bayonetta game review
Bayonetta, a top PC versionThis is probably the best known game of Hideki Kamiya: in 2010, Bayonetta kicked the world of beat'em all with an esoteric adventure of crazy energy. Capable of being as beautiful and technical as crazy and devoid of any form of measure, Bayonetta had impressed many players ... Except those who prefer to play on PC, and who therefore never got the right. The good news is that Platinum Games recently offered on Steam a dusted version of the title, with 4K resolution and all the touin-touin. What to enjoy Bayonetta in the best possible conditions, in 2017.
My beloved witch (by Epyon)
Bayonetta, a top PC version
It is a real pleasure to find Bayonetta, even in 2017. Even today, the adventures of the witch with endless legs are a model in the genre of beat'em all, a category in which very many competitors box. And not the least. But with a character such as Hideki Kamiya (Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, Okami ...) at the helm, could it be otherwise? Probably not. Replaying at Bayonetta in 2017 is like relaunching a great cinema classic. A fast-paced action film, with punchlines as memorable as its main actors, and served by scenes of anthology and unforgettable music. Bayonetta was a masterpiece in 2010, and it is still the case in 2017, especially with its PC version. So I leave it to you to read the very comprehensive and still relevant miniblob test, written at the time, so that we can focus on what interests you most: what is this PC version worth?
Bayonetta, a top PC version
Good pick friends, this PC port is frankly successful and does honor to the beauty of the witch who gives its name to the game. in fact the game is still very pretty, and on almost any machine. On our PC (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, 16 GB of RAM, Intel Core i7-3770), the game could be displayed without problems in a pretty 4K resolution, at 60 frames per second. After verification, the game is capable of running at 1080p / 60 fps on most mid-range machines, even those with slightly dated graphics cards, like the Radeon HD 7770. Suffice to say that this PC version of Bayonetta s imposes without forcing as being the best version of the game to date, far ahead of the Xbox 360 version in backward compatibility on Xbox One.Bayonetta is thus prettier, finer. If some will see a detail, it must still be kept in mind that in a game with an action as intense as Bayonetta, these small graphic improvements are of great help. Thanks to them, the screen gains in readability since everything that is displayed is sharper, more precise. This is particularly appreciated in boss fights, which tend to be as big and big as dangerous.
But alas not everything is perfect. The game is currently locked at 60 frames per second and we imagine that some would have liked to push Bayonetta a little further, in order to do justice to the grace of its movements, by offering them maximum fluidity. We quibble a bit, certainly. On the other hand, more annoying, the game offers an anti-aliasing setting (MSAA, up to x16), but it seems that it does not work. A problem currently encountered by other users everywhere on the net. Again, nothing too bad but it is true that in places, the game could be smoother.
Platinum Games studio may be relatively new, but the teams to whom we owe this famous Bayonetta are not really newcomers to the video game world. We find indeed Hideki Kamiya at the controls, a former Clover studio who has already signed titles as prestigious as Okami, Viewtiful Joe or the first Devil May Cry. We remember that he had a few setbacks with Capcom and that he ended up founding his own brand. This is how Platinum Games was born and the young studio was not long in spreading the word with a bloody, funny and stylized title responding to the sweet name of MadWorld. He comes back to us today with a beat'em all that might seem more classic but which ultimately greatly outperforms his little comrades.
Before even embarking on the adventure, the bad tongues already criticize the very particular design of the beautiful witch. Her sado-maso mistress air and her outrageously suggestive breaks are indeed enough to disconcert players who are used to smooth and clean heroes. It must be admitted that the background of this character is rich enough to fit on a half grain of rice but fans of beat'em all will not blame him for that: the representatives of the genre have never really shone by their script and Bayonetta is no exception to the rule. We thus embody an amnesiac witch who has recently emerged from a sleep that lasted 500 years and who now seeks to recover her memories by massacring hordes of unfriendly angels. If the many cinematics that punctuate the game combine a certain sense of spectacle with a humor rarely very refined, it must be recognized that they will not necessarily help you to give meaning to this massacre. For example, when the bosses launch out in long tirades to finally reveal their motivations, Bayonetta generally interrupts them rather dryly by insulting them, by showing them his buttocks or by throwing them what passes to him within reach. You will understand, the mockery and the second degree are therefore in order: the title of Platinum Games is happy to hijack the codes established by its predecessors and does not hesitate to offer us some nice winks. This is how when the witch turns into a black panther, she grows flowers in her path like Amaterasu, the wolf of Okami, or the arms dealer refuses to fix a chainsaw on her the arm which would be reminiscent of a certain MadWorld ...
Bayonetta therefore makes every effort with regard to various and varied references. The little guys from Platinum Games even went so far as to propose a strange shoot'em up phase by giving us control of a huge missile and each level ends with a mini-game of angelic shooting that seems straight out of a fun fair. But rest assured, the title as a whole remains a superb example of beat'em all. The grip of the beautiful witch may also seem relatively trivial at first: a key is dedicated to attacks using small mimins, another allows you to kick and a third to take out your guns to attack distance. Things do not stop there since you can configure the weapons that the girl carries in her hands or that she hangs on her feet. She can thus attach small shotguns to her stilettos while wielding a katana. It is thus possible to define two combinations and to quickly switch from one to the other thanks to the left trigger. This very summary description of the gameplay would not be complete without mentioning the possibility of dodging attacks from your opponents at any time by simply pressing the right trigger. Not only will Bayonetta then gracefully avoid the blow in question, but that will not break her sequence and she can continue to kick the buttocks of her enemies. You will even be entitled to a very significant bonus if you manage to dodge at the last moment by immediately going into "Witch Time" mode: time freezes for a moment so you can retaliate violently or send back the projectiles that were intended for you.
In the end we end up with incredibly dynamic fights during which we must always remain attentive to the slightest movement of its enemies to dodge the attacks. Better to avoid blows that lower your life gauge to a crazy pace. If you choose a normal difficulty mode, the first scuffles of Bayonetta will certainly seem rather difficult at first. But rest assured, you get used to this hectic pace and you will very quickly manage to get out of the sequences that seemed simply unfeasible before. Not only is each combination of weapons associated with its own palette of combos, but as you progress through the game you also gradually unlock new flashy special attacks. The witch is thus able to embark on a particularly deadly breakdance choreography or to send her enemies pounding with great heels. The picture would not be complete without mentioning the famous invocations: Bayonetta can thus end a combo using her hair and lose some of her outfit in passing to materialize a huge boot or a gigantic devastating punch. It is finally possible to call upon magic to carry out attacks even more impressive: according to the enemy and the way you approach it, the poor guy can for example pass to the scaffold, make a stay in an iron lady, rubbing against a hoop horse bristling with blades, or being literally cut in half. All these joys not only promise you varied clashes, but you will also feel real satisfaction by learning to master the different special moves.
Bayonetta's gameplay videos could raise fears that this frenzy could ultimately affect the readability of the action. If the developers of Platinum Games did not go there with the back of the spoon when it comes to special effects, these ultimately make the whole thing more clear. Indeed the attacks of the enemies are for example often preceded by a small gleam which allows you to synchronize your dodge more easily. The curious who therefore quietly watches a game of Bayonetta may find it difficult to navigate, but the player will never be lost.
The notes
+ Positive points
A super clean PC version ...
... able to run on many configurations
Titanic battles
Funny
Hairy gameplay
Honest lifespan for a beat'em all
An unforgettable soundtrack
-Negative points
Framerate blocked at 60 fps and anti-aliasing that does not work
Forgetable scenario
Nervous, funny and visually impressive, Bayonetta is definitely one of the best beat'em all of his generation, and this again in 2017. If we could fear that Platinum Games will serve us here a game solely focused on curves of his heroine, we must finally recognize that it is above all for its perfectly mastered gameplay that the title will be remembered. This PC version does him credit, and should delight players who have been waiting for him for a long time.
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