Bayonetta 2 Hands-On

There was nothing quite like Bayonetta when it released in 2009. You played a witch that wore an outfit made of human hair, which could summon demonic creatures that devoured foes. Oh, also, you carried pistols on your high heels. While Bayonetta certainly had style, it also featured a wonderfully robust combat system, with Witch Time as its best feature. By dodging at just the right moment, time would slow down allowing you to pummel enemies. It made fighting a much more active experience than other games, which generally only require blocking followed by a simple combo.

As is the case with many cult classics, Bayonetta didn’t sell particularly well. It wasn’t exactly the easiest game to market (hair demons). However, a devoted and outspoken group of fans has clamored for a sequel since its release. All appeared lost until Bayonetta 2 was surprisingly announced during a Nintendo Direct last year. Exclusive to the Wii U, it seems Bayonetta 2 wouldn’t have been possible without Nintendo.

For the first time since its announcement, Bayonetta 2 was playable at E3 2013. Actually getting some hands-on time with it was more bittersweet than expected. Without a doubt, the demo was fun and contained everything that made the original great. Unfortunately, that’s all there was to the demo. The same exceptional gameplay and nothing more. While it’s encouraging that Bayonetta 2 looks to maintain the high quality of the original, it’ll be slightly disappointing if nothing else is offered. The first was a step forward for action games.

One prominent change is the titular heroine’s haircut. Instead of shoulder-length hair, Bayonetta now sports a much shorter style that cuts off at the neck. While it may seem like a trivial thing to mention, it gives Bayonetta a whole new flair. While she was nothing but sass in the original, Bayonetta now looks more elegant and mature.

The insanity of the first game was in full force during the demo. You fight centaur angels on the back of fighter jet that’s flying through the city. The angels explode into buckets of blood as you shoot and slice them to bits. Combat remains as blissful as ever and Witch Time has been sorely missed. A new weapon, twin purple blades, didn’t appear to radically change combat, but it’s hard to tell from a 20 minute taste.

The demo culminated in a boss fight against a giant, dragon-like creature. The challenge of the battle felt just right. You couldn’t win by mindlessly attacking and instead had to make smart use of Witch Time. It was a rewarding encounter, ending the demo on a high note.

Hopefully, there will be more surprises in store for Bayonetta 2, but even if it’s just more of the same, it looks like we’re still in for a good time.