A stylish witch returns to vanquish angels and demons in the action-packed, third-person adventure Bayonetta 2 (Nintendo and Platinum Games, Rated Mature, $59.99).
Built exclusively for Nintendo’s entertainment system, this hack-and-slash game has a rating that should catch parents’ attention. Don’t expect a riff on Zelda or the Mario Bros. here, folks.
Instead, Nintendo again places its toe in the water of mature-rated games, and that should be a relief for older Wii U owners. The company does not do it often, but it certainly makes the right choices when it does to satisfy those in the mature demographic.
However, I digress.
Once again, out to thwart the forces of good and stay sharply dressed in the process, our sexy, high-heeled heroine Bayonetta (still looking like “The Matrix” heroine Trinity’s more studious older sister) is back with enough acrobatic moves, firepower, tricks and cheesecake to mesmerize a male gamer.
The sequel’s free-flowing combat mechanics only slightly build on its 2009 processor (why fix something that was never broken?) — but its welcomed variety of enemies, fighting techniques and expansion of arenas are worth savoring.
A player takes part in intense combat throughout a 16-chapter story that has Bayonetta saving a comrade dragged into the Inferno of Darkness while she is in a constant struggle against a mysterious, masked Lumen Sage.
The fast-paced, thumb-aching battles often resemble a slightly ribald music video as Bayonetta proudly displays her multifunctional clothing, and lack of clothing, along with her healthy physique through often gratuitous camera angles.
Her gorgeous attacks are not limited to high-flying flutter kicks (during which she sprouts butterfly wings in mid-air). She also sports pistols (one in each hand and in each high-heeled boot) with which she can unload a hail of bullets.
Bayonetta’s magic offers some beautifully crafted powers. These include the return of Witch time (a slow down of enemy movements triggered by ducking an attack at the right moment), the Umbran Climax (a dizzying unleashing of demonic forces on groups of opponents), and transforming into a panther and sea serpent.
Also, with her magic gauge at full capacity, she can manifest torture devices on the battlefield to gruesomely dispatch an enemy. These include a treadmill with spinning blades, an iron maiden, a massive bear trap and a guillotine, to name but a few.
Our heroine even accumulates gold rings (halos) from fallen foes that she can use to purchase additional powers and weapons (such as blades, a whip and a scythe) while shopping at her buddy Rodin’s bar and armory, aptly titled the “Gates of Hell.”
Throughout, developers deliver enormous and colorful enemies so visually impressive that it’s often impossible to focus on destroying them. I’ll reference an early battle with a multistory demon dragon named Gamorah or the multitude of golden armor styles worn by angels.
I could have done without the sophomoric dialogue peppered with profanity during Bayonetta’s downtime, but I loved the battle music that sounded like the score from a Matt Helm movie of the 1960s. (There’s one to look up on Wiki, kiddies.)
The Wii U tablet acts as an interactive command center for controlling Bayonetta, if a player so chooses. Its touchscreen and stylus require tapping and swiping to pull off near every one of her cool moves.
For more seasoned veterans, it’s more annoying than functional, and they will prefer using traditional gaming controls, triggers buttons and analog sticks to appreciate this button-mashing, old-style fighting game.
Additionally, the latest game gets a cooperative, online-only mode called “Tag Climax” in which a pair of players works together (eventually selecting from any of the key characters including Bayonetta, Jeane and Rodin) to fight off waves of angels and demons in more than 50 battles.
Now, if it isn’t enough to offer a brilliant game, owners of the new game also get the original “Bayonetta,” which never had been released for any Nintendo system. It looks outdated compared to the sequel, but it offers some interesting costumes and has plenty of gorgeous, twisted moments.
“Bayonetta 2” is clearly one of the best Wii U games available since the system’s release and one of the best games of the year.
If Nintendo could start consistently releasing this level of gaming experiences every month, it would easily catch the attention of Xbox One and PlayStation 4 devotees and begin building back a fading audience.
• Joseph Szadkowski can be reached at jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com.
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