I have always been a fan of the Bayonetta franchise. In fact, I’d say that Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 count among some of the best Action games I’ve ever played. With Bayonetta 2 achieving something close to perfection in terms of game feel and combat style, I had high hopes for Bayonetta 3. While it meets a lot of expectations, there are a few things that leave something to be desired.

Bayonetta 3 puts you back in the gun-slinging heels of Cereza, also known as the titular witch Bayonetta. Instead of a time-travel plot this time around, we’re venturing out into the multiverse thanks to a new threat. A being known as Singularity is consuming every universe in the multiverse and planning to bring them all together in one universe under his control.

Cereza and Jeanne are recruited by newcomer Viola, a mysterious swordswoman with a demon that lives in her Katana. In order to avoid spoilers I’m not going to give too many more details on the plot, but I will say that over the course of the game, you meet multiple incarnations of Bayonetta and Jeanne. I have a few issues with the plot, but it works well enough and without spoiling some of the later parts of the game it wouldn’t make sense to go into it.

Bayonetta 3’s combat has been simultaneously streamlined and complicated. Instead of equipping weapons to Bayonetta’s hands and feet, now you have two “sets” with one weapon attached to each. Weapons provide more than just combat utility now though, as Bayonetta can utilize the “Demon Masquerade” function to partially merge with the demon in the equipped weapon in order to gain a variety of capabilities.

Phantasmaranae (the lava spider) is immune to fire, can climb walls, and swing from a web after a double jump. On the opposite end, Madama Butterfly’s transformation makes you faster and can glide. These transformations take the place of things like the Panther Within and Witch Walking from Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2.

These abilities are also tied to another element of Bayonetta 3’s combat called Demon Slave. By forging a stronger connection with her demons, Bayonetta is able to summon the demon for you to directly control. This costs magic from your magic bar and comes at the cost of Bayonetta’s mobility. As such, you’ll have to protect Bayonetta while controlling the demon so she doesn’t get hit. If you’ve played Devil May Cry 5, consider it a similar concept to playing as V.

Familiar elements such as Witch Time, torture attacks, and other staples remain. Though when playing as Viola you can only generate Witch Time through parrying rather than dodging, which is mildly annoying. As someone who felt as though the game feel and the smoothness of combat was perfectly nailed in Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2, Bayonetta 3’s combat feels experimental. While it isn’t an entire step backward, it definitely doesn’t have that same fluid, kinetic sort of feeling that the previous games had.

With that being said, Bayonetta 3 still has the franchise’s flair for cinematic, climactic combat scenes. Summoning Kaiju-esque demons to fight large opponents is satisfying, even if it creates a sort of dissonant lack of connection with Bayonetta’s fluid movement. I found myself using Demon Slave sparingly, preferring to utilize Bayonetta’s natural combat style unless I needed to deal heavy damage to an armored foe.

I’ve never been one who was able to get a platinum grade in levels, so I’d love to see how skilled players can utilize this new toolkit. With that said, Bayonetta 3 has multiple difficulty levels, including a casual mode for people who just want to enjoy the story. Exploration is also prioritized a bit more this time around, and there are 3 currencies you’ll want to keep an eye out for.

Orbs are used to level up Bayonetta, Viola, and their demons, each with a respective skill tree. Collecting Moon Pearls and Witch Hearts allow you to upgrade your health and magic gauge as well. Halos are used in the store to purchase decorations for Viola’s room, as well as costumes and color variants. Bayonetta’s hair and outfit can be customized in a variety of colors, in case black on black isn’t your thing.

The last form of currency comes from the new Homunculi enemies and is known as Lotus Seeds. You can find Lotus flowers growing through the levels, which will also give you seeds. These are spent at the Gates of Hell to buy accessories, healing/support items, and a few other bits here and there. All of this will feel familiar to fans of the series, but I’d also say that the game does a good job of introducing things slowly.

Throughout the levels, you’ll find Niflheim gates which serve as challenge arenas that let you get things like Broken Witch Hearts (Heart pieces) and Broken Moon Pearls. There are also special platforming challenges scattered through each level that is reminiscent of the “Remembrance of Time” from Bayonetta 2. You’ll have a limited time to collect the pieces of a chest that will give you currency, crafting items, or potentially a Broken Moon Pearl or Broken Witch Heart.

The levels are larger than before, with lots of things to explore and find. You’ll find chests, lore journals, card packs, and figure boxes scattered through the levels. Card packs and Figure Boxes work to fill out Bayonetta 3’s gallery, which you can use to look at concept art and 3D models of various characters and enemies.

I really like the larger level design, as my major complaint with Bayonetta (1) was that outside of the first few levels, there wasn’t much exploration involved. Bayonetta 2 improved on this, but it still had some sections that could have been fleshed out. It’s also nice to see Light Pillars and Infernal zones, which allow you to fight angels or demons (depending on which you find) from previous games.

The boss fights in Bayonetta 3 are climactic, and each one brings something new to the table. Like in previous games, there is a wealth of varied enemy designs, so you’re always having to approach fights with new tactics and ideas. In this way, Bayonetta 3 will feel good for fans of the franchise.

Bayonetta 3 also has a “Naïve Angel Mode” which tones things down (less nudity, blood, etc) for players who might want to play with kids in the room or something. However, even if you play Bayonetta 3 without that mode, you might notice that the game seems a little more toned down anyway. Granted, there is still nudity, sex appeal, cursing, and even suggestive commentary, but as I played I noticed something.

Bayonetta herself is a little tamer this time around. While she still has her sass and there are moments where her confidence and sexuality are showcased, in a lot of ways Bayonetta 3 goes for a more serious approach. There are fewer crude jokes or over-exaggerated moments, and overall the story takes a more serious turn. I don’t necessarily have an issue with that, especially since the subject matter of the story does go into more serious territory, but it is noticeable in one regard.

Bayonetta as a character was built as a response to the female characters of the 90s and early 2000s. Most female characters had to be strong, and powerful and usually had a masculine edge to them. Alternately, they were oversexualized and needed saving regularly by men. Bayonetta was created in such a way that not only was she strong and powerful, but her sexuality and femininity were showcased in a way that defied the male gaze. She didn’t need a man to save her and oftentimes saved Luka from various issues.

In Bayonetta (1) Jeanne did save her from Father Baldur, but it was an act of sisterly devotion rather than a damsel in distress scenario. Bayonetta 3 strips some of that away by keeping Jeanne and Bayonetta distant from each other for most of the game. Additionally, the largely genderless (for the most part) Homunculi negate any room for Bayonetta’s confident sensuality against foes like the angels from the first game.

It is a minor complaint, but for such an iconic character it is noticeable. Also, for those who are wondering, Jennifer Hale nailed her role of Bayonetta. She not only portrayed the main Bayonetta you control, but she also brought uniqueness to each of the other Bayonettas you encounter. While Helena Taylor did a great job in Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2, any concerns I had about Jennifer taking over the role were easily put to rest as I played.

Jeanne is relegated mostly to a few cutscenes and a side-scrolling set of stealth-focused side chapters. Personally, these were less than satisfying, but I liked the idea of a different type of level to mix things up a bit. This is another way Bayonetta 3 felt experimental for the franchise. Knowing that Bayonetta 4 is already in the works, thanks to Kamiya’s tweets last year, it makes me curious about what they’ve learned from this game.

Bayonetta 3 also does a great job of building a bond between Bayonetta and her demons. Before, they were merely tools at your disposal, but now they have moments as characters in their own right. It is a great evolution for the series.

Overall, Bayonetta 3 is a solid entry in the franchise. If I had to rank them, I think it is better than the original game, but Bayonetta 2 still beats it in terms of game feel and stylish combat. This is a very accessible entry point though if you’re looking to dip your feet into the franchise a bit more. Also, I think this could be just the beginning of a bright future for Bayonetta. I’d love to see what Kamiya has up his sleeve for the future of our favorite Umbra Witch.

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Bayonetta 3

$59.99 USD

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Gorgeous Environments
• Large Levels with Lots to Collect and Find
• Climactic Boss Battles
• Sprawling Multiverse Storyline
• Engaging Combat

Cons

• Demon Slave Mechanic Feels Clunky at Times
• Serious Tone Might Not Satisfy Fans
• Bayonetta Herself Feels Toned Down