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[ArynCrinn]

Chapter 14 on Bayo 2 and this shit is awesome. I was hoping not to see Grace & Glory back because those fuckers were a pain in the ass in the first game. But alas, I encountered them in Chapter 12 I think it was but Witch Time actually activates against them in Bayo 2. Jeezzz I swear it was broken in Bayo 1 against them.

Anyway Bayo 2 is so much easier than Bayo 1 (2nd climax vs. Normal). In Bayo 1 I would die in every chapter at least once and sometimes up to 4-5 times and I would also have to conjure the weed to heal me a few times per chapter plus the yellow. In this game I've not died once and have only used 1 item in the whole game so far.

Enemies also drop health more often and those portal challenges are actually possible to complete (in bayo 1 I couldn't beat any I found :s). But I like it so far more than Bayo 1 but it is close.

Try them on the highest diff, Infinite Endless Climax (or whatever it's called). The Alfheims rooms change!

Objectively, there are two ways Bayo 2 got it wrong in terms of the original, and that is "challenge". This can be best illustrated by simply looking at the discord between 3rd Climax and "Hard", which imo "Hard" would have been Normal in most cases in Bayo 1. Also the difference between the easy Melfpelheim errr whatever rooms vs. the Alfheim rooms. Alfheim's (all of them, are completable with no fancy gear or weapons, say Handgun all limbs)), only pure skill. So they basically diluted the challenge in a lot of ways for players, bad idea. The other area which suffers terribly is the lack of tons of post game content all of which to master and compliment and build upon the main game combo/defense move set capability, that was stripped out too, which is a real shame. This again, required pure skill to unlock them, either by clearing the game on different diff's, or amassing up to 5 million Halo's for a single item/weapon. All skill/strategy-based.

Subjectively, the game's story and overall cohesiveness to it's plot and gameplay scenario setups are also a step backwards compared to the first. And due to that, and the lack of post game unlockables that encourage you to play longer and master each, all leads to a less replayable game imo.

 

[Tyrant Rave]

Rodin has fun combos if you do enemy step cancels and play like DMC. His strings are short so you have to mix in command normals like back, forward+kick and stuff.

That combo video you posted was sick, Monocle!

 

[correojon]

I didn't even think of using the Bracelet of Time. Sounds like a valid alternative to my strategy.

I tried your method with nonstop UC and a lot of enemies escaped me...I switched then to the Bracelet of Time and got the bewitchment on my third try The previous attempts helped a lot though, you need to know more or less what enemies will spawn beforehand to get them all. I guess I'm a bit slow

Anyway, only Rodin to go!

 

[SRTtoZ]

Game bought! Had a bunch of credit left over at Gamestop and told myself I shouldnt buy any new games since I have DA:I and GTA5 but whatever, the deserved hype got to me. Can't wait to dive in.

Should I play Bayo 1 first? Or will that burn me out?

 

[correojon]

Game bought! Had a bunch of credit left over at Gamestop and told myself I shouldnt buy any new games since I have DA:I and GTA5 but whatever, the deserved hype got to me. Can't wait to dive in.

Should I play Bayo 1 first? Or will that burn me out?

Definitely play Bayo 1 first, both games are great on their own and you'll appreciate much more the 2nd with the background the first provides, specially storywise.

 

[Astral Dog]

Game bought! Had a bunch of credit left over at Gamestop and told myself I shouldnt buy any new games since I have DA:I and GTA5 but whatever, the deserved hype got to me. Can't wait to dive in.

Should I play Bayo 1 first? Or will that burn me out?

Hey, it would be nice to play BOTH at the same time, it would be quite the experience, as the story is very linked, just remember that 3rd Climax is "normal"on Bayonetta 2.

 

[Finalow]

Moves (Once you know the inputs, it might help to fight against Rodin to see how the AI strings moves together.)

Combo example (Skip to 3:41 if the link doesn't skip for you. Or don't, the video's great.)

thanks, will look into that.

 

[SRTtoZ]

Sweet, thanks guys. Impressions to follow...

 

[Jigolo]

Try them on the highest diff, Infinite Endless Climax (or whatever it's called). The Alfheims rooms change!

Objectively, there are two ways Bayo 2 got it wrong in terms of the original, and that is "challenge". This can be best illustrated by simply looking at the discord between 3rd Climax and "Hard", which imo "Hard" would have been Normal in most cases in Bayo 1. Also the difference between the easy Melfpelheim errr whatever rooms vs. the Alfheim rooms. Alfheim's (all of them, are completable with no fancy gear or weapons, say Handgun all limbs)), only pure skill. So they basically diluted the challenge in a lot of ways for players, bad idea. The other area which suffers terribly is the lack of tons of post game content all of which to master and compliment and build upon the main game combo/defense move set capability, that was stripped out too, which is a real shame. This again, required pure skill to unlock them, either by clearing the game on different diff's, or amassing up to 5 million Halo's for a single item/weapon. All skill/strategy-based.

Subjectively, the game's story and overall cohesiveness to it's plot and gameplay scenario setups are also a step backwards compared to the first. And due to that, and the lack of post game unlockables that encourage you to play longer and master each, all leads to a less replayable game imo.

The reason I picked 2nd climax was because that was the default difficulty choice just as Normal was on Bayo 1 so I thought I'd have a similar experience here, that wasn't the case. But for me that's okay. I literally just went straight to Bayo 2 right after I finished Bayo 1 so maybe it felt easier because I somewhat, to an extent, mastered the gameplay whereas in the first game I was learning as I played.

In regards to post game content I can't really speak on that as it was my first time playing through both games and all I really did was just beat the campaign for both (although I did do the first Witch Trial lost chapter). So strictly speaking from campaign to campaign I thought Bayonetta 2 was the slightly better game. Emphasis on slightly.

I was rushing to beat these games in preparation for tomorrow, Smash 4. I'm sure I'll go back to replay Bayonetta on Hard this time and Bayonetta 2 on 3rd climax at some point in the future.

BTW I just finished Bayonetta 2 and I liked the ending but I liked the ending to Bayonetta 1 more. But Bayo 2's final boss fight was way prettier, that's for sure.

End Game Spoilers:

Spoiler

I'm ready for Bayonetta 3 (Please be the last one though)

 

[Kjellson]

Spoiler

Masked Lumen

is a motherfucker. Had to switch to 2nd Climax in the first fight and gave up on the second. I thought that the

Spoiler

sting ray

boss was the whole chapter so I used all the items! Lol.

 

[No_Style]

Just wrapped the game up. I can't decide between 1 or 2. They seem to overlap and compliment each other well.

 

[IKizzLE]

After 35 hours, 100% completed everything.
All 50 Bewitchments
Got and completed all verse cards
Pure Platinumed all Witch Trials
Beat Rodin
Etc....

Just in time for Smash Brothers. All in all, best character action game I have ever played.
PS. Sloth is truly the worst enemy in the game on Infinite Climax.

 

[popyea]

Unsure if posted already, but here's a really nice combo video http://youtu.be/RcihhXg8j_o?list=UUvjZO1wHFbE2gvn_basNMBA

Their whole channel is pretty interesting if you like action games.

 

[Palculator]

Unsure if posted already, but here's a really nice combo video http://youtu.be/RcihhXg8j_o?list=UUvjZO1wHFbE2gvn_basNMBA

Their whole channel is pretty interesting if you like action games.

That's a cool video. The Google translation in the description is pretty cool too:

Google Translation
Round and round it with a salamander in the foot ...
It is just a little, but there is damage.
...
1:20 ~
Dutch air after offset of PPKKK, it is a loop combo of push air K length Doggy.
If you do not use well the bracelet of time, Doggy does not hit.
I have to remove the afterburner kick in this combo.

 

[Mpl90]

After a pause due to MK8's DLC, here we are again, Bayonetta 2

Oh you, foxy lady

 

[dkeane]

On my first play through – could someone recommend some weapon pairings I should be using?
I have no idea what I'm doing

Loving this game.

 

[NEO0MJ]

On my first play through – could someone recommend some weapon pairings I should be using?
I have no idea what I'm doing

Loving this game.

The guns are perfectly fine for most of the game. Sword are also pretty good. The Bow can be used as a back-up weapon. Shoot the enemy with them a few times and then switch. I wouldn't recommend the slow weapons such as the flamethrowers/hammer if you're still not used to the game.

 

[borborygmus]

Just wrapped the game up. I can't decide between 1 or 2. They seem to overlap and compliment each other well.

1 all the way for me. I seem to be in the minority who didn't really love Bayonetta 2. :/

- The camera's more zoomed in than in Bayo 1, and there's almost always an ally with you, making the onscreen action very chaotic at times. The action in Bayonetta 2 also lacks a certain finesse, it feels more "button mash-y" to me.

- The entire thing felt like a "curated" experience, with way too many cutscenes, NPC presence, onscreen instructions... I never felt like I was left alone long enough.

- There's almost no level design to speak of, ~70% of the game is made up of generic set pieces. There wasn't enough exploration or puzzles like in Bayo 1, which admittedly weren't really well made, but they did wonders for the pacing.

-

Spoiler

Loki

is the worst character in history and

Spoiler

he's practically glued to you throughout the entire damn game. I was hoping he'd be a side character and that I wouldn't see him so much, but storywise Bayo 2 felt like a Loki game featuring the cast of Bayonetta.

.

- In the first game, Bayonetta was irreverent and cheeky throughout the entire thing. In the sequel, she's way too serious at times, which kills the charm.

Despite the negatives, it's a pretty decent game overall, but I have to say I'm disappointed.

 

[jimi_dini]

I'm pretty sure this was already posted, but in case it wasn't:

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/WWCE-31341

CD-Japan Bayonetta 2 soundtrack (5 CDs!) for 4762 Yen/$40.

Just ordered it ...and I haven't played a single second of Bayonetta 2 yet :/

 

[dkeane]

The guns are perfectly fine for most of the game. Sword are also pretty good. The Bow can be used as a back-up weapon. Shoot the enemy with them a few times and then switch. I wouldn't recommend the slow weapons such as the flamethrowers/hammer if you're still not used to the game.

Cool, thanks for the tips.

 

[Adaren]

- The camera's more zoomed in than in Bayo 1, and there's almost always an ally with you, making the onscreen action very chaotic at times. The action in Bayonetta 2 also lacks a certain finesse, it feels more "button mash-y" to me.

There's a new "Camera Distance" menu option.

Spoiler

That said, I largely agree with you. I really, really, really loved the original Bayonetta for two reasons: gameplay and tone.
- Bayonetta 2 nails the gameplay. No complaints there.
- Tone in Bayo1 is comprised of three big components: gameplay "style" (Bayonetta's moves, taunts, weapons, etc.), music, and cutscenes. Bayo2 has the gameplay style down perfectly. It gets a pass in music (Moon River plays twice? For short durations? Really?). It stumbles and falls in the cutscene "tone" hard for me: Bayonetta seeming weak in comparison to other characters (Loki, Balder, Aesir), getting one-upped by almost every boss in the post-battle cutscenes (this was SO well done in the first game), and not enough fun cutscenes in general (in both action and dialogue).

I compiled a long list of my thoughts a while back, but that's the short of it.

EDIT: Relevant story: I've been going through and Platinuming the game on 3rd Climax as a second playthrough. I recently finished the final Lumen Sage battle with a Platinum score. In the chapter's final cutscene, Bayonetta is subdued by the Lumen Sage and has to be saved by Loki.

I just kicked this guy's ass. Why is Bayonetta suddenly stumbling about and barely holding off his blade attack?

This happens again and again and again. The first few giant boss enemies are well done, but almost every post-boss cutscene in the mid-late game has a downer moment that kills the satisfaction of beating the boss. Bayonetta never fully beat Jeanne in Bayo1 until their final encounter, but Jeanne was always hunched over or otherwise off-balance at the end of the fight. How did Bayonetta 2 mess this up so badly!?!

When I first beat Bayo1, I replayed it instantly and pretty much every day for a week after that. I like Bayo2, but I can't get into it in the same way, and I think (for me) a lot of that is the story's tone.

 

[TheSpoiler]

1 all the way for me. I seem to be in the minority who didn't really love Bayonetta 2. :/

- The camera's more zoomed in than in Bayo 1, and there's almost always an ally with you, making the onscreen action very chaotic at times. The action in Bayonetta 2 also lacks a certain finesse, it feels more "button mash-y" to me.

- The entire thing felt like a "curated" experience, with way too many cutscenes, NPC presence, onscreen instructions... I never felt like I was left alone long enough.

- There's almost no level design to speak of, ~70% of the game is made up of generic set pieces. There wasn't enough exploration or puzzles like in Bayo 1, which admittedly weren't really well made, but they did wonders for the pacing.

-

Spoiler

Loki

is the worst character in history and

Spoiler

he's practically glued to you throughout the entire damn game. I was hoping he'd be a side character and that I wouldn't see him so much, but storywise Bayo 2 felt like a Loki game featuring the cast of Bayonetta.

.

- In the first game, Bayonetta was irreverent and cheeky throughout the entire thing. In the sequel, she's way too serious at times, which kills the charm.

Despite the negatives, it's a pretty decent game overall, but I have to say I'm disappointed.

- The camera is different, but there's no way this game is more "button mash-y" I found myself being a lot more careful, especially against bosses. The only time I felt overpowered was during some angel fights, because it seemed like they didn't balance the game with them in mind from Bayo 1.

- What other onscreen instructions were there beyond the first few levels? Sure, you had Loki for like five levels, and a certain someone for two-ish, but I never felt bogged down by their presences.

- It wasn't good pacing in the other game. In fact, it was like a whiplash sorta thing. Cool fights then BAM a statue make sure you get through it fast enough. I also hated how the first game gated the best boss fight behind a minigame that stayed on too long. It's important to separate pacing from just throwing content in, because while the 2nd game didn't have as much meat as a whole, it lent itself to a better, leaner experience. With the fat trimmed, I felt myself improving far more, making my own combos, and being able to utilize them on a constant basis. For an action game, that's what pacing should be about.

- Loki was annoying, but he wasn't there THAT much.

Edit: About Bayo's serious tone: I'm in half agreement. While the story got serious way faster than the first game, I still felt like Bayo was still her usual fun self throughout the game. I think it came through way more in the fighting than it did in the cutscenes, but there is a weird tonal shift with the story that I didn't like so much.

 

[borborygmus]

There's a new "Camera Distance" menu option.

Didn't know that! Incidentally, I wonder if it'll have an effect on the framerate. Based on some of the discussion in this thread, there seem to be conflicting reports on whether Bayonetta 1 or 2 performs better. I wonder if the camera distance setting has anything to do with that.

Edit:

@TheSpoiler:

- Interesting, for me, I was a lot less careful. I didn't really feel overpowered (though the game is definitely easier than the first one), but I found the fights less strategic. For example, the first game had those enemies that you could only hurt in witch time. You also had more interesting enemy patterns, like with the dragon boss and the golem, among many other examples. I didn't get that from Bayo 2.

- You're right about the onscreen instructions in particular not being there all that much overall. I meant to say that there was a feeling that I was never left alone, similar to that of Navi in Ocarina of Time. Characters always yelling at you to keep moving forward and constant cutscenes gave me that feeling I guess.

- I disagree, I feel like there need to be ups and downs. This is subjective, I guess. But to me it feels like I need time to think between the action segments.

-

Spoiler

Loki is the basis for every event in the entire series, and he was there for like 70% of the game.

I just could not tolerate this character and couldn't accept his role in the story.

 

[Grizzo]

So I just got the double pack and was wondering if I should start with Bayonetta 1 or the 2nd one?

I know the most logical thing would be to play B1 first but is there something maybe about B2 that's more user-friendly or accessible? I don't know, just asking honestly.

Keep in mind that I know absolutely nothing about this game except some shots and, of course, the way she looks.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

So I just got the double pack and was wondering if I should start with Bayonetta 1 or the 2nd one?

I know the most logical thing would be to play B1 first but is there something maybe about B2 that's more user-friendly or accessible? I don't know, just asking honestly.

Keep in mind that I know absolutely nothing about this game except some shots and, of course, the way she looks.

Go in chronological order, that way you can get the full experience and appreciate the difference between the two!

 

[TheExhaustedWalrus]

I just started playing the game, on chapter 3 right now. I love almost everything about it, but should I be worried or discouraged that I keep getting stone or bronze statues on every chapter. It makes me feel as if I'm playing it wrong. Otherwise the game is pretty great thus far.

 

[Professor Renegade]

Just beat this game a few days ago following the first game. I have to say that it was a huge improvement over the original, I don't know why but the combat just felt a lot more smoother; I was playing on Second Climax and I probably died only 3 times throughout the whole game. I thought that

Spoiler

Aesir

was not as epic as the final boss from The Wonderful 101, but then again I doubt that any other final boss is or will be more epic than that.

 

[Astral Dog]

I just started playing the game, on chapter 3 right now. I love almost everything about it, but should I be worried or discouraged that I keep getting stone or bronze statues on every chapter. It makes me feel as if I'm playing it wrong. Otherwise the game is pretty great thus far.

Dont worry about it, you will get better trophies as you replay.

 

[Yuterald]

So, I just booted up the Wii U version of the original Bayonetta tonight. Haven't really sat down with the first one in awhile. Got up to Chapter III and you know what, I DEFINITELY prefer the original over the second game. Aside from the bullshit that Bayo 2 improved upon from the first game, there's something missing from the second game. Just replaying the first couple of chapters was enough to solidify my thoughts on the two games. I stand by pretty much everything I said about the original versus the sequel. I'm actually looking forward to replaying the original game for the umpteenth time more so than returning to Bayo 2.

 

[Riposte]

Hmm, my game of the year.

Loki isn't nearly as bad as people made him sound.

Lumen Sage is best boss fight in series.

EDIT: If I'm reading right, people are saying Bayonetta's Normal was harder than Bayonetta's 3rd Climax (hard)? I really can't agree with that, although it's been awhile since I played Bayonetta at this point.

 

[Jintor]

Hmm, my game of the year.

Loki isn't nearly as bad as people made him sound.

Lumen Sage is best boss fight in series.

EDIT: If I'm reading right, people are saying Bayonetta's Normal was harder than Bayonetta's 3rd Climax (hard)? I can't really agree with that, although it's been awhile since I played Bayonetta at this point.

Bayo's normal is definitely not harder than 3rd climax. But it's definitely harder than 2nd climax. Feels like the difficulty curve is different, but I don't have a pro controller yet to test.

 

[Pez]

Definitely play Bayo 1 first, both games are great on their own and you'll appreciate much more the 2nd with the background the first provides, specially storywise.

Story kind of seems to be a bunch of nonsense from what I've gathered in the first 3 missions. A whole bunch of "da fuck?" going on.

 

[Out_Of_Ammo]

Honestly, I'm having more trouble with bayonetta's normal mode then with 3th climax. I got platinum throphies for all 3th climax chapters after replaying them once (if I didn't already got platinum in my first run), while I'm now replaying bayo 2 and having more trouble to get platinums. It also doesn't help that there are bullshit QTE that can fuck up your score and that health drops are pretty scarce. In fact, so far I'm getting more platinum throphies in my infinite climax run on bayo 2 then my normal run on bayo 1

 

[one_kill]

Can anyone tell me why I sometimes get a kick when press the punch button?

Just started today and I really like it. I'm finding it hard to mix up combos, but I'm managing by dodging and mashing buttons.

 

[Host Samurai]

So, I just booted up the Wii U version of the original Bayonetta tonight. Haven't really sat down with the first one in awhile. Got up to Chapter III and you know what, I DEFINITELY prefer the original over the second game. Aside from the bullshit that Bayo 2 improved upon from the first game, there's something missing from the second game. Just replaying the first couple of chapters was enough to solidify my thoughts on the two games. I stand by pretty much everything I said about the original versus the sequel. I'm actually looking forward to replaying the original game for the umpteenth time more so than returning to Bayo 2.

I agree. I like the pacing, bosses and levels much more than Bayo 2. The Hell and water levels in Bayo 2 are pretty bland. I am on Ch 13 and my fav levels so far are the more Earthy levels like Bayo 1

 

[NEO0MJ]

Honestly, I'm having more trouble with bayonetta's normal mode then with 3th climax

Similar to my experience. I got mostly Silver with a few Gold in Bayo 1 on Normal while in Bayo 2 at third climax I got mostly gold with a few Platinums.

Can anyone tell me why I sometimes get a kick when press the punch button?

Just started today and I really like it. I'm finding it hard to mix up combos, but I'm managing by dodging and mashing buttons.

Maybe you're accidentally pressing the kick button while mashing? Anyways, try to use dodge offset, where you hold down an attack button while dodging during your combo. This lets you continue the combo after you dodge so you can get the wicked weave faster.

I agree. I like the pacing, bosses and levels much more than Bayo 2. The Hell and water levels in Bayo 2 are pretty bland. I am on Ch 13 and my fav levels so far are the more Earthy levels like Bayo 1

Personally I found the Bayo 1 bosses to be weaker. Plus I liked that we got more normal/mid sized bosses in this game.

 

[Yuterald]

I agree. I like the pacing, bosses and levels much more than Bayo 2. The Hell and water levels in Bayo 2 are pretty bland. I am on Ch 13 and my fav levels so far are the more Earthy levels like Bayo 1

Yes, exactly. I think Hell was a total missed opportunity. The inside of the Insidious was such a let down too. Bayo 2 was just about perfect leading up the Ark chapter (which is basically the introduction to Hell). I thought the water city and the first couple of chapters was such an interesting setting. Also, Bayo 2 fucking blew its load all over the prologue. I wish the entire game carried that energy/level of ridiculousness.

Re-watching Shimomura's work in the original Bayonetta also made me realize that outside of a select few scenes in Bayo 2, his production/output in the original was SO much better. Like I said, he put down some crazy shit in Bayo 2's intro, but aside from a few Lumen Sage scenes, the cut scene direction in Bayo 2 doesn't even come close to the original. I just saw Luka's introduction scene from the original last night for the first time in some years and it was so well shot. There's also that scene where Bayonetta receives her pair of guns from Rodin (where she licks her lips at the sight of the weapons & and the wink of the eye reflection in Rodin's glasses); it's just so fucking classy and good.

Man, I could go on and on, but I'll probably cause another witch hunt around here if I keep slamming Bayonetta 2. Seems like popular opinion is that the first game is dumb now compared to the sequel, but I'm going to have sit stubbornly in the original game's camp, haha!

 

[NEO0MJ]

Man, I could go on and on, but I'll probably cause another witch hunt around here if I keep slamming Bayonetta 2. Seems like popular opinion is that the first game is dumb now compared to the sequel, but I'm going to have sit stubbornly in the original game's camp, haha!

Wel, it's not that uncommon to find people who still prefer the original game instead of the generally higher acclaimed sequel. Demons Souls and Mario Galaxy are two that come to mind.

 

[bobohoro]

Seems like popular opinion is that the first game is dumb now compared to the sequel, but I'm going to have sit stubbornly in the original game's camp, haha!

Don't know how you got that idea, most opinions I read - including my own - prefer tone, characters and story of Bayonetta 1 to 2, but the advances in gameplay make it the superior title for many. There is also stuff like post game content and difficulty balancing that's up for debate. Both games have their draws and are well liked, nothing dumb about either of 'em.

 

[Yuterald]

I don't know, I was glancing over the thread at some point and I swear I saw all of this discussion along the lines of "just tried playing Bayonetta 1 without rose-tinted glasses and it doesn't hold up well" etc. Maybe it was just a select few from the community and I'm thinking it was the majority.

 

[Nocturnowl]

Yes, exactly. I think Hell was a total missed opportunity. The inside of the Insidious was such a let down too. Bayo 2 was just about perfect leading up the Ark chapter (which is basically the introduction to Hell). I thought the water city and the first couple of chapters was such an interesting setting. Also, Bayo 2 fucking blew its load all over the prologue. I wish the entire game carried that energy/level of ridiculousness.

I have thought a few times when replaying that the scope of the game cools noticeably beyond the halfway point, and by scope I mean a number of things that come across reduced ranging from more dynamic cutscenes, the slightly more open and detailed environments dial back, chapter lengths start getting all the more inconsistent and the direction the last third takes lacks punch and to an extent freshness as well for more obvious reasons.
Not to say it gets bad or anything of the sort, just that the first half of the game comes across as more complete if you will like more time was spent brushing it up, almost like where most games escalate as they go Bayonetta 2 does almost the reverse.
It's not even about comparing the endgame to the originals bombastic series of events, standing alone something about 2's still felt like it could've been more.

Though I need to add that I think the hell chapter was pretty great, lots of new foes to fight and just about open enough at points to not feel too much like simply running from arena to arena. I still lean in favour of 2 as a whole, I'm just thinking it's not quite a landslide lead for the game as some may present compared to the first.

 

[MoogleWizard]

Yes, exactly. I think Hell was a total missed opportunity. The inside of the Insidious was such a let down too. Bayo 2 was just about perfect leading up the Ark chapter (which is basically the introduction to Hell). I thought the water city and the first couple of chapters was such an interesting setting. Also, Bayo 2 fucking blew its load all over the prologue. I wish the entire game carried that energy/level of ridiculousness.

Re-watching Shimomura's work in the original Bayonetta also made me realize that outside of a select few scenes in Bayo 2, his production/output in the original was SO much better. Like I said, he put down some crazy shit in Bayo 2's intro, but aside from a few Lumen Sage scenes, the cut scene direction in Bayo 2 doesn't even come close to the original. I just saw Luka's introduction scene from the original last night for the first time in some years and it was so well shot. There's also that scene where Bayonetta receives her pair of guns from Rodin (where she licks her lips at the sight of the weapons & and the wink of the eye reflection in Rodin's glasses); it's just so fucking classy and good.

Man, I could go on and on, but I'll probably cause another witch hunt around here if I keep slamming Bayonetta 2. Seems like popular opinion is that the first game is dumb now compared to the sequel, but I'm going to have sit stubbornly in the original game's camp, haha!

I don't think anyone in this thread said that the first game is "dumb" now. I'm one of those who prefers the sequel, the main reasons for that being that the annoying parts of the first game, mainly mini games, vehicle sections and QTEs, are gone. It makes the whole game much more repayable for those that didn't enjoy those parts. I imagine those parts were dropped in response to negative feedback so it's not that surprising that many like the second game better because of it. Those omissions alone make the sequel superior to me, but I found the game improved on the original in most other areas as well - combat, bosses, enemy variety, environments, music. When it comes to the story, I like the more personal story of 1 better, but story doesn't really matter all that much in a game like Bayonetta.

As for the bosses, I would like the bosses in 1 more if they didn't have those platforming and QTE sections, like during the Fortitudo fight, it's just really annoying to have to repeatedly jump back and forth between the bridge and the lower part and then there's the QTE where Bayo throws the boss, that is repeated throughout the fight, one time four times in a row. I find that stuff really annoying, I just want to fight. And Bayo 2 gave me that, just pure well paced boss fights without all those little breaks.

I agree that the direction of the cutscenes in 1 is classier, but they just go on for way too long. It feels like every time Luka or Jeanne appear I can put the controller down for 15 minutes. The cutscenes containing action are much better in 2 though, like the fight scene in chapter XII or the one where you meet Rosa, those are really well done.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

Hmm, my game of the year.

like how nonchalant and unexciting this revelation was. "uh yeah, pretty fuckin' great, I suppose"

I'll be sure to get in my GotY list first so everyone can accuse you of ripping off me

 

[ozfunghi]

I just started playing the game, on chapter 3 right now. I love almost everything about it, but should I be worried or discouraged that I keep getting stone or bronze statues on every chapter. It makes me feel as if I'm playing it wrong. Otherwise the game is pretty great thus far.

I played Bayo1 first, got a couple of silver statues (boss chapters) but usually got stone statues at the end of a chapter, after a range of bronze to platinum medals, but with too many deaths.

After i finished, i started playing Bayo2, got primarily silver statues, couple of golden ones, without any deaths, so once you get the hang of it, things get better.

 

[Nocturnowl]

like how nonchalant and unexciting this revelation was. "uh yeah, pretty fuckin' great, I suppose"

I'll be sure to get in my GotY list first so everyone can accuse you of ripping off me

I see this guy here is just gonna drop his 5 game list remastered edition then try and rush the rest of us to the finish line.

I'm expecting a lot of cross over with this years more limited lineup.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

I see this guy here is just gonna drop his 5 game list remastered edition then try and rush the rest of us to the finish line.

I'm expecting a lot of cross over with this years more limited lineup.

Ori and the Blind Forest just got delayed to Early 2015...one less Evil Owl bopping game in my list...pretty depressed right now

 

[Retro_]

So, I just booted up the Wii U version of the original Bayonetta tonight. Haven't really sat down with the first one in awhile. Got up to Chapter III and you know what, I DEFINITELY prefer the original over the second game. Aside from the bullshit that Bayo 2 improved upon from the first game, there's something missing from the second game. Just replaying the first couple of chapters was enough to solidify my thoughts on the two games. I stand by pretty much everything I said about the original versus the sequel. I'm actually looking forward to replaying the original game for the umpteenth time more so than returning to Bayo 2.

Bayo 2 is like the Nightshade to Bayo's Shinobi to me.

I think Bayo 2 is a fine game that I enjoy, but it doesn't stand on its own like the original to me, which is perfect.

It's a sequel that builds off the first and adds and changes things for the sake of change and being a fresh game to fans of the original. but the original will always be the classic, and for me the stronger game.

 

[Monocle]

I don't think anyone in this thread said that the first game is "dumb" now. I'm one of those who prefers the sequel, the main reasons for that being that the annoying parts of the first game, mainly mini games, vehicle sections and QTEs, are gone. It makes the whole game much more repayable for those that didn't enjoy those parts. I imagine those parts were dropped in response to negative feedback so it's not that surprising that many like the second game better because of it. Those omissions alone make the sequel superior to me, but I found the game improved on the original in most other areas as well - combat, bosses, enemy variety, environments, music. When it comes to the story, I like the more personal story of 1 better, but story doesn't really matter all that much in a game like Bayonetta.

As for the bosses, I would like the bosses in 1 more if they didn't have those platforming and QTE sections, like during the Fortitudo fight, it's just really annoying to have to repeatedly jump back and forth between the bridge and the lower part and then there's the QTE where Bayo throws the boss, that is repeated throughout the fight, one time four times in a row. I find that stuff really annoying, I just want to fight. And Bayo 2 gave me that, just pure well paced boss fights without all those little breaks.

I agree that the direction of the cutscenes in 1 is classier, but they just go on for way too long. It feels like every time Luka or Jeanne appear I can put the controller down for 15 minutes. The cutscenes containing action are much better in 2 though, like the fight scene in chapter XII or the one where you meet Rosa, those are really well done.

I agree with all of this. Bayonetta 1 throws way too many obstacles in the way of the player who wants to get down to business and just fight. Good luck replaying story mode all the way through, week after week and month after month, without wanting to skip a bunch of chapters. The QTEs, flaming enemies, enormous bosses, long vehicle sequences, and platforming are hard to tolerate after a while.

Platinum cut or improved all of these things in the sequel, and the result is an impeccably paced story mode that keeps combat the top priority. Bayonetta 2 is more replayable as a complete package. Fewer gimmicks, better bosses (in terms of gameplay), and more combat-oriented variety.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

like how nonchalant and unexciting this revelation was. "uh yeah, pretty fuckin' great, I suppose"

I'll be sure to get in my GotY list first so everyone can accuse you of ripping off me

Doit.gif

You, Riposte, and like 6 other folks are the only reason I read that thread, though there have been some more well made lists in the last couple years

 

[djSyndrome]

What's up with the iTMS only releasing parts 1 and 5 of the soundtrack? Are the rest coming later?

Oh it doesn't really matter, as long as I can put that Gomorrah theme on repeat forever.