New Bayonetta 3 Gameplay Features Elegant Combat And An Unstoppable Demon Cat

Today's Nintendo Direct livestream revealed new gameplay for Bayonetta 3, and a longer video after the event showcased more of the titular witch in action alongside a newcomer to the series, Viola.

Like the previous two games, Bayonetta's combat is a mix of stylish offense and well-timed dodges that activate Witch-Time, in which the world slows to a crawl as the Umbral witch unleashes devastating offense in that state.

While Bayonetta can easily eliminate scores of enemies with her magic and guns, bigger enemies will require her to summon Infernal Demons. While these summons do leave her exposed--don't worry; there's a safe for work option that tones down the more risque visuals--these demons are powerful allies who'll stay on the battlefield until Bayonetta runs out of magic. With these demons her side, Bayonetta is able to easily switch between hard-hitting combos, titanic allies, and lethal finishers to wipe out anything that stands in her way.

The other trick up Bayonetta's sleeve is Demon Masquerade, in which she channels the power of the demons bound to her weapons and morphs into powerful new forms that can use destructive new attacks.

In contrast, Viola is a scrappier fighter with no time for elegant theatrics. She can activate Witch Time by blocking attacks at the right time and summon the demon Cheshire bound to her sword. Doing so does force Viola to fight bare-handed and sacrifice her Witch Time ability, but Cheshire will bounce around the screen and attack anything that moves.

For anyone wanting a casual approach, Bayonetta 3's difficulty settings can be changed at any time. In addition to the three standard difficulty modes, an Immortal Marionette accessory will automatically perform combos and defensive moves for you, but your overall battle results will be penalized if this item is used on standard or higher difficulty settings. Once equipped, you'll be able to pull off the most graceful combos available by only pressing a single button.

Bayonetta 3 releases on October 28, 2022, for Nintendo Switch and you can check out GameSpot's Bayonetta 3 preorder guide to secure yourself a copy of the game.