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WiiU

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Bayonetta 2 Hands-on Preview

by Kimberly Keller - June 20, 2013, 12:57 pm EDT
Total comments: 5

UPDATE: Added off-screen video of the entire E3 demo.

The intense visuals of Bayonetta are back in Bayonetta 2 and it doesn’t disappoint. The demo at E3 allowed me to play three different battle stages and gave me an interesting option: controller or touch screen.

The idea behind the choice is to make the game easier for newcomers to the series. The touch screen allows players to directly tap target spots on enemies by slashing, tapping, or holding down the stylus, making it the easier option. I decided to try it out and was promptly given a second, almost comical, option: easy or very easy.

Gameplay is pretty easy to figure out with the touchpad, basically go nuts with the stylus whenever you see a purple target circle over an enemy. Occasionally Bayonetta’s special attack, Umbra Climax, pops up on the bottom of the screen as a tappable attack option.

You see, Bayonetta has a new haircut but apparently kept the hair. This new fashion statement lends itself to Umbra Climax by growing and weaving itself away from Bayonetta’s body (with key areas still covered) and opening a portal for a monster to come through and attack your enemy briefly. During the attack you need to repeatedly tap a target for bonus points. Even though this attack option popped up fairly frequently, the lush graphics kept it interesting.

Bayonetta can be moved easily by tapping where you want to go, but that isn’t really necessary when battling. Once I tapped a target, Bayonetta automatically moved toward the spot, her distance changing based on the weapon being used. Once killed, an enemy spouted golden rings to collect.

For normal attacks, the demo gave me the option of two guns or a sword and whip. The guns work better for long range attacks, but the whip allowed me to hit multiple enemies at once. However, it was a little difficult to hit more than one foe with the whip during the demo and only the first stage provided me with multiple enemies who didn’t really stay close together for my whip attack.

Besides attacking, I could also jump by swiping up on the touchscreen or evade by swiping backwards.  If I timed an evade just before an enemy attacked, I entered Witch Time. Witch Time slows down all enemies in the area briefly and opens them up to attacks.

All stages were very fast paced and featured different moving backgrounds. The first featured multiple angelic type beasts for me to fight while on a train type vehicle and blended into the second stage which pitted Bayonetta against a larger demonic monster. Jeanne, from the first game, shows up during these stages and helps fight. The representative did tell me she plays a key role in the game, but wouldn’t say if she would be a playable character or not.

The final stage features a large boss called Gomorrah. The whole stage was stunning as Bayonetta jumped into the sky and grew wings to help her fight easier. Now that I could fly, I had to keep a sharp eye out for targets located around the monster’s body as Bayonetta flew around him.

The three stages gave a clear idea of the different ways to battle but no story elements were really seen. Something that looked like Jeanne’s soul was pulled from her body into the darkness by shadow-like creatures at one point, but Bayonetta fought on. After completing each stage, I was given a rank based on the amount of rings I collected and the tapping bonus I received during Umbra Climax attacks. At the end of the demo, all three scores were averaged and I was awarded a golden statue.

Later I will try out the controller option and see how the gameplay compares to the ease of the touchpad. The game will be released sometime in 2014.

Update: The hardest setting for the demo, normal, completely ignored the touchpad and altered attacks noticeably. For starters, Bayonetta wouldn’t completely auto run to targets when you attacked; I felt more involved in the game now that the control stick mattered and I could finally strategize. The whip became a huge ally as combos and movement created a larger attack, successfully hitting large groups of enemies.

To her credit though, Jeanne helped out a lot more in normal mode, decapitating enemies with her glider occasionally and reappearing for combo attacks.

Umbra Climax surprisingly changed as well. No longer could I summon a monster to chew on my enemies for a while, instead the game allowed me to control a large pillar of hair with purple symbols surrounding it which I bashed through my enemies repeatedly.

Although, more often than Climax I triggered Torture, a combo move that placed a conveyor belt under an enemy leading straight to a grinder. Bayonetta would then kick the fleeing enemy into the device and smile as blood splattered on the battlefield. Clearly this is not a kid friendly title, but her methods are morbidly satisfying after you’ve been kicked around by monsters.

Normal mode was insanely fun, but I’m glad I tried it second. With more enemies and deadlier attacks, I had to pay close attention to my movements and time my evade maneuver well to take advantage of Witch Time. Finding your bearings while flying in the final boss level takes some getting used to and attack points aren’t as frequent; even changing position based on Gomorrah’s movements.

During the touchscreen playthrough I could hold down colored lollipops on the screen to help out Bayonetta: red for health, blue and green for battle related boosts. These were suspiciously absent from normal mode. Oddly, health replenished periodically during the demo, but the representative couldn’t explain how I triggered it.

E3 showed off Bayonetta fantastically. Sure, no one could tell me anything about the story, but that’s okay as the real fun is in the crazy battles. Gigantic monsters, crisp details, and responsive attacks push this game to new heights.

Talkback

SixthAngelJune 11, 2013

This game looks amazing. I didn't think much at the first reveal since I never played the first but this has me sold. Maybe I'll get the original once the old consoles become dirt cheap this fall.

RazorkidJune 12, 2013

Day 1. I loved the first game and am SOOO glad Nintendo has funded this sequel.

azekeJune 12, 2013

First game being exclusive to 360 (lol ps3 version) made me buy the system.
No regrets.

CaterkillerMatthew Osborne, Contributing WriterJune 12, 2013

Man this looks and sounds fun! If Wii U doesn't get a port of part 1 I'll have to borrow a 360 to play it.

LudicrousDa3veJune 13, 2013

Words can't describe how good the first Bayonetta is; and it looks like the sequel is coming along beautifully.
If you think normal is crazy, wait till you try hard or nonstop climax.  :cool;

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WiiU

Game Profile

Bayonetta 2 Box Art

Genre Action
Developer PlatinumGames
Players1 - 2

Worldwide Releases

na: Bayonetta 2
Release Oct 24, 2014
PublisherNintendo
RatingMature
jpn: Bayonetta 2
Release Sep 20, 2014
PublisherNintendo
Rating17+
eu: Bayonetta 2
Release Oct 24, 2014
aus: Bayonetta 2
Release Oct 25, 2014
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