This is the video game equivalent to Bad Boys II, but if that movie turned everything to eleven, this game cranks everything to 17389840620489.
It's really challenging towards the end, and the excess of visual stimuli can make combat a bit difficult to read at times. But combat is so consistently satisfying for the 99% of the time when encounters aren't accidentally obtuse.
Graphically, the Xbox One remaster is gorgeous, with the only flaw being that cutscenes are stuck in 30 FPS, which makes some transitions to gameplay jarring. Plus, considering the sequel is on Switch, I'm already missing this heightened fidelity.
The actual plot I couldn't care less about. It's not so convoluted that I couldn't put together a basic timeline of events, but it's nowhere near engaging as individual gameplay and character moments.
The characters are all just so much fun, albeit often 2 dimensional. Luca, Jeanne, and even the main character all show compelling character development, but even before they undergo changes, their over-the-top performances are a joy to watch.
But who gives a shit about any of that. The real reason why this game is so amazing is that it just commits to the most juvenile, over-the-top, batshit insane tone I've ever seen in a video game, movie, TV show, or anything else. Like this game is constantly trying to one-up itself throughout. Oh, don't think pole dancing while shooting a dozen angels as you spin around is cool enough? How about we let you summon a giant hair demon that chomps down on bosses to finish them off? Shooting through the dick of a peeing stone statue into a gasoline tanker to blow up a boss not cool enough? How about an entire boss that takes place in the middle of the ocean which requires Bayonetta to surf the waves for the entire duration of the boss fight while also forcibly steering the boss monster into a giant hair spider for critical damage?
It's this kind of shit that makes this game an all-timer for me. Like, even in normal combat, summoning a guillotine to shove an enemy into for an instant kill isn't uncommon. Or, mid boss battle, playing catch with missiles the size of commercial airplanes is just leading UP to the climax.
i could go on, but I don't wanna spoil too much of the insanity. From the hyper-sexualization of the main character, which she owns spectacularly, to be fact that there are literally 4 extra combat encounters that INTERUPT THE FINAL CREDITS, this game is just so deep in its own bullshit that you can't help but be dragged into it as well. I'm so glad I finally got around to because this is literally everything I love in games, and in other media too. And after having beat Nier Automata, Transformers Devastation, & (most of) Vanquish, I think it's time to put Platinum Games in my top five developers list.
It's really challenging towards the end, and the excess of visual stimuli can make combat a bit difficult to read at times. But combat is so consistently satisfying for the 99% of the time when encounters aren't accidentally obtuse.
Graphically, the Xbox One remaster is gorgeous, with the only flaw being that cutscenes are stuck in 30 FPS, which makes some transitions to gameplay jarring. Plus, considering the sequel is on Switch, I'm already missing this heightened fidelity.
The actual plot I couldn't care less about. It's not so convoluted that I couldn't put together a basic timeline of events, but it's nowhere near engaging as individual gameplay and character moments.
The characters are all just so much fun, albeit often 2 dimensional. Luca, Jeanne, and even the main character all show compelling character development, but even before they undergo changes, their over-the-top performances are a joy to watch.
But who gives a shit about any of that. The real reason why this game is so amazing is that it just commits to the most juvenile, over-the-top, batshit insane tone I've ever seen in a video game, movie, TV show, or anything else. Like this game is constantly trying to one-up itself throughout. Oh, don't think pole dancing while shooting a dozen angels as you spin around is cool enough? How about we let you summon a giant hair demon that chomps down on bosses to finish them off? Shooting through the dick of a peeing stone statue into a gasoline tanker to blow up a boss not cool enough? How about an entire boss that takes place in the middle of the ocean which requires Bayonetta to surf the waves for the entire duration of the boss fight while also forcibly steering the boss monster into a giant hair spider for critical damage?
It's this kind of shit that makes this game an all-timer for me. Like, even in normal combat, summoning a guillotine to shove an enemy into for an instant kill isn't uncommon. Or, mid boss battle, playing catch with missiles the size of commercial airplanes is just leading UP to the climax.
i could go on, but I don't wanna spoil too much of the insanity. From the hyper-sexualization of the main character, which she owns spectacularly, to be fact that there are literally 4 extra combat encounters that INTERUPT THE FINAL CREDITS, this game is just so deep in its own bullshit that you can't help but be dragged into it as well. I'm so glad I finally got around to because this is literally everything I love in games, and in other media too. And after having beat Nier Automata, Transformers Devastation, & (most of) Vanquish, I think it's time to put Platinum Games in my top five developers list.