Everyone knows the old saying – “Two heads are better than one.”  For the most part, it’s true.  Get more people thinking about something, and everyone benefits – you get more and different opinions that might help you shape the way you think about… well, anything.  It’s with this mindset that we go into our Two Brains review, where Molotov Cupcake and The Herp have had a meeting of the minds to discuss Bayonetta for the both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Molotov Cupcake: Bayonetta’s got it all: cheeky wit, a svelte figure, and stylish moves to back it up. It’s no surprise that she should steal the show from peers in the genre such as Devil May Cry with her frenetic yet graceful moves.

The Herp: I agree with you 100% on that one. Bayonetta has so much personality in it, even with the stereotypical characters. I definitel think it’s the Devil May Cry for this generation.

Molotov Cupcake: Now, I wouldn’t exactly call Bayonetta’s cast stereotypical — I feel though they’re set in their roles perfectly. Luka is almost necessary. Rodin? His toughness exudes a ridiculous amount of charm. And Bayonetta herself? She may appear to be a sexed-up tart but as you progress throughout the game, you discover a lost, frightened girl amidst all the style. And that’s why I found Cereza (both who I thought she was and who she ended up being) so endearing.

The Herp: Though from my point of view the Joe Pesci character, the big black dude with the deep voice, even Bayonetta herself being a typical Japanese fantasy woman, very tall big boobs, long legs, et cetera. Don’t get me wrong.  I liked all the characters, because they made me laugh. I think they are stereotypes. I just don’t see a problem with it.

Molotov Cupcake: Since the over-the-top style of Bayonetta relies on how silly and inane each of the characters really are, I think we can agree that they work quite well together. And though many gamers are calling the game’s plotline “nonsense,” there’s a touching story underneath the coquettish smirk tattooed onto Bayonetta’s face.

The Herp: Yeah there is a story there. I think it has more of a story than other games from that genre but I got sick of all the cut scenes and the lame dialogue that towards the end I didnt care anymore. I kept skipping all of them leading up to the final fights. I just didn’t care anymore and it started to annoy me.

Molotov Cupcake: It’s funny that you say that because the corny dialogue and the visually striking battles were what got me interested in the first place, as well as the fighting. The clamor for more “realistic” female characters doesn’t interest me in that I’d much rather play as someone extravagant and loud — someone not afraid to be herself, as attractive (or even unattractive) as that may be. So seeing Bayonetta, Jeanne, and the interaction between the rest of the characters kept me playing long after I was annoyed by some of the cheap moves some of the enemies pulled. And speaking of battling, it’s smooth like butter!

The Herp: The combat in this game is unlike any other out there. Even though it goes back to the same style involving moving into a room and fighting your way through enemies to get past it, The combat is so fluid you don’t mind. Witch Time is awesome and it works so well with the dodge mechanic, which is probably the best I’ve seen.

Molotov Cupcake: Right. Witch Time may take a little getting used to at first, especially timing your dodges just right, but when you nail it the first time you never cease to feel as though you’re accomplishing something great when you pull it off. Some might argue it makes the game too simple, but Bayonetta can be downright brutal, and even a few seconds of reprieve from battle is greatly appreciated.

The Herp: I’ve heard people saying it makes the combat too much like Assassin’s Creed, because at times it’s better to sit there and wait for them to attack so you can dodge, but it’s not like that at all. It’s way faster. You have to dodge; not to get witch time but because some of the enemies hit so ridiculously hard. Plus, the combos look so good. Why wouldn’t you want every chance to get to pull them off without having to worry about someone hitting you in the back?

Molotov Cupcake: Especially dazzling combos like Breakdance — I was trying to pull that off every time I possibly could. They’re superbly animated and every move flows effortlessly into the next.

The Herp: The combos were all really good, especially the Breakdance move that ended in a wink. I think more games should learn from how Bayonetta handled combos because you really felt like you were pulling off the move instead of button mashing. The only thing I didn’t like was the lack of rings you got per round or the fact that so much was riding on the final score. Because of this I never got enough rings or points to unlock more moves and weapons during the first playthrough. So I feel like I missed out on so much and I don’t think I should have to replay levels in order to get them.

Molotov Cupcake: I definitely agree. I ended up getting a few Platinum medals throughout, but my moves were just not up to the game’s standards. Only a couple times throughout my playthrough did I have enough halos to purchase a few items. The rest of my halos were spent on healing items or moves. I suppose that’s Japanese difficulty for you! I just wasn’t up to snuff, I guess, often getting stone statues. I would definitely play differently in another round through the game, simply to be able to unlock the things I missed out on the first time. And you’re right, it’s a little unfair to have to replay in order to build your halo count, but there were at least a few instances where it was possible to pull off a decent amount, such as within easier boss battles.

The Herp: Yeah, there are places to get a lot but it gets really hard toward the later chapters. Did you find a lot of the portals for the challenge levels?

Molotov Cupcake:I actually found quite a few, but I didn’t attempt to conquer them all.

The Herp: I had a hard time finding those, but I believe doing them would boost your score at the end of the chapter.

Molotov Cupcake: Most definitely. But I was so focused on the main story that I did kind of breeze through without fully delving into the the Alfheim portals. I do think they presented some interesting challenges, though, the ones that I did attempt. And as the game stands, it’s fairly long enough on its own without going after all of the bonuses, especially since you might need to work on perfecting your timing.

The Herp: Speaking of the length, did it kind of drag on for you, just a bit? Like just when you thought it was over, bam, its not. More boss fights? What!?

Molotov Cupcake: Actually, no, I couldn’t believe it could just end the way it did before the prologue. I knew there had to be something bigger, more epic, and the final boss battle was quite satisfying, if not just a little bit obnoxious. But once I worked out a strategy, it was smooth sailing from there.

The Herp: I was happy to play more, but maybe it was because of the repeating boss fights, which was my biggest problem with the game. I love the boss fights but then you make me fight the same guy two or three times, it begins to grate on my nerves. I didn’t have a problem with the game until then and I’m shocked that people dont talk about that more often. It’s very DMC4. It made me feel like they got lazy towards the end and just needed you to fight someone before the big final boss.

Molotov Cupcake: Oh, absolutely. Though in DMC4 you were forced to take a different approach and change your tactics up while fighting as Dante rather than Nero the second time around. Without the Red Queen you had to adapt to what Dante had to use. I feel like since in Bayonetta you only gained more skills and better stats, those fights were a bit throwaway, but something I’ve come to expect. Even in games such as Final Fantasy it’s sort of standard procedure nowadays to fight the same baddies you blazed through before, except a much more powerful version. I had quite a bit of trouble with the rehashed enemies, too, especially Kinship. But I suppose it did bump the difficulty up a bit. Still, it’s pretty lazy, any way you look at it. Yet, I was grateful for any time I got to spend fighting as Bayonetta and being graced with the battle music as well.

The Herp: Haha, the music! The first time I heard it, I thought it was awesome. Then I heard it over, and over, and over. The normal fighting music I didn’t mind as much. After awhile though i did change it up and started playing music from my Xbox instead.

Molotov Cupcake: I think the jazz fusion plays a huge role in the game, and it just wouldn’t be the same without the few bars of “Fly Me to the Moon” or the sultry vocals overlying the flitting piano. It was very well-suited to Bayonetta’s confident personality, and I much preferred it to the pseudo-metal of Devil May Cry.

The Herp: I enjoyed it, but the repetition did begin to wear on me.

Molotov Cupcake: Too much of a good thing CAN become a bad thing, right? But I know that one playthrough of Bayonetta isn’t enough for me. In a stagnant genre that has relied on muted, boring colors and somewhat boring “cool” characters, I found Bayonetta’s booty-shakin’, lollipop-licking attitude to be a breath of fresh air. Stylish, cool, sexy, and functional — just like the little black dress of action games.

The Herp: I liked the style a lot. Do you think that people who aren’t used to the Japanese culture of anime or manga can enjoy or appreciate this game? I ask someone like you who is really into that stuff, because I do not really enjoy much of what is popular in anime. However, I do understand why people like it and there are some that I do find myself liking, so I can appreciate Bayonetta’s style.

Molotov Cupcake:Honestly, I don’t think the Japanese cultural influences here are what ultimately turns gamers off to this fantastic game. True, it’s heavily inspired by some of what the Japanese hold dear, but It’s the stigma surrounding Bayonetta being nothing more than a piece of you-know-what that makes it inaccessible for some. It’s true that this game isn’t for everyone. You’ll love or hate its campy attitude and shameless fanservice, but that’s the point. It was created to be flamboyant, over-the-top, and in your face.

Yes, Bayonetta is theoretically “sexy” but her ridiculous proportions and somewhat shattered psyche clash with each other, negating the “sex symbol” effect she might exude. I feel this is a classic case of judging a book by its cover. Some women I know personally snub it because they do not want to buy into the male fantasy of long legs and bountiful breasts on female characters. They feel objectified. Yet, as gamers they enjoy titles such as Devil May Cry. They’ll never know that there’s an entirely different story going on underneath those rouged lips and confident smirk. It’s a shame that they cannot look past the outer core and see into the heart of the game that presents an engaging (and ultimately empowering) story that women — especially mothers — might walk away from feeling rather good about.

Many male gamers echo the sentiment that Bayonetta is the ultimate male fantasy as well, and that she’s pure eye candy. I can’t get behind that at all. I urge all gamers to simply sit down with the demo and try it.  The true genius behind such an excellently executed combat system speaks volumes, in a much louder voice than the dismissal that she’s just some kind of tart. Had it been Devil May Cry 5, would we still hear the same protests? I highly doubt it. Give the game a chance, and look past the deceptive bubblegum wrapper here. You may be surprised by what you find.

The Herp: Some good points made there. Overall Bayonetta is a really good game. It has done what Devil May Cry did for our current generation. The style, the characters, the combos , the dodging and the boss fights brought something that we haven’t seen in this genre for a long time. I would love to give it a score of 9 or higher but the repeating boss fights, the way the story drags on, the two levels where you ride a motorcycle and a rocket (which takes so much away from the game) and the fact that I couldn’t unlock all the weapons and moves the game has to offer on the first playthrough was a big let down. I liked it a lot but it wasn’t a perfect game by any means and I feel that a lot of people who reviewed/played the game don’t notice these issues because the combat is so fluid and entertaining. If I were to score it I would have to give it an 8 for the reasons I already noted but it’s still a really good game.

Molotov Cupcake: I’d have to agree with all of your assessments, there. The vehicles were a pain, and they really dragged the rest of the otherwise fine game through the mud. Despite those small complaints, I was absolutely enthralled, and I would love to see a sequel or something done in a similar vein (I’d love to play as Jeanne again!). It certainly has issues, but it’s a gigantic hair-boot step in the right direction, so I’m going to award it an 8 as well.

Doin It RIGHT: - Fast, fluid combat is extremely entertaining. - Enjoyable characters who inject humor into the campaign. - Tons of unlockables if you want to put in the effort to obtain them all.	Doin It RONG: - Vehicle sequences are almost entirely throwaway. - Stigma attached to Bayonetta’s “sexiness” continues to turn away potential fans. - It’s all about the letter grades — forced to replay levels to the game’s satisfaction in order to obtain items, halos.
FINAL SCORE: 8 / 10

Tags: Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, Hideki Kamiya, PlayStation 3, Two Brains Review, Xbox 360

This entry was posted on Friday, February 19th, 2010 at 12:12 am and is filed under Featured, Reviews, Two Brains Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.