Bayonetta is a masterpiece. Even today, it remains a bold, subversive, and sexually charged example of what action games are capable of. It took inspiration from the likes of Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, and Resident Evil all while crafting its own distinct identity that made it an iconic example of the genre to this day. There’s a reason we’re all ravenous for the third entry.

Under the leadership of Hideki Kamiya, PlatinumGames crafted an irreverent experience that wasn’t afraid to bask in its own stupidity, all while cementing a world and characters that remain endlessly fascinating to revisit. Biblically accurate angels, the weird Greek-esque architecture you see in almost every Sega game, and devilishly catchy music, it’s all here and shining brighter than ever so many years later. The combo of this and Vanquish remains unbeatable in the eyes of many, so much so the duo were recently brought together in a stylish remastered bundle.

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It all begins with Bayonetta herself - she’s unforgettable. At its launch, female characters in the medium were still often subject to needless sexualisation, the memorable heroines we have today being few and far between. While Bayonetta is absolutely sexualised and appeals to the male gaze, she does so in a way that is deliberately critical of the tropes associated with such a character. I feel straight white males fawning over Bayonetta like a sexual object of their own belonging are completely missing the point, and that’s part of her charm, a knowing critical examination of why we find such women so appealing. She isn’t realistic or based in any form of reality, and thus I can’t help but view them as a silly, almost comical hero that relishes in their own absurdity.

Bayonetta

Bayonetta knows that she is smoking hot, using the art of seduction to her advantage as she teases her male counterparts and uses her sexual prowess to stamp enemies into a bloody mess of nothingness. Her outfit is made up of her own demonic hair, woven into an assortment of weapons and supernatural creatures that help accentuate the game’s most explosive set pieces. There isn’t a moment in the campaign that doesn’t feel designed around excess, purposefully built to make Bayonetta into the most outlandish version of a video game protagonist in existence. Somehow, she pulls it off, and this majesty is blissfully obvious from the game’s opening moments.

Roaming a graveyard in a surprisingly modest outfit, Bayonetta finds herself ambushed by a horde of angels as the narrator helps establish exactly what this world is all about, and what we might be fighting for in the coming hours. All seems peaceful until they attack, slashing away pieces of Bayonetta’s outfits as she elicits a number of lecherous moans. Within moments, the heroine we know and love stands before us, lollipop in mouth as she begins murdering fools with a luscious smirk. Fly Me To The Moon begins playing, adding a sense of wonder to the unfolding violence. Netflix wouldn’t shell out the pennies for this song in its version of Neon Genesis Evangelion, but Bayonetta is more than happy to pay the bills if it means giving each and every encounter an eccentric execution we’ll never forget.

Bayonetta

After this introduction, the game never lets up, throwing us into challenging battles and narrative revelations that constantly up the ante, showcasing Bayonetta’s power and how she’s capable of taking on anyone and anything that dares cross her path. She does it with such unbridled confidence, and an attitude that avoids the cringe-inducing toxic masculinity that brings down characters like Devil May Cry’s Dante. She owns every single moment. Even when the story demands she show some compassion for those around her, it’s done so in a way that feels bitingly self-aware, like she’s chewing the scenery of a virtual world she could burst forth from at any moment. Bayonetta is fully aware it’s a video game, operating on internal logic and taking creative liberties that celebrate the medium in ways that few games would dare to. So many are obsessed with poignant realism, while Platinum just doesn’t seem to give a shit. More power to it - this irreverent perspective is exactly why Bayonetta has gone down in history.

It’s a shame the history of Bayonetta is so fragmented, with PlatinumGames often struggling to have the games developed at all, let alone ported to other platforms where they are able to find a wider audience. Bayonetta 2 was funded by Nintendo, meaning the rights remain with the company and the sequel has only ever seen the light of day on Wii U and Switch. I would love to see an enhanced remaster of this game take advantage of PS5 or Xbox Series X, complimented by new content, cosmetics, and other bonuses that introduce it to millions of new players. Whenever this subject is brought up with Hideki Kamiya, he encourages fans to have a moan at Nintendo, making it clear they want to see Bayonetta on more platforms. I doubt that will change though, especially with Bayonetta 3 also on the horizon as a Switch exclusive. Even if the marketing budget doesn’t reflect it, Nintendo is aware of the series’ value, and how hardcore fans will happily jump to its platform in order to play the new game.

The success of Bayonetta 3 isn’t guaranteed either, but the recent reveal trailer teases a deep, unexpected expansion of the mythos that might see us playing as a different iteration of the character altogether. The voice actress has changed, now speculated to be Jennifer Hale, and taking on an appearance that is very much like a grown-up Cereza. Could the little girl have grown up and become a fighting force to rival her mentor? Only time will tell, but I’m so delighted that PlatinumGames is trying some unexpected things, refusing to make us feel comfortable as we’re forced to keep guessing and guessing until the truth is finally unveiled. With only two games under its belt,

Bayonetta has established a legacy that few have managed to match, and there’s so many reasons for this. It’s a shining example of what action games are capable of, whether you’re talking about gameplay, characters, music, the world, or so much more. If you haven’t played Bayonetta, get to it.

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