Review of Bayonetta 3: It's witching time

Our Verdict

A smart expansion of incredible action foundations, PlatinumGames' latest entry delivers a wild story and defies expectations while presenting heartwarming themes at its core. Bayonetta 3 is an action masterpiece, offering a veritable feast for fans of the Umbra witch and closing out the trilogy with the biggest and best entry yet.

I became a huge fan of the Platinum team after purchasing a used copy of Viewtiful Joe for my Gamecube (please bring those games to contemporary platforms). Hideki Kamiya and company have made amazing games at Capcom, Clover, and other places. Bayonetta, a game oozing with excess yet so basic in its gratifying gaming feel, somehow pushes the creative powers of Kamiya and Platinum even farther than Devil May Cry and its superb action.

In my opinion, Bayonetta 2 is the ideal action game. Resident Evil 4 (Yusuke Hashimoto) took over, but although the action is intensified, it loses none of the charm, humor, or obscenity that made Bayonetta unique. Now that the third installment of the trilogy has begun, director Yusuke Miyata of Astral Chain is in charge, and for those who have experienced that title, it feels just like it in every aspect.

As the third edition has the umbra witch sporting yet another (her finest) hairstyle, be ready for even more outrageous action scenes, corny language, and maximalist design elements that we've come to anticipate from a fresh batch of repulsive abominations. The majority of Bayonetta's rogues gallery has been occupied by angels and demons, but this time, a sinister group known as the homunculus is come to threaten all she knows.

There are spoilers in my review, so I won't go into too much detail about the plot. It's safe to say that while every Bayonetta game aims to escalate the action, Bayonetta 3 goes above and beyond. Since the first few chapters, I have been truly dubious of where the series may go, but believe me when I say that I have been utterly amazed at how this entry has progressed. It's so completely ludicrous, but it's still presented with a serious grandiosity that somehow makes it all work.

Viola, who is relatively important to the plot and all it entails, is also presented to you right away. Despite her naughty "punk" character being a bit too obvious, I found her to be endearing rather immediately. In some missions, you take control of Viola, who has a slightly different moveset than Bayonetta. She substitutes a parry for a dodge and darts for her weapons, thus while countering foes, your timing is ever so slightly off. Even though it takes some getting accustomed to, Viola feels great and her aggressive combat style fits her personality. She responds more actively to Bayonetta's reaction skills, and I never get tired of spending time with my major love, Bayo.

When it comes to combat, those of you who are coming back may be wondering what makes Bayonetta 3 different. If you were fortunate enough to play Astral Chain, you should already know quite a bit. Bayonetta 3's basic gameplay remains an absolutely amazing, fluid combo-based action game where she combines close-quarters maneuvers with her pistols to chain attacks and uses her dodge to activate witch-time and land a few additional licks. The worst part is that, unlike in the past, when you could only call them using the Demon Slave method, Bayonetta's demons are now an essential part of every fight, much like Astral Chain's Legion.

You may call a number of monsters at any moment, including the scaly giant Gomorrah, who is returning. A meter shows how much power you have remaining to use them. These enormous allies are great for taking down big opponents and take up a lot of room. You may quickly switch between them to use various attacks. But when they increase the number of chain assaults, it becomes even more entertaining. Bayonetta's dodge is a key component of her move arsenal, and her gratifying and amazing witch-time is a distinguishing gameplay feature. Since opponents often telegraph their movements, it is your responsibility to evaluate the situation and use the dodge when it is most effective.

In addition to Bayonetta's arsenal of skills, vicious combos, and absurd assaults, you can now read for precise points in the attack chain to call out the Demon Slaves, bringing especially spectacular bursts of kaiju action to the already enjoyable activities. You begin with two characters, Madame Butterfly and Gomorrah, each of which has a somewhat distinct move pool. You may also discover new combinations and attacks with every Demon Slave you locate. Yes, as you go, you will uncover a great deal more. One of the first is the massive spider demon known as Phantasmaraneae.

There has never been more Bayonetta, in a positive manner, thanks to the inclusion of Viola and the Demon Slave skills, as well as the strong base of her standard assaults. The game seems to have been enlarged in every conceivable way, and it's all been done quite effectively. Missions performed as Viola don't skip out on the monster mash since she even has her own Demon Slave in Cheshire, a smiling cat that clearly demonstrates the Alice in Wonderland inspiration while being very lovable and controlling like a beast.

From the beginning until the dramatic conclusion (oh my god, what a conclusion), Bayonetta 3 never lets up with new techniques that seem like a logical extension of the game's current moveset. There are often added new weapons with enhanced traversal abilities, Demon Slaves, clothing, and color schemes, in addition to the rare kaiju set piece in which you take control of an enormous demon and defeat hordes of menacing invaders. Although there aren't any Nintendo costumes available this time, I believe you'll still be happy with what we do offer.

Conversely, if you believe that the Demon Slave tactics are only a meaningless combination of buttons, you should reconsider. These are constantly creative Bayonetta extensions that become crazier and more amazing. Wattrain Gouon is a Demon Slave skill that Bayonetta first unlocks. It involves setting up the rails for a demon train, placing bombs where they go, and then watching the train rip over the tracks, hitting any foes it encounters along the way.

With the matching Dead End Express weapon, Bayonetta becomes a terrible hybrid of a girl and a locomotive, swinging around enormous train carriages with both arms to launch deadly assaults. This makes her look a lot like Thomas the Tank engine. Later on, if you can withstand assaults long enough to master the extended raindance skill, you may also encounter Baal, a gigantic singing toad that uses its voice to summon toxic rain.

There is seldom a minute in the game that you aren't having fun with a new Demon Slave, weapon set, or unlocked combo attack. Each Demon Slave has an associated weapon that can be upgraded with new combinations. The animal traversal skills that come with them are especially less enjoyable to utilize than the others. I mostly employ the Phantasmaraneae spider metamorphosis since it makes it much simpler to climb up walls in order to obtain unlockables. To be sure, you'll come up with vastly varied combinations of weaponry, demon slaves, and accessories to create the ultimate build as you grind out the pure platinum awards, but virtually all of them are a pleasure to try out.

With those added adjustments and those aforementioned medals, Bayonetta 3 may be the most replayable game in the series. For those who are unaware, you get a grade based on your combination, damage received, and time after each chapter. To get 100% platinum, you must hone your dodge and witch time skills in addition to your standard strikes and combination moves. You should also practice chaining gun combos and demon slave methods. Even though it's a chaotic medley, it feels amazing when you can maintain your combo meter rising and do unimaginable damage to your opponents.

Every level has three collectible animals in addition to the medals: a fleeing cat, a flying crow, and a toad that hides in a disgustingly private spot but gives out a faint croak when it detects your approach. It's quite the task to capture them all, and if you succeed, you'll be rewarded with a Remnant Chapter—a different take on the level that uses the same landscape but presents different obstacles like a rush through a group of foes or a massive collection assignment. For those who are not familiar with the title, it's a clever way to repurpose materials and adds a lot of fun.

This is in addition to the Jeanne side missions and the Viola missions, which function similarly to Bayonetta's but with a more forceful playstyle. While Jeanne searches for an individual who is crucial to the plot, there is 2D sidescrolling action set in a facility that is reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid. The inclusion of some absurd weaponry and Jeanne's ability to stealth assassination assaults by hiding in vents and dropping behind foes make these diversionary battle periods a lot of fun. Though it's fair to say that Bayonetta fans are getting value for their money with this entry, there's still more to come.

One of my complaints is that there is a lot going on, and it may be easy to get lost in it all. Another is that the camera doesn't always choose the ideal spot to take a picture. Fortunately, there are usually visible green streaks across the screen to indicate dodgeable strikes, and bright purple streaks indicate when to add Demon Slave skills to your combination. The camera ensures that you never miss a combination, and you can simply change it with the second analogue stick. However, finding the time to do so could be difficult when you're surrounded by 10 adversaries and want to get the platinum award.

Second, although though the main focus of Bayonetta is action, you still find yourself spending a lot of time level wandering, looking for collectibles, and finding hidden mysteries. This is often how you uncover more battle scenes (which is fantastic, I love it all), but there are also unique platforming challenges, like moving, floating platforms, or, in this case, going back in time to put environment components together in the exact proper order to access a new location.

For the most part, this is acceptable. But since she's meant to move fast and almost weightlessly, Bayonetta doesn't seem natural as a platforming protagonist—there isn't the weight and momentum you would anticipate. This works well for simple platforming, but even with a wide range of transformations to enable you soar or climb buildings, the rare challenging platforming section doesn't quite fit with Bayonetta's overall vibe. Rather from being an enjoyable task, it becomes a battle with a character that is a little too fast and agile for her own good. I find myself becoming upset with many of these platforming problems, but it's a minor gripe that doesn't interfere with the action. I prefer to do everything right the first time.

I wish to mention the homunculi as foes as a last complaint. Some of the gory demons from earlier games don't have the same terrible presence as these blue-green humanoid beings. However, they do soon become bigger and more obscene, and some of the later, more Lovecraftian designs are really amazing. They make perfect sense inside the plot, and it's amazing how gradually their motivations and purpose become clear.

You'll encounter a lot of the typical foes, but I only wish they were a bit more exciting. It's a really small quibble, however, since there are so many diverse enemies to take down and—more importantly—level exploration leads to encounters with angels and devils who have been drawn into the main plot for various reasons.

With some really surprising twists and a conclusion that, I hate to say, literally drove me to tears, Bayonetta 3's storyline is the strongest of the three. Although it should come as no surprise that a Bayonetta narrative surpasses all expectations, I believe you'll be shocked by the extremes this world is taken. This is devastatingly and beautifully reminded in the first chapter, which defies expectations and makes it very clear to all players that this tale and this menace are unlike anything they have ever encountered.

The Switch is obviously well-known to PlatinumGames by now, and their graphics further enhance the story. The narrative shifts swiftly between a wide variety of vastly disparate locales, each of which is distinct but beautifully rendered with striking graphical clarity. The same sorcery that PlatinumGames used on Astral Chain is on full display here, and whether the game is being played portable or docked, the character models and stages are shown with a sharpness that is really only surpassed by games like Monster Hunter Rise.

I understand that some 60FPS enthusiasts are curious whether the game is always stuck there, and from what I've seen, that's where the real action is. When navigating stages or engaging in battle with merely Bayonetta, the game looks fantastic and plays seamlessly. The framerate sometimes decreases to fit the action when you enter larger set pieces that need you to hop between the collapsing ruins of whole buildings while riding a massive hell beast, but in these situations, you don't need the precise precision of normal battle. These are additional "rollercoaster" breaks where you just need to push a button once in a while to enjoy the show up close.

Finally, although Hellena Taylor's contribution to the Bayonetta series will always be cherished, Jennifer Hale does an outstanding job taking up the mantle of Bayonetta. The evil witch is in capable hands. Despite how absurd the narrative may be, she delivers the most poignant parts of it with the necessary seriousness and sincerity, and she seems every bit as authoritative and naughty in every moment. Likewise, I found it easy to warm up to Anna Brisbin's character, Viola, who exudes an infectious energy, and Yuri Lowenthal gives an excellent performance as Luka, who is given the opportunity to shine.

I finished Bayonetta 3 more than a week ago, and in order to grind out the pure platinum medals, I've been repeating missions, hunting down collectibles, unlocking all of the accessories, testing them out, and experimenting with various weapon combinations over the last several days. Most importantly, if this wasn't absurdly enjoyable, I wouldn't be repeating it. Even though Bayonetta 3 throws everything at the formula and builds on really strong foundations, it all works.

The Demon Slave tactics seem as natural and enjoyable as ever, while Bayonetta's lethal dance and lightning-fast maneuvers are just as exciting as they ever were. When that purple light flashes, the true magic is in hot-switching between them and instantly taking control of a hulking monster that obliterates everything in its path. They strike a careful balance, doing just enough damage to make them seem useful but not enough to render Bayonetta unnecessary. It's really exhilarating to launch assaults from either end of this collaboration because the system works.

A tribute to PlatinumGames' incredible body of work to date as well as this exciting trilogy, Bayonetta 3 is a labor of love. There has never been a greater Bayonetta than PlatinumGames, and Bayonetta itself. There is much to discover and do in every chapter, and the game's world has been extended to include Viola, Jeanne, Demon Slaves, and a ton of other stuff I won't reveal. One of the greatest video game trilogies ever completed, PlatinumGames' action masterpiece and thrilling rollercoaster plot build upon and surpass each other, concluding with a boom fit for a Bayonetta fan. I'm eager to see where it goes from here.