope without it, but like taking the stabilizers off a bike, you realize you don’t need it after all. Bayonetta’s move-set is simply exquisite.

Inspired and Absurd Level Designs

Beyond its exquisite gameplay mechanics, Bayonetta features some of Platinum’s most inspired and absurd level designs. From standing on a plummeting chunk of a clocktower in the sky to engaging in a Space Harrier-style sequence, culminating in a boss fight against a witchy rival while riding giant missiles, every moment is a wild ride. The grotesque, Biblically-based angelic enemies further enhance the battles, with their sharp beaks, clawed wings, upside-down faces, and dragon neck arms begging to be pummeled.

The Queen of Action

The only time Bayonetta falters is when the violence stops in lackluster cutscenes featuring a forgettable supporting cast. The camera, unfortunately, seems to have an obsession with Bayonetta’s behind, which feels tacky considering her character is otherwise captivating and sexy on her own terms. This is an action game that shines brightest when Bayonetta is calling the shots. Long live the queen of the genre!

This article was originally featured in Play Magazine issue 16. For more fantastic features, interviews, previews, and more, subscribe here.

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