Bayonetta Review | Nintendo Switch | Best Action game on the switch?
welcome to TisIsReal,
Where we talk about All-Things-VideoGames.
In this video, I’ll be reviewing Bayonetta 1
for Nintendo Switch
Bayonetta was originally released back in 2009 on the XBOX 360 and PS3……
to a rather positive reception….
unless you’re counting the PS3 version…..
the game is lauded for its high
octane action gameplay.
Directed by the legendary Hideki Kamiya,
the original director behind the first
Devil May Cry game.
now I will just say i don’t really have a lot of action game experience.
the amount of Hack and Slash game i played can probably be counted all in one hand.
but Bayonetta is really the cream of the crop out of every action Game I ever played!
it’s worth noting that this is a mature game….
with lots of sexual innuendos
littered everywhere.
chief among them being Bayonetta (herself).
(who) is often depicted in
Hyper-Sexualised way.
The design of Bayonetta is often at the
center of controversy
as (her) over-sexualized design can rub some people the wrong way.
Personally, i really like Bayonetta
as a character.
she’s funny, confident & flamboyant.
And a lot of that personality stems from…
the fact that she’s very comfortable
in her own skin.
and her own
And her take-no-prisoners approach
makes her…
one of the most distinct and memorable
female protagonists….
I’ve ever played.
and this aspect really gels with the whole tone of the game really well.
it isn’t a game that takes anything too seriously.
it’s a game that constantly “1-ups” itself…
by creating more and more outrageous and….
zany spectacles one after the other.
as such, the plot can kind of feel a little bit uneven at times.
some parts of the plot can be hard to follow.
and the plot overall feels like an afterthought.
and personally, I wouldn’t wanted
it any other way
I can’t imagine if they tried to make a serious story out of this…
nonsensical cast of characters and events.
the main reason that make Bayonetta so goddamn fun has to do with its gameplay!
At the heart of its gameplay ….
is the immaculate combat system.
Bayonetta can control two forms of weapons
one that is used on a hand…
the other strapped to her legs.
this allows for a dizzying amount of different combos and playstyles…..
As you unlock more weapons,
and acquire more movesets from the Shop.
it is such a rewarding battle system!
the more you play,
the better you get to understanding its combos & weapons and the system.
After every wave of enemies and chapter,
you are scored according to how well
you have performed.
This incentivises multiple playthroughs.
as you try to get the best award possible!
the one mechanic that really ties the battle system together is Witch Time.
if one was to press the dodge button at the last possible moment (before enemy strike)
Witch Time will trigger!
where time was slow down to a crawl for
all the enemies.
Granting you time to completely wreck them with a nasty combination.
This mechanic is so fun!
it never gets boring trying to time when exactly the enemy will strike!
it is paramount to get used to this system.
as in some parts of the game the enemies rarely give you any meaningful openings.
and some battles absolutely required it to beat.
I also love the pacing of the gameplay!
amidst all the action-packed sequences,
you do get to do some exploring and
light puzzle solving.
it managed to strike a really good balance
retaining the high moment-to-moment gameplay!
which is something i can’t exactly say about the other action games i played!
one thing I would like to mention is that
this game can get really hard at times!
the difficulty is pretty tough for me
even just at normal (difficulty)
multiple deaths is often commonplace
in just a single chapter!
not to mention some of these deaths come from horribly-placed QuickTimeEvents!
failing some of these QuickTimeEvents…
can result in instant death!
which just doesn’t feel that fair at times.
At the end of the day,
what you get from this gameplay is a
fast high octane relentless game….
that really makes you FEEEL like
a powerful Umbra Witch.
let’s talk about the presentation of this game.
I played the Nintendo Switch digital version of the game that comes with Bayonetta 2!
As such, the graphic tops are only 720p 60FPS
The art style is definitely very distinct from many other games.
The stand-outs being really the enemies design.
Much of the enemies you get to face
are angels.
And the angels portrayed in Bayonetta are so much more different….
from other media depiction of
these mythical beings…..
which really lends Bayonetta
a really unique artstyle overall.
Moreover, the animations deserves
praise as well.
Attacks are very fluid and responsive….
conveying a great sense of power!
other animations such as
Bayonetta flamboyant antics.
really adds to the whole stylish nature
of the game.
my only major gripe with the art style is
the color range!
(In some cases,) It looks very very dark..
all these colors makes the graphics looks a little bit washed and dull in my eyes.
the switch version generally plays very smoothly in docked-mode…
with not a lot of noticeable slowdowns.
since the native resolution is only 720p,
in handheld mode the game looks
insanely good.
However, I do find the slowdowns are a lot more noticeable and more often in handheld mode.
The audio aspect is definitely the best part about the presentation for me!
Firstly, the soundtrack is a treat to listen to.
I’ve heard a few of these tracks from playing super smash bros before.
so i already know the soundtrack
is gonna be sick.
but i didn’t know it will work so well in the game.
Most of my favorite tracks from the game
utilize a lot of jazz!
And it works so incredibly well in this game.
Many of the Battle tracks makes fighting so much more epic which is….
something i can’t say about Devil May Cry 4
which i actually got really tired of listening
to the same battle theme.
Secondly, I have to praise the sound effects.
Every bullet, every attack, every munching sound effects….
felt so satisfying to listen to!
One of my favorite sound effect is the
distortion effect.
when you trigger Witch Time!
And lastly, I have to talk about how great the…
voice acting is!
especially Bayonetta’s voice direction!
It’s so incredibly good!
Bayonetta’s voice-actor really nailed
the role perfectly!
I love the posh-sounding delivery..
giving Bayonetta so much SASS and Character!
Since this is the switch version,
there are certainly some features not
found in other versions.
mainly, the Nintendo costumes are included where Bayonetta can dress up as…
Peach, Daisy, Samus or Link….
each costume adds a little gameplay
variety to the mix!
in some cases, merely changing some
visuals and audio flair!
also in the switch version,
there’s also a touch input way to
playthrough the game!
I generally don’t really care for it that much…
However, I’m glad this is an option.
As having better accessibility in games can…
can help certain players playthrough
the game easier.
I did find this control (Setup) very useful….
during QuickTimeEvents where you have
to mash the buttons.
To summarize,
Bayonetta has one of the best combat system in any action game I played.
Featuring deep mechanics and combos…
that rewards mastery and multiple playthroughs.
shoutout goes to the WitchTime mechanic which never (got) old.
Bayonetta features a very unique artstyle..
standouts being enemies and character design.
with great animations work all around.
the audio presentation is very high quality…
with an awesome soundtrack,satisfying sound effects and great voice acting.
The negatives are poorly placed QuickTimeEvents…
difficulty can feel kinda hard…
and a dark colored palette.
overall I’m giving Bayonetta a ? out of 10.
Personally, I’m not a super big fan of
action hack and slash games.
but Bayonetta really opened my eyes to these type of games.
Bayonetta is an incredibly stylish game with…
over-the-top set pieces and fun gameplay..
that really never lets out all the way to the finale and beyond.
I can safely say Bayonetta is my personal favorite action game ever!
If you have not picked up this game,
I would recommend the switch pc and the Vanquish(Bundle) ports of this game…
it’s often on-sale on steam for just five dollars.
Definitely worth the purchase there!
Alright i’ll be taking a break from the Bayonetta franchise for a while,
I’ll definitely be playing through Bayo 2somewhere in the future….
so if you want to hear my opinions
on that game.
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And to see me recap my gaming year in 2020,
as well as my ‘Game of The Year’!
Click here!
so long guys, so long!!
