Games of the Generation #5 - Bayonetta

Look, but don't touch

Fittingly for a game about discovering your identity, Bayonetta is of two minds as to what it wants to be. They're two very different minds too. One is a cold, analytical, machine, a system of countless checks and balances, crunching numbers and calculating odds. It's a razor's edge of precise, mechanical gameplay, a series of systems that beautifully interlock to produce one of the most balanced, well rounded combat systems ever seen in a videogame.

The other mind is basically the equivalent of dropping a nuclear bomb in a firework factory, then sitting back with the popcorn. It's the quintessential example of the a formula developer Platinum Games has mastered - build a rock solid gameplay foundation and then drop endless towers of crazy on top. So we've got hair-wearing witches battling the forces of heaven to techno-lounge remixes of 'Fly Me to the Moon'. We've got Bayonetta herself, a cross between a sexy secretary, a Barbie doll and a killing machine. While she may look like an adolescent wet dream brought to life, don't be fooled - this is no sexist power fantasy. In fact, Bayonetta dominates the game like few protagonists ever have. Sassy, savvy and utterly confident in her ability to kick ass, she's the cool, calm centre at the heart of the ever escalating storm.

The madness may ramp higher and higher, but you'll never lose your way, because the combat fundamentals are so solid. The genius of Bayonetta is how completely in control you feel at all times, and how close to the edge the game forces you to dance to succeed. The genius of the shoulder button dodge is matched only by the idea of 'Witch Time', a slow-mo mode that's only triggered if you leave your dodge to the very last second, pushing the risk/reward ratio to the limit. Combined with multiple weapons, techniques and powerups, full-on Bayonetta play is like a gorgeous ballet, flowing from enemy to enemy while barely holding onto your combo.

And that's not even mentioning the multiple loving Sega references ('Welcome to my Fantasy Zone!'). Or the dance off. The ridiculous soundtrack. The gargantuan, screen-filling bosses. The witty, tongue-in-cheek script. Bayonetta is the Hollywood A-Lister of videogames. It's mad, arrogant, pompous and endlessly extravagant. But all that flash is backed by substance, all the extreme supplied with elegance. It'll party all night and still deliver 100% effort in the morning. It's the best, it knows it's the best, and it isn't going to be quiet about it.