Five Things I Want To See In Bayonetta 3

There’s nothing quite like a good action game. Going from set piece to set piece, fighting hordes of all sorts along the way. Back in my PlayStation 2 days, these were a dime-a-dozen, with games like Devil May Cry and Gungrave giving me the gunfights and pugilism I required as a 12 year old. Bayonetta revitalised this, bringing with it a sense of charm, grandeur and sexy witches with guns for shoes. It really was everything, and remained one of my favourite games of the last decade or so. I’ve bought it four times now, since I’m a sucker for double dipping.

Nintendo managed to keep the Umbran dream alive, giving us a steady sequel and a third game around the corner. After a fair moment in Witch Time, here are my hopes for the sequel.

Make it more insane

I remember picking up Bayonetta on a whim, not completely knowing what I was letting myself in for. I thought ‘Devil May Cry style action; I’m in’. A few hours later I had no clue what was happening – but I loved it. Bullets were going everywhere, new enemies would pop out of heaven and I would be throwing a train at an angel. It was crazy.

It’s hard to say how they can push this further. Bayonetta 2 definitely proved they weren’t out of ideas, giving us some of the craziest setpieces in the series and some amazing boss battles as a result. I have no doubt the climax of the trilogy will be dripping in this - I’m just excited to see how.

More giant fights, more fights on things that are moving, more fights in space. I want to see the grandiose scale that was present in the past, especially the first game. Moments that had me putting down the controller afterwards for a breather. Moments that felt like orchestral battles on a celestial level. Moments that have me coming back to play the game for the umpteenth time.

Deeper Story

Story is not the first thing associated to Bayonetta; the fights with giant demons, angels and the in-between can be somewhat distracting. Despite all this, the series has rich lore that it hides and uses to get our Witch from A-to-B. The gameplay and dialogue all hide a lot of intrigue; Bayonetta’s past, the idea of cosmic balance and the various realms the story drifts through.

It’ll also be interesting to see how they react to the consequences of previous games and allow room for Bayonetta and her cohorts to grow as characters. Bayonetta has been around these characters for a hot minute and the dynamics around her may change as a result, which could lead to some compelling storytelling.

I’m hoping the third game takes this to the next level and delivers a story finale that gives franchise fans more plot meat to chew on. A higher budget, build up and appeal may allow for exploration of the plot threads that the series has dipped its toes in and out of.

Classic Boss Rush Mode

The Bayonetta series has been host to some of the greatest fights I’ve vicariously championed through a controller. It’s one of the core factors that makes the games so memorable, but also offers the distinct challenge and variety that keeps the series fresh.

With the third game coming out, it’s likely that there will be gameplay tweaks, smoother design and updates that polish the visuals. A boss rush mode with classic bosses from previous games would feel like an amazing unlockable, a satisfying reward for players who go the extra mile. Regardless, give me another Rodin battle and I'm satiated.

Spice up the level design

Through all the visual candy and hair-demons, level design has often taken a small backseat in the past. It’s a small complaint, since the levels are always so enjoyable, but it is common to go from arena to arena, smashing up angels in your path. Despite being serviceable, Platinum Games could make the third entry even grander with larger levels or mixing in non-linear sections that defy the conventions of the series.

Personally, I would love to see a variety of optional sections in the game similar to the extra verses and challenge arenas. Snippets that lead to new characters, items, weapons or even enemies.

More Nintendo Costumes!

Nintendo taking the Bayonetta reigns wasn’t simply great for sequel potential, but it allowed them to clad our favourite Umbran with Nintendo-themed costumes. Sexy costumes at that. Princess Peach, Starfox, Link and even Samus got cameos in garment form. More of this is likely, but it’s the way in which these are implemented that I want to see more of.

A Nintendo themed level for instance? Summoning a demonic Kirby to devour angels instead of Madame Butterfly? Easter eggs to find? The possibilities are limitless, providing Nintendo are willing to further wind their pre-existing franchises into a game about killing angels and demons.

Regardless, Bayonetta 3 has my hopes up. The series has been a consistent menagerie of over-the-top gameplay and I’m sure will impress further. If you’re interested in playing the first two games, definitely give our reviews here and here a gander.