Sega and Platinum Games’ hyper-violent, over-sexualized blockbuster is spreading its climax action across PlayStation Network and Xbox Live in demo format at this very minute.  Many of you may have already had a taste of what’s to come and have formulated opinions of your own about the title by this time.

Right now, I’m staring down the game’s final boss.  Here are my impressions.

Title:  Bayonetta  (360, PS3)

Developer:  Platinum Games

Publisher:  Sega (NA), Sega (JPN)

Release Date:  January 5, 2010 (NA), January 8, 2010 (EU), October 29, 2009 (JPN)

Actually, I should clarify; the above statement is only partly true.  It was yesterday that I was engaging in the final showdown.  After several attempts I stopped, shut the game off, and sat down to write this preview.  But then I realized that attempting to deliver a fair analysis of the game in the heat of the moment would be both unwise, and unfair, because the reality is that, until encountering a few select events leading toward the game’s finale, I was having a hell of a lot of fun. 

Anyone familiar with many of the previous titles associated with Bayonetta lead developer, Hideki Kamiya, such as Devil May Cry, God Hand, and Viewtiful Joe, know well in advance that if they are to invest in a Kamiya action game, they had better be prepared to really dig in, die often, and suffer trial by fire.  Some gamers love it, some don’t.  With two of the above listed titles being among some of my personal favorites of the previous generation (the two without the “Devil” in them), I was prepared.  In the end, I ended up playing through the entire game on the “Normal” difficulty setting, which is the most difficult available on the first playthrough (though this could change for the western version).  Not being the most proficient 3D action game player, I actually burned through most of the game rather quickly and smoothly.

Not only did I burn through it, all sexual puns aside, “climax action” really is the only to describe what is really a surreal, visceral brawling experience – and it’s oh, so satisfying . . . most of the time.  The developers have made it no secret that they are huge God of War fans, and the love shines through in many areas of the game’s fighting mechanics and upgrading system.  With Bayonetta however, it feels as if the developers tried to take the God of War “vibe” and add a dose of “extreme” to the nth degree, from weapons and attacks, to camera work, enemies, and speed.  In some cases it works beautifully, and in some, well, its debatable.  How much enjoyment you get out of the game versus other titles of the same genre that the game is often compared to, including God of War, or Kamiya’s own, Devil May Cry, will largely depend on the tastes of the individual player, as the game certainly stands on its own just as strongly as it stands against any other.

The problem that I occasionally ran into as I progressed through the game however, and that became all the more pervasive in the last few hours of the game, was that the game’s “over climaxation” occasionally broke the fundamental mechanics that it relies on for its appeal and enjoyment, or in some cases, abandons it completely.  The fact that the game attempts to top it’s own best efforts with every chapter eventually pushes it to a breaking point.  Having to take on giant bosses, fast enemies, battle using all four walls and extend to extremes of the arenas’ verticality, mix up attack patterns, and be ready for quick-time button presses with dramatic repercussions at any moment, forces the camera to do the impossible. 

I don’t think that the camera in Bayonetta is bad.  As a matter of fact, given what its trying to pull off, its amazing that the game is even playable at all, let alone polished to the degree that it is.  I honestly think that the development team just tried to push the presentation to a level that the medium’s presentation abilities, in their current form, are unable to render.  Regrettably, the game turns from one of skill and player focus to one of luck and cheap deaths due to the player being unable to see sudden incoming attacks or determine which direction to head for safety during intense situations, as the world rotates upside down and backwards at lightning speed, and then back again.  Dying and retrying is something that I can handle (hey, I grew up gaming in the ‘80s) when I feel like I can learn the rules of the environment or improve through practice.  Dying repeatedly and not knowing why, is something that I have little patience for.  It is all the more disappointing because it seems that, from the development side, it could certainly have been avoided. 

After that rather lengthy rant, I should take a moment to note here that the grueling experiences outlined above are actually relatively few and far between, particularly through the first three-quarters or so of the game.  When the game can be played as it was meant to, which is most of the time, it’s a very satisfying experience.  The overall speed of the game certainly outpaces much of the competition, but never feels jerky or awkward, and special moves and combos don’t require lightning-fast inputs either.  Rather, the player has to remain calm and focused amidst the action and execute attacks carefully and deliberately, which is a special skill all its own.  Sure, you’re free to just mash buttons to an extent, but taking the time to learn the game is rewarding in itself.  Just don’t put the game down for a few days in the middle (like I did).  The game does a nice job of gradually introducing the player to the game’s mechanics from the beginning, however after a certain point, if you step away and intend to just hop back in whenever you’re ready, be prepared to dedicate some time to getting reacquainted with the controls in a rather unforgiving environment, as later areas of the game hold nothing back.   

I won’t say much about the story (there is one), which has a few interesting and likable characters.  There’s quite a bit of voice work, which overall is pretty solid, as long as you have a high tolerance for witty one-liners and sexual puns.  While the content is certainly made only for adults, neither the story, nor the writing and execution treat the player like one.  Bayonetta is cheap thrills in that department.  (Note: The script seems to have been designed with the English speaking audience in mind).  The music, however, is both quite unique and fitting.  There’s just something about beating the living heavens out of bands of vicious angels to a jazzy, up-tempo, female vocal rendition of “Fly Me to the Moon” that adds an extra layer of satisfaction to the overall experience. 

There is a lot more that I could say about Bayonetta.  I fully intend to finish the game; I’m just waiting for a block of free time to appear when I feel that I have an over-the-top level of patience to contend on a level par with Bayonetta’s style. 

Note: Preview based on the Xbox 360 version of the game.  While there were apparently some issues with load times and images breaking up in the PlayStation 3 version, Sega is apparently dedicated to fixing those issues prior to the North American and European release.