PS3: Bayonetta Hands-on

Just released this week on the PSN Store, we take a hands-on look at the demo and check out what’s so hot about the title.

Developed by Platinum games and directed by Devil may Cry series creator Hideki Kamiya, Bayonetta seeks to bring a fresh new look at the formula which Kamiya has pioneered and takes it to another level. Bayonetta centers on it’s title character, a witch who can wield 4 guns and other weapons and dish out magical attacks with the use of her hair.

The game play is very similar to that of the Devil May Cry series in which you’ll still have the same close attacks and long range attacks. The new addition this time is the magic attacks which are usually automatically called upon as you rack up your combos resulting in a stunning, visually impressive and brutal finisher. You can also perform amazing acrobatics which allows Bayonetta to shoot her guns in a variety of poses.

The demo we played consisted of 2 levels, the first being a tutorial to become accustomed to the controls and the second being the first real level to the game. The tutorial basically pits you against generic enemies and teaches the basics of the game which involve learning to use melee attacks, combos, blocks and magic attacks. It’s set in a generic screen that isn’t using any level and basically it forms the loading screens which allows you to test out moves while waiting for a particular level to load.

The first level takes place in a cathedral which is somehow occupied by “spirits”. We didn’t know reason for this as the text is completely in Japanese while the dialogues and voices all spoke English. Taking a stroll past the cathedral and into a open area with a fountain in the middle, we are treated to our first real battle between hordes of flying enemies. The controls feel pretty solid and there wasn’t any issues trying to perform a magic attack. After finishing all of the enemies, we are treated to our first major set piece, the Betrayed which is this massive axe wielding hulk-like monster with a red gem on it’s back. As I’ve played some of the Devil May Cry series, I could instantly tell this was it’s weak point and began tearing into the monster.
Further along there’s another impressive fight with a monster which destroys some of the environment and also a duel between another witch. The demo does reveal some back story to Bayonetta and you’ll see some insight about her past.

The graphics are pretty impressive, especially once you call your faithful magical canine to perform a stunning finisher. The architecture is also very detailed and produces a glorious shine as you play through the level. Despite all the arguments about the Playstation 3 version having massive framerate issues, we didn’t notice any of the sort while playing the demo.

From what we can tell, Bayonetta looks to be a very interesting title and we can’t wait to see how the full game comes together. Check it out when it launches in Q1 2010.


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