The original Bayonetta, which I played on the Switch, was a fun stylized action game that lacked an engaging story that I love in other similar games, such as Devil May Cry. While the game looked like it was missing some color in its environments and an engaging story, the combat was just enough to keep me progressing through the campaign. For better or worse, Bayonetta 2 continues with a similar formula except the combat is scaled up and looks absolutely beautiful.
Story
Bayonetta 2 begins with the lead Umbra Witch of the same name rescuing the city from an attack that ends with her friend, Jeanne, losing her soul to the depths of Inferno. Bayonetta is determined to save her friend's soul and her adventure begins. Along the way, Bayonetta meets us with some familiar faces as well as new ally Loke, an amnesiac boy with mysterious powers who is trying to get to the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr. Similar to the first game, Bayonetta 2's story failed to pull me in. At times, the story can be confusing or nonsensical, which pulled me out of the experience. Add that to the fact that some of the voice over work is off the mark, though the main voice actors are just as good as ever.
Gameplay
Campaign aside, the combat is the real reason why most players would pick up Bayonetta 2 and it does not disappoint. Compared to it's predecessor, Bayonetta 2's combat has not changed that much. Bayonetta's arms and legs continue to act as individual weapons that you are able to modify as you unlock new weapons throughout your journey. You are also able to buy new techniques to further damage your enemies and increase the style grades in combat.
What was the major change and a huge improvement was the sense of scale for these battles. Majority of time you are facing multiple enemies, including those that are three to four times the size of you. In addition to this, the environments where you have these fights are constantly changing. While you may be fighting on the ground in one area / mission, the next you will be flying in the sky, battling underwater, or fighting on a piece of a building as it falls from the skies. This is incredibly apparent during one of Bayonetta's great (and many) boss fights. In some instances, there will be major monsters battling each other in the background as you fight your opponent. It creates an amazing set piece that keeps you actively engaged in the battle. The game is also beautiful as it throws gorgeous backgrounds into the mix - something that was missing from the original game and I was happy to see how good Bayonetta 2 looked on my Switch OLED.
The one downside with the new scale of these battles is, ironically, the inability to see enemies around you. Sometimes, the camera will get close to Bayonetta, which limits your vision of what is going on behind or to the side of the Umbra Witch, which can lead to some damaging hits. And I do mean damaging as Bayonetta 2, even on Normal difficulty, can be quite a challenge.
Graphics & Audio
As I mentioned previously, Bayonetta 2 looks incredible. The colorful environments are beautiful to see on the Switch OLED. The audio, minus some shaky voice acting, is also fantastic. From the roars of your demon summons to the slashing of your enemies is on point and keeps you engaged in combat.
Verdict
Overall, I enjoyed Bayonetta 2 more than its predecessor due to the game's ability to increase the overall scale and impact of its combat system. The story continues to be a disappointment but it may be enough to keep you going (even though the gameplay is the saving grace). With Bayonetta 3 on sale, it may be worth to give the Umbra Witch another go....but I might wait for a sale first.
Score: 7.0/10