Author Topic: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions  (Read 3110 times)

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Offline azeke

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Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« on: October 27, 2022, 09:54:18 PM »


Have been playing the game for few hours now.

I only have 2 demon and 2 weapons so far and lots of stuff still to unlock and learn, but it still feels like Bayonetta.

New homunculi enemies feel weird at first -- have to get accustomed to new timings and attack cues, so small archers managed to hit me more often than big guys because how subtle their tells are.

Lock-on moved to R3 (MGR style) changes surprisingle little. Commands for tetsuzanko and Stiletto are still the same. R1 bumper does the same thing -- it was just decoupled from manual lock-on and renamed "Stance change".

Demon slaves feel way too slow, but at least you can summon them for one move, buffer one move and turn yourself back to normal, so both you and demon attack at the same time.

Some Bayonetta players noticed that time requirements on verses are very short, which means you might very well be required to use demons for high DPS or else you're not gonna make it on time for Pure Platinum. That's disappointing but maybe there will be more hard hitting options further in the campaign.
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Offline azeke

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2022, 06:03:03 AM »
Pure Platinuming the game feels really hard, still can't get used to new attacks. At least Bayonetta 3 has finally allowed players to select any verse and the result saves over -- so you don't have to Pure Platinum the entire chapter, nice QoL feature.

I think i unlocked the DPS feature i was looking forward, it's demonic parry (Assault Slave) and demonic combo finisher (Wink Slave) -- both are huge AoE that stop and deflect any enemies' attacks.

The more i play -- the more i notice how "weak" auto lock-on has become. In previous game lock-on would never move if held punch/kick/gun buttons, but in 3 it is too eager to change targets if you move the stick even a little bit.
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Offline azeke

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2022, 11:58:28 PM »
Started playing with Viola now. Trying to adjust to her makes my brain melt.

Her combat options being somehwat simplified (and her story arc so far) reminds me of how Nero was introduced in DMC4 -- a spunky younger character with potential to take over the series. Usually series does that when creative team series went in too deep and create soft reboot with "simpler" controlled character.

B3 is a huge game with most of the stuff having nothing to do with combat. A list of custom achievements for each chapter, collectibles unlocking side-chapters, side-chapters also have their own achievements.

The areas are HUGE, almost Xenoblade-sized. Some of the platforming challenges are harder than combat verses even. Viola having somewhat wonky jumping mechanics doesn't help too.
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Offline azeke

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2022, 02:07:20 AM »
Gameplay styles is so varied, first playthrough really feels like WarioWare with barrage of random minigames. They never last more than few minutes and are very fun for how random they are but it's gotta be a nightmare to pure platinum them.

As if pure platinum wasn't already impossible enough with 30-45 seconds verse completion requirement...

It also feels like Platinum games really went out with weapons, complete insanity. They all kinda control the same -- stinger input, launcher input, 360 input, but the timings and animations and effects are very different. Just when i started to get the basics of default guns -- they throw 10+ weapons and demons at me, it is overwhelming.
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Offline azeke

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2022, 11:08:33 AM »
Finished the game and man -- rushed ending kinda sours otherwise fantastic fanservice-filled playthrough...

But the stuff you unlock by the end -- oh man... Feels like all the fun weapon are concentrated right at the end -- and beyond even...
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Offline Lemonade

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2022, 07:44:33 PM »
The Bayonetta and Viola sections are great, but I kind of hate the Jeanne chapters.

Offline azeke

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2022, 01:14:41 AM »
One of the consequences or removal mix-and-match of weapons is that you can't combine speed/combo on hands and DPS on legs in one set.

Thus more often than not you will be forced to have one quick "combo" weapon on set A and big damage weapon on set B.

Additionally for "combo" weapon just speed is not enough -- the weapon also needs to be able to harm enemies from afar to keep your combo up as your demon summon pounds the big enemies. That's basically only guns, and yo-yo weapon.

I am okay with mix and match system gone, but i wished there was a third weapon set at the very least.

Weapons and demons are the highlight of this game i wished there was less cumbersome way to switch them than entering a menu UI.
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Offline azeke

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2022, 03:17:42 PM »
Seemingly cosmetic item secretly created keys on specific areas of the game. After collecting them, the item opened a completely new game with yet another completely different type of gameplay!

Platinum Games'  priorities are really weird -- they would do and polish this kind of hidden game inside the game that player would have to run around all the levels to just unlock and not only that -- it still only opens up for 10 minutes and then throws me out... I still have to do something else to unlock it completely (collecting all bewitchements? getting all umbran tears? getting platinum on all levels?)
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Offline azeke

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2022, 03:24:54 AM »
100 hours in, halfway into Pure Platinuming Normal mode.

Finally got used to the timing of Viola's parry. Because PPKP attack string is the shortest combo with Cheshire attack at the end, spamming this combo makes Cheshire attack more often (outside of directly summoning him). For some reason, block offset doesn't work on "Kick" sword throws so that doesn't allow offsetting final hit after going into parry -- have to start PPKP inside the Witch Time from the start. Maybe it would be better to only do PPPPPP combos and offset them?..

Getting used to Viola's charged hits can be awkward especially when you don't want charged animations to take up your time when you're trying to go deeper into attack string. You need to tap buttons very lightly so they are recognised as regular hits and not slower charged hits. However, charged moves do a lot of damage -- for example Viola's fully charged sword launcher can halve bosses' HP bar -- this a huge damage output -- not even Bayonetta has anything even close to that. And while the sword is spinning you're free to mash on him with melee, adding to the damage. Regular fully charged sword throw also does lots of damage but more importantly it covers huge area, stunlocking lesser enemies and not allowing them to attack you.

Viola actually became fun to play as, especially great to fight some of the bosses in side missions.

Speaking of side missions -- the amount and variety of encounters you can pick at any moment is stupid. Side missions hide enemies, bosses, demons and unlockable weapons that are completely outside of the main campaign.
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Offline Lemonade

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2022, 07:33:00 PM »
I played some of 2 for the first time in years. I think it is better than 3.

Offline DerrickOlley

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Re: Bayonetta 3 - gameplay impressions
« Reply #10 on: November 23, 2022, 12:19:21 AM »
I love Bayonetta! I play it all the time and a lot of unusual things and you have to get used to it quickly, but I like it!!   
« Last Edit: April 16, 2023, 10:26:52 AM by DerrickOlley »