Bayonetta 2 Nintendo Direct Recap

Easily the biggest third-party game to come to the Wii U this year is Bayonetta 2, courtesy of Platinum Games. The fact that Bayonetta 2 is also a Wii U exclusive (whereas the original was for the 360 and PS3) also adds to the intrigue.

In its latest Nintendo Direct (which can be viewed here), the Director and Producer of Bayonetta 2 took to the screen to show off their upcoming title. Here are my thoughts and notes on the game.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• In case you haven’t heard, the original Bayonetta is being packaged with the new title. That makes it two games in one! And if you’re more the digital type (aka the Eshop), both games will be available there as well. And if you buy them at the same time, the total will come to $59.98. No, that’s not a typo, the Eshop will implement a special discount for buying them together. So if you haven’t played the original (like myself) it’s never been easier to catch up.
• The Director for the title defined Bayonetta 2 as a “Non-Stop Climax Action” game, meaning that the ebbs and flows of battle feel tense, yet fun, and it feels good to unleash your power on the Angels and Demons of the game. After watching numerous shots of in-game footage, this game is clearly not lacking for action. There are battles on land, in the air, in the water, in vehicles, and everywhere else inbetween. Platinum is putting their all into this game, and it shows.
• Not only is the action tight though, it’s expansive. Aside from standard Bayonetta moves from the last game, Bayonetta 2 also adds Witch Time (a time spell), Dodge Offset (which allows you to do combos as you dodge) and Umbran Climax (think Super Saiyan mode) to the mix to make the combat feel even cool. Add to that, you can change the weapons Bayonetta uses. Attach different weapons to her hands and feet and test out what works for you. You can also preset two different versions of Bayonetta’s weapons and switch them on the fly. I think this is very cool, as it’ll almost never become boring, as you can switch weapons, test out new combos, etc. There’s a LOT to play with here.
• Nintendo already unveiled that Bayonetta would be getting some Nintendo costumes. But today, we got the reveal of one more, a Star Fox costume. Oh yeah, they went there. All the costumes, from the Princess costumes, to the Samus armor, and the Link outfit all look top notch. And the attacks they do really emphasize how much detail Platinum put into make these unique.
• An interesting addition to the game is the Tag Climax mode. This is for online and local play where you can pick characters from the Bayonetta universe and faces numerous monsters you’ve played in the game…all the while trying to outshine your partner. The benefit here is that you get Halos (the games currency) to use in the main game (to buy new weapons, upgrades, new skills, etc.), and then the further you play in the main game, the more monsters you can face in Tag Climax. Got all that? All in all, this is a mode you’ll definitely want to try out.
• Now you may be saying, “Isn’t this a very technical game? Should I be an expert in this type of game to play it?” The answer is an emphatic “NO!”. Platinum has gone out of their way to make sure gamers of all kinds can play and enjoy Bayonetta 2, and the original as well. There are casual modes with less difficulty, and different modes of controls that you can use to make things easier. Including playing on the Wii U touch screen.
• Finally, the game just looks gorgeous. From the characters, to the worlds, to the enemies, it is all crisp, and it is all in HD. Anyone who says the Wii U can’t match up graphically with other systems may want to watch the Direct. Cause their minds will be blown.

In the end, the team from Platinum truly showed off what to expect from Bayonetta 2, all the while showing why this game is a must-own for Wii U owners. The game comes out on Oct. 24.