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It seems like ancient history now, but you may recall that Nintendo introduced Wii U as a system designed to appeal to both casual and dedicated players alike. One of its first moves in wooing the core player was to resurrect Bayonetta 2 - a game that was all but cancelled before Nintendo moved in to save the day. Calling to mind the Capcom 5 announcements for GameCube, the Mario maker commissioned Platinum Games to develop two new titles for its fledgling system: The Wonderful 101 released on Wii U last year, while Bayonetta 2 arrives next month, continuing the system's positive momentum that began with Mario Kart 8 and gathered pace thanks to a strong showing at E3. While Nintendo's own titles have a universal appeal for all players, Platinum's latest release is something very different, coming across very much like a love letter to the core gamer.Here at Digital Foundry, we still have a way to go before completing Platinum's latest epic, but first impressions suggest that this sequel delivers. Gameplay feels instantly familiar to those who played the original, while newcomers and more casual players should be able to ease into the game thanks to the introduction of new touch controls. These new options won't distract those looking for the more challenging, hardcore experience though - they effectively replace the 'easy automatic' mode of the original Bayonetta. Certainly, Platinum's dedication to an insane gameplay experience remains undiminished: exploding angels, giant medieval torture devices and even a little dancing are just some of the things you experience within the first five minutes. Levels are larger and more detailed, set-piece moments are even more over-the-top, but crucially, the action is just as laser-focused as its predecessor.
The bulk of the game's technical improvements stem from those outrageous set-piece moments. While much of Bayonetta 2's underpinnings are shared with the original - right down to its native 720p presentation, lacklustre texture filtering and no anti-aliasing - the engine manages to deliver sequences more complex than anything the original had to offer. However, this decision backfires a little in some respects. At its heart this is a game that owes the roots of its design to classic fast-paced PS2-era 60Hz action games such as Devil May Cry. Those backgrounds racing by as you fight hordes of angels? They may as well be flat-shaded boxes without compromising the gameplay. Sure, all of those pyrotechnics and crazy levels are a core part of the experience but they're ultimately little more than fancy window dressing - and it comes at a cost.
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