Following the Nintendo Direct earlier today, Nintendo has released a new video for Bayonetta 3, giving us a good 7 minutes of new gameplay from the upcoming Switch-exclusive sequel.
Titles ‘Ways of the Witch’, it showcases the different aspects of Bayonetta’s various combat abilities and the different enemies you will face, a narrator guiding you through what’s on screen.
The Homuncull are the main antagonists here, and in dealing with them Bayonetta can enter Witch Time by dodging and countering their attacks – just get the timing right and you’re away! Alongside that, she can sommon infernal demons to do her bidding, dancing around (nearly) in the buff while they smash your enemies. Just beware that this will drain Bayonetta’s magic gauge.
Bayonetta’s torture attacks can be one way of finishing an enemy, but you can also bring demons into the action as a combo finisher, or to counter an attack with an Assault Slave skill.
Channelling demons through her weapons, Bayonetta can use the Demon Masquerade to transform her appearance and access new abilities like Masquerade Rage. Each weapon has different powers and attachments to different demons, so switching weapons mid-combat will be key to keeping combos rolling and as varied as possible.
The Demon Masquerade can also be used to explore, the example given showing a tarantula form able to Spider-Man across a gap and reach a secret part of the world and special battle.
Bayo’s not the only witch in the game, though, and Viola will be a playable character. A witch in training, she’ll have some slightly different twists to gameplay. Witch Time will activate through blocking instead of dodging, and she has a giant demon cat called Cheshire bound to her sword. With Cheshire in the fight, Viola fights empty handed and without Witch Time, potentially making her a little more challenging.
Beyonetta 3 comes with three difficulty modes – casual, standard and expert – with a special Immortal Marionette also available that simplifies the combat controls down to a single button. A pretty great assist for those who just want to explore the story.
Bayonetta 3 launches on October 28th 2022, almost five years on from its announcement.
While waiting for the third game, you might want to replay the original and the Nintendo exclusive sequel. Nintendo released the first two titles for Switch in 2018, where they found a new home. I said, “While these might boil down to being relatively straightforward ports from Wii U to Switch, that doesn’t make them any less essential for fans of the action game genre and Platinum Games’ work… unless you’ve already played them both on Wii U. Either way, with Bayonetta 3 in the works, the Switch is now the witch’s new home.”
