After months without news, Bayonetta 3 finally showed its face... and a release date! On September 13, during a Nintendo Direct, PlatinumGames and Nintendo released a new trailer, focusing on the characters, just a few weeks before its release on October 28, 2022.
[midroll]
The gameplay was revealed in the very first trailer on July 13. In the first few seconds, the video didn't make it clear that this was Bayonetta, so much so that the staging differed from previous opuses, as did the angelic creature, which bears no resemblance to what fans have come to know. But PlatinumGames ' "P", formed by revolver bullets, and the instantly recognizable "Witch Time" sound effect soon made it clear that this was Bayonnetta, until she appeared on screen, revolvers in hand instead of heels.
The second trailer unveils a number of new gameplay mechanics, with new spells and summons that are ever more monstrous and titanic. A new technique in particular, the demonic masquerade, allows you to plummet, slice and crush your enemies in a festival of spectacular combos.
The video also reveals a little more about the game's story, as Bayonetta battles alongside familiar faces and alternative versions of herself (hello multiverse) against a new threat from neither heaven nor hell: man-made homunculi. The Witch of Umbra also fights alongside a brand-new protagonist you'll be able to control, a sword-fighting apprentice witch, Viola. Viola is accompanied by a demonic cat, Chouchou.
And for those who've never played it, a physical version of the very first installment is due for release on Nintendo Switch on September 30. Enough for you to discover this opus and the next, before tackling the third.
Our opinion of Bayonetta 3:
Bayonetta 3 succeeds in doing better than the first two installments, offering what made the franchise so popular, but with greater ambitions - not to say inordinate ambitions - with larger maps, more titanic battles and denser, more complex gameplay. A must-have ultimate beat'em all for Nintendo Switch owners!
In terms of graphics, although some of the combat looks a little messy, a real effort has been made, with a much sharper and more polished glow to the menus and scoring screens. Unfortunately, the Switch 's graphical limitations don't allow the rest of the game to break through the glass ceiling, even though it's graphically pleasing to play.
As for the gameplay, we greatly appreciate its evolution, as well as its incredible variability: we find the classic combos "point shot", "kick" and "shoot" (yes, with his revolvers in his hands, but also with those he uses as shoe heels....), as well as the ability to chastise your enemies, to which is added the possibility of summoning demons and controlling them, this time without necessarily calling on them for an"Apotheosis" (a boss finish, although this system is still present).
So, instead of summoning, for example, parts of Madama Butterfly 's body (legs and arms in the two previous installments, when Bayonetta cast a spell and struck her enemies), the Sorceress of the Umbra summons the demoness in her entirety, giving you the ability to control her movements and blows. A masterstroke, diversifying the gameplay and offering two or three new features, avoiding redundancy in the game's handling... clever.
Gameplay also changes according to the characters you control... This is the case for Viola, the game's newcomer, who fights with a sword, as well as for Jeanne, who this time completely overhauls the game mode, offering 2D levels entirely dedicated to the other witch of Umbra. These levels are reminiscent of the glory days of the megadrive, with a certain Rolling Thunder, since the levels where you control Jeanne feature similar gameplay, in which the witch must infiltrate bases and other laboratories, hide in doors and defeat her enemies with total stealth.
Add to this a story worthy of the first two Doctor Strange installments, mixing reality modification and multiverse, and you've got a brilliant piece of software on all counts, making Bayonetta 3 THE ultimate beat'em all for the console, and a must-have for all lovers of the franchise. Now all you have to do is get your hands on it!
Dates and Opening Time
Starts October 28, 2022
