Preview: Bayonetta

Hideki Kamiya is a devious one. First he sends gamers into a frenzy with the release of one of the most stylish action/hack-and-slash franchises to date in Devil May Cry, and then he decides to exploit one of the most obvious weaknesses of the human condition: the sex drive. If he’s already sold the cool kids on stylish action via the original Devil May Cry, then this time he’s targeting anyone who appreciates the female form. The impending release of Bayonetta has  gotten us all hot and bothered. Here’s a quick look at what should be one of this winter’s sexiest adventures.

The buxom brunette clad in skintight black leather, coquettish black-rimmed eyewear, and oh, those guns – she’s got gamers everywhere in such a tizzy that the wait until the game is actually released is turning into quite the insufferable one. While the inevitable comparisons to Devil May Cry will pour in, Bayonetta is packing plenty of firepower to set itself apart from Kamiya’s previous work, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most stylish hack-and-slash titles we will have ever seen, and with every toss of that glossy hazel ponytail, the witch in the sexy secretary glasses is waltzing her way into our hearts.

bayonetta2Set in a gothic location quite similar to what we have seen in Devil May Cry (rather obviously), Bayonetta is our prime focus. She’s actually a witch, though a far cry from any witch you may be used to thanks to stereotypes. With skin-tight leather and an impossibly trim waist, she’s dressed to the nines, but also quite ironically, to kill. Unfortunately, that’s about all we can say about her as of yet – little details have been divulged regarding the storyline save for scraps. Why does she have the look of a naughty secretary? What kind of world is this? These are questions that will hopefully be answered in the near future.

Strapped to her stripper boots are two steampunk-esque pistols, each with explosive firepower – according to documentation, her default weapons that will come in handy once the weapons in her hands have been depleted. Aside from being equipped with deadly weapons, Bayonetta has multiple melee attacks at her disposal, presumably with her ponytail as well as her hands and feet. Yes, that hair is as deadly as it is beautiful. With the ability to weave it into a magnitude of different shapes and forms, it becomes a weapon of its own, greatly expanding the tools with which you have at your disposal to take out those unfortunate baddies. Perhaps this is one area the game will truly shine, in that I can honestly say I’ve never seen a woman craft a boot out of her own ponytail to kick baddies into next week. Aside from a boot, Bayonetta’s ponytail can shapeshift into a fist as well. Of course, this is only what’s been revealed as of yet. Who knows what more surprises her luxurious locks hold?

bayo3Though Bayonetta can make use of her environment, her body, and even enemies in order to sustain herself as a destructive powerhouse, the action doesn’t stop there. The game employs a mechanic known as Witch Time, akin to bullet time, that slows down the action and freezes enemies. This gives her the perfect opening in order to wail on the baddies, thus filling a combo meter. With every enemy defeated, golden halos are released. Later on after the heat of battle, they can be traded in for special attack upgrades, or item purchases. We could liken them to Devil May Cry orbs, and we’ve still yet to discover what other special items there may be to collect along the way.

Scheduled for a September 2009 release for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, we needn’t wait much longer to get tangled up in Bayonetta’s super-sexy, super-stylish world. While many may pass it off as a ripoff of games past, I happen to believe that Bayonetta should provide an arousing good time for all. What about you?

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