Bayonetta Catch-All

Dysplastic wrote:
Mister Magnus wrote:

Spam the dodge. You should be able to get Witch Time out of dodging that third hit.

Yeah, I managed to avoid it every single time. Do you have Bat form? That helps too.

Spam dodge? Unless I'm sorely mistaken, all I can do as a child is walk slowly.

And spam dodge while doing so. Before the third hit you'll "age" and be cleared to dodge.

After a long day of work, a trip to the gym, a little MW2, and two beers, I beat the last boss. Juking around like a friggin NFL running back while in panther form was the key to escaping the vortexes, spamming dodge resulted in falling on my ass.

I'm now tasked with what to do after. I'm definitely not ready for the game to be over. I'm not sure if I should go on and play hard, or go back and do better on normal. Do you get more halos in harder difficulties? I also need to decide what costume to unlock...

Edit: Get 3 torture attacks on the golden claw guys? v_v;

I've found that running through on Very Easy and Easy is a great way to get any weapons you missed the first time and to get massive amounts of halos. One play through of Very Easy has unlocked 4 costumes and a couple of accessories. As well as find the ice skates and grab some witch hearts and moon pearls. And bat form is a god-send. Its like a second dodge.

Word. Bat form was the best purchase I made.

EDIT: and air dodge.

I was on a marathon to finish the game starting last afternoon. It took me about 15 hours when all was said and done, with some repeat runs on a few chapters.

Some thoughts:

Spoiler:

Normal mode wasn't challenging enough. Sure, I died a bunch (I mean a bunch.) all the way through the game, but in spite of that, all the fights, aside from the few that involve the claw guys and the mini axe wielders, felt unfulfilled for the simple reason that they did not demand a greater understanding of the game's fighting system out of the player. It wasn't until I got in the first fight against Jeanne in hard mode did I really start thinking about the practical use of many combos and the need to manage the magic bar. It feels regretful knowing that I went through all the hours completing the game without truly understanding and enjoying all that the fighting system can offer.

Jeanne has by far the better costume design out of the two witches. If you take a look at her concept art you can clearly notice the design taking inspiration from the fashion of early 20th century. That inspiration gives the design purpose and consistency, making it better than the mess that Bayonetta's wearing.

I'm late to the party, but holy hell is this game fun!

I'd never been a fan of 3rd person action games until a couple of years ago, and after thoroughly enjoying Devil May Cry 4, I figured this might be up my alley. How right I was.

I'm 3 chapters in, and the combat system just clicked for me last night big time. It very quickly went from baffling to sublime. I know that I've still got buckets of room for improvement, but the beauty of it is that I can visibly see that improvement happening over the course of each level. It's a testament to the game that after each time I die, I do slightly better on each subsequent attempt. Nothing frustrates more than repeatedly banging your head against the same wall in a game, and I find that in spite of the high difficulty the game presents on the 'Normal' setting, it doesn't feel unduly punishing. Each death is a 'teachable moment', and I'm coming away from each one a better player.

I'm actually enjoying how bats*** insane it is, because I went into it expecting it to be nonsensical, oversexualised to the point of hilarity, and uniquely Japanese. I'm not disappointed on any of those counts.

I can easily see myself delving right back into a harder difficulty once I polish it off. It's also providing a delightful counterpoint to the wealth of po-faced RPG's that I've been playing the last couple of months.

I'm with Jonman.

After just having finished both God of War and God of War 2, having the combat sequences very firmly separated from the exploration sequences is a breath of fresh air. When I'm in a hub, I know I can explore without worry of being jumped, and when the music starts, I can focus exclusively on fighting.

Only sporting a few Pure Platinum records so far, but it's getting easier to activate Witch Time. Not really digging the Shotguns so far, but the Katana is flipping awesome.

I think the best description I ever heard of Bayonetta went something like, "You know when you're watching a ridiculous over-the-top video game cut scene and you think, 'Man, I wish I could do that kind of stuff in the actual game'? Bayonetta is a game that lets you do that."

I played about an hour last night, and I'm just not getting it, yet. The cut scenes are hilarious and weird, as expected, but the combat system hasn't clicked into place. It feels mushy and imprecise; I can't find the right rhythm for the attacks so that combos actually happen intentionally, and without that intentionality, I feel like I'm just running around mashing buttons.

I'm hoping that my experience with this game as a whole will be like my experience with its demo and with the demo for Vanquish: I played it for a bit, decided that it wasn't really my thing, and then played it again, and I really felt like I understood what the designers were going for, and I could better understand the systems at play. But right now, I'm just sort of overwhelmed and don't feel like I know what I'm doing but keep progressing anyway.

I forgot I had this game. SonovaFemale Doggo!

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I played about an hour last night, and I'm just not getting it, yet. The cut scenes are hilarious and weird, as expected, but the combat system hasn't clicked into place. It feels mushy and imprecise; I can't find the right rhythm for the attacks so that combos actually happen intentionally, and without that intentionality, I feel like I'm just running around mashing buttons.

I'm hoping that my experience with this game as a whole will be like my experience with its demo and with the demo for Vanquish: I played it for a bit, decided that it wasn't really my thing, and then played it again, and I really felt like I understood what the designers were going for, and I could better understand the systems at play. But right now, I'm just sort of overwhelmed and don't feel like I know what I'm doing but keep progressing anyway.

It took a while for the combat to click for me too - it wasn't until the latter half of the game when I "got" it.

There's a little additional depth that comes from unlocking/puchasing more weapons and moves too.

Gosh darn you to heck for reminding me how badly I want to play this again, Clockwork. I just Redbox'd Halo: Reach, I can't go through my GOTY revisitation phase already!

And get rid of your icon, it weirds me out that you have one at all.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I played about an hour last night, and I'm just not getting it, yet. The cut scenes are hilarious and weird, as expected, but the combat system hasn't clicked into place. It feels mushy and imprecise; I can't find the right rhythm for the attacks so that combos actually happen intentionally, and without that intentionality, I feel like I'm just running around mashing buttons.

I'm hoping that my experience with this game as a whole will be like my experience with its demo and with the demo for Vanquish: I played it for a bit, decided that it wasn't really my thing, and then played it again, and I really felt like I understood what the designers were going for, and I could better understand the systems at play. But right now, I'm just sort of overwhelmed and don't feel like I know what I'm doing but keep progressing anyway.

You are playing on the normal difficulty, right? (Because the Easy and Very Easy automatically do combos unless you remove the Immortal Marionette accessory that you start equipped with.)

If you hit a certain button (Start? Select? I forget) in the "loading" screen where it is just Bayonetta against a plain background, it doesn't go to the next level and you can practice combos. It will even give you feedback that will teach you how to to them better.

I am absolutely horrible at rhythm for combos which is why I rarely play games like this, or fighting games and brawlers in general. But I soldiered through and managed to get a handful of the easy combos mostly down. If you farm some halos (you can always re-play previous chapters) and synthesis material, using the right accessories and lollipops can make up for deficiency of skill. Eventually I managed to unlock and beat it on Hard without ever reliably knowing how to do more than a couple of combos, and still had fun, so...

Ultimately, if you aren't having fun, knock the difficulty down to Easy and just enjoy the eye candy! (You can change it on the Chapter Select screen between chapters, even when mid-game.)

I am playing on Normal. I hadn't realized you could pause during the loading screens and practice. I always want those to last longer. Thanks, beep!

I decided last night that Bayonetta and I were in an abusive relationship. I'd play the game for an hour, be uncertain as to whether or not I was actually enjoying myself, and then come back the next day for "just one more hour" to give the game a chance to prove that I would love it. As I mentioned before, I just didn't feel like I was any good at the game; I'd somehow stumble from one chapter to the next, trailing stone statues along behind me, but I was completely flummoxed by the combat system and my inability to string together the most simple of combos.

So I swallowed my pride and dropped the game down to Easy, and I've loved it since. Easy turns my blind button-mashing into semi-competent attacks, but it doesn't completely rob the game of challenge as I still have to worry about things like dodging and button-mashing at the right times. I expected to enjoy this game's combat, but what I've ended up enjoying are its creature and level designs. The angels are consistently unique and fascinating, and Platinum has so far found ways to keep one-upping themselves in terms of strangely beautiful locations and set pieces.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

So I swallowed my pride and dropped the game down to Easy, and I've loved it since.

My experience exactly. On Normal it was a struggle to get through each area and I'd spend all my money on green lollipops (so much like real life). On Easy I actually got to play the stupid game.

For you 'enjoying it on Easy' folks, try doing what I did.

I finished the game on Normal, then started a playthrough on Hard. Why? Because by the end of the game, I actually had a clue how the combat system worked, so when I revisited it on a harder difficulty, I was far better equipped to deal with it.

I understand that repeated playthroughs aren't to everyone's taste, but this is a game that stands up better than most to a second playthrough.

So, you finish it on Easy, then have a bash on Normal now that you've got more a clue how the game flows.

I found the best way to play was on easy so I could buy all the techniques, weapons, and some of the better relics. If you're looking to play with the different costume, a word of warning. Don't wear the nun costume on the highway level. Her habit makes it difficult to see where you're going. Not kidding.

The way to get the most out of the combat system is to play on Hard+. Bayonetta still has what I think the best combat system out of all the hyper beat-em-up games. It's complicated to learn but very flexible and very rewarding.

Thirteenth wrote:

The way to get the most out of the combat system is to play on Hard+. Bayonetta still has what I think the best combat system out of all the hyper beat-em-up games. It's complicated to learn but very flexible and very rewarding.

Also very rewarding if you enjoy the first 12 seconds of the first fight, and absolutely nothing else, ever.

I finished the game on easy last night. This is the second most consistently inventive game I've played all year. The creature designs were brilliant, the level designers were always throwing something new your way, and the motorcycle and rocket segments did a great job of mixing up the gameplay. Best of all, the game was funny, always taking a moment to wink at the audience and to laugh at itself.

However, as much as I enjoyed it, I don't think I'll be taking a second trip through the game on a higher difficulty. The combat system never clicked with me, whether I was playing it on automatic or not, and most of the new game+ content seems to just tweak the combat in some way. What the combat system lacked for me was a sense of feedback. I never got a handle on how long a punch or a kick was, and how long of a pause constituted a pause, so I couldn't manage even the simplest of combos consistently. What would have helped me is an option to display the buttons that you pressed along the bottom of the screen, like you saw in the practice mode.

I have minor quibbles with the game. I would have liked to have faced the bosses fewer times, and I'd have liked a few different mini-games between chapters instead of just Angel Attack. All-in-all, though, if you can embrace the campy sexuality of the character and setting, this is a great game.

LobsterMobster wrote:
Thirteenth wrote:

The way to get the most out of the combat system is to play on Hard+. Bayonetta still has what I think the best combat system out of all the hyper beat-em-up games. It's complicated to learn but very flexible and very rewarding.

Also very rewarding if you enjoy the first 12 seconds of the first fight, and absolutely nothing else, ever. ;)

You're so wrong!

I just started this game yesterday. I just fought the red lady for the second time and killed double dragon guy with human head. The combos were hard until I figured out they were animation based and not based on timing. The hardest part was fighting grace and glory. Either they own me or I own them. It gets bad when they lock me in a air combo. I find the sword works best on them.

I'm running the game on the ps3. No problems with loading times but the graphics are a step down from the 360.

I am just past chapter 2 and this game is pretty badass. The combat and animations are just a spectacle. I have played Chapters 1 & 2 several times over just to get a feel for the combat system. I do have some concerns though... I should have thought of this based on the game's pedigree but there are a lot of secrets that can't be found consistently without a guide, and the difficulty of getting good end-of-chapter awards without finding the secrets is going to clash with my persistent tendencies. I have to adjust my attitude about what I can expect to accomplish in single a playthrough or I am going to get frustrated by empty medal spots and stone awards.

Oddly, I just started playing this game too.

My copy arrived yesterday and I was able to put a solid couple hours in last night.

The whole graveyard opening scene (well, I guess just past the clock tower intro), is one of the most frenetic and bizarre intros I remember seeing in a long time.

I'm simply smitten with the over-the-top hyper-cheekiness of it all. What a spectacle.

Bonus props for all the layers of collectables and info subsystems (gems, book entries, weapons/combo store).

The polish in this game is pretty staggering.

Aaron D. wrote:

The whole graveyard opening scene (well, I guess just past the clock tower intro), is one of the most frenetic and bizarre intros I remember seeing in a long time.

I'm simply smitten with the over-the-top hyper-cheekiness of it all. What a spectacle.

You've seen about 1/10 of that game's total craziness potential. Enjoy the ride.

It's a great game, Aaron. The best advice I can give is that if you find yourself struggling (like I was), try it on Easy. It's much easier and it's a game worth experiencing whether you have the "skills" or not.

imbiginjapan wrote:

I do have some concerns though... I should have thought of this based on the game's pedigree but there are a lot of secrets that can't be found consistently without a guide, and the difficulty of getting good end-of-chapter awards without finding the secrets is going to clash with my persistent tendencies. I have to adjust my attitude about what I can expect to accomplish in single a playthrough or I am going to get frustrated by empty medal spots and stone awards.

You can change chapters and difficulty at any point while keeping all of your weapons and items, etc... So you can always jump back and see if you can platinum a stage with better equipment and items.

If you are having trouble I would lower the difficulty but also keep in mind that the game begs you to play through multiple times. Just like Viewtiful Joe, you can look at difficulty's as "training". When I first played I went through on normal and struggled at certain parts but when I played through again on normal I felt like an unstoppable killing machine. This lead to a playthrough on hard and man somehow the game gets even better.

One thing to note is the genius yet simple combo system. I'll try and explain it.

Lets say you enjoy a certain combo that goes (made up combo, don't try it): B B B B Y Y Y Y

You love this combo, you've worked this combo, you and this combo are one; you can press B B B B Y Y Y Y like the best of them. The problem is, this doesn't work in combat too well with all the angels trying to kill you and everything.

So lets say you are doing your combo: B B B B Y - and all of a sudden an angel takes a swipe at you. What you want to do is HOLD DOWN that last button you pressed (y) and press dodge. When you exit dodge, press Y Y Y. The combo will pick up where you left it off.

This is a really simple mechanic that takes a while to master. But once you have this down you feel SO DAMN GOOD when you pull off combos left and right while dodging and chaining them together.

Another tip is during loading screens you can press "select" and just try out combos. A fantastic use of the loading screen AND helpful.

I would also suggest finding the secret Alfeim portals as they are a ton of fun and just pure combat. Then you'll find some secret weapons (bazookas, ice skates, laser guns, lightning claws) and it gets even more bananas

imbiginjapan wrote:

I have to adjust my attitude about what I can expect to accomplish in single a playthrough or I am going to get frustrated by empty medal spots and stone awards.

Definitely don't worry about medals on your first playthrough.