A storybook weaves a tale of Bayonetta's past. ...... Review of "Bayonetta Origins: Ceressa and the Lost Devil," a new action adventure in which two people are controlled by one person.

The adventures of the half-human witch "Ceressa" and the demon "Cheshire" begin. The story of Bayonetta's "origins" is depicted in the style of a picture book.

Bayonetta" is an action game series developed by Platinum Games, which released the first title in 2009, followed by the latest numbered title "Bayonetta 3" in 2022. The protagonist of the series is Bayonetta, a witch with an overwhelming presence. The cool and sexy Bayonetta's powerful action and the raging battles that leave no time to catch one's breath, like a series of climactic scenes in a movie, have created the genre of "∞ (nonstop) climactic action". The Bayonetta series continues to captivate gamers around the world.

From "Bayonetta 3

Bayonetta Origins" depicts the story of the series' main character, the powerful witch Bayonetta, when she was still a young girl called Ceressa. It is set in a time far past that of the Bayonetta series, and is truly the "origin" of the series.

The main feature of this work is its picture-book-like visuals, which are drawn with a light touch. In contrast to the stylish and cool worldview and beautiful 3D graphics of the previous Bayonetta series, this title has warm visuals that resemble a children's picture book, and the story is presented in a picture book style, with pages turning and narration like a storyteller. The story is presented in a picture-book style, with page-turning and storytelling narration.

Before introducing the game, let us begin with a synopsis of the story.

The protagonist of the game is Ceressa, a girl born between the "Wise Men of Lumen," a family of light, and the "Witches of Umbra," a family of darkness. The two families have a strict code that keeps them apart, but Celessa, born of a sage and a witch who broke the code, is hated by the witches around her as a "child of impurity," and her only hope in life is to visit her mother, who is locked up in prison.

However, on the day Seressa turns 10, her mother is sealed away in the depths of an even deeper darkness.

Months have passed since then, and Ceressa, who has grown up a little, lives with Morgana, a witch who lives on the outskirts of town, and devotes herself to a rigorous training to become a strong witch and rescue her mother. One day, in the nightmare she has every night about leaving her mother, a strange and mysterious boy appears to her and tells her that he will give her the power to save her mother if she goes to the Forest of Avalon.

Morgana had strictly forbidden her to go near the dangerous Avalon Forest, which is home to fairies that attack people, but Seressa, who could not forget the boy of her dream, broke her promise and entered the forest. As she makes her way along a steep path, she is blocked by a group of eerie fairies who suddenly appear. She is almost saved by a black beast-like creature, which turns out to be Ceressa.

The beast turns out to be a large demon summoned from the demon world by Ceressa's summoning technique. However, the demon, which should have manifested itself in the witch's hair, possesses the precious stuffed animal "Cheshire," which she was holding in her arms, due to Ceressa's inexperience in the art.

Thus, Ceressa, who wants to save her mother, and Cheshire, who wants to go back to the demon world, end up adventuring together in the forest of Avalon for their own purposes. ...... is the synopsis of this work.

The story of Bayonetta, the strongest witch with unparalleled strength, gives players of the series a glimpse into her weepy, half-human girlhood, which will give them a fresh perspective. The story is also filled with heartrending emotions toward her mother, and the dialogue between her and Cheshire, a stuffed animal possessed by a demon.

The left hand controls Ceressa and the right hand controls Cheshire!　The unique "2-player cooperative play" system is a major attraction!

Let's take a closer look at the game system of this title.

This is an action/adventure game in which the player explores the field and moves on to the next level. Players control two characters, Ceressa and Cheshire, as they solve riddles, solve tricks, and fight enemies. Some may ask, "Is this a two-player game?" But this is not the case. This game has an unusual system in which one player controls two characters at the same time. This is the most unique feature of this work.

Let's start with Ceressa's controls.

The basic controls for Ceressa are the L stick and ZL button. In other words, to put it roughly, Ceressa uses the "left side. Bayonetta is the "mighty witch" who knocks down her enemies with punches, kicks, and gunshots, but the young Ceressa is completely unable to attack at all. In contrast to her later appearance, Ceressa is not very strong.

The action that Ceressa can perform is the "magic spell," which can be used with the ZL button. She can use the "Witch Pulse," a basic technique of the Umbra Witches, to unleash her magic while dancing, and the "Ibarabind," which summons thorns from the magical world to capture her enemies, to hold them back. Celessa has a certain amount of energy points, and she will die when she runs out of energy, so she must be carefully positioned to avoid being attacked by the enemy.

On the other hand, Cheshire is controlled mainly with the R stick and ZR button. In other words, she is on the "right side," the opposite of Cereza. In addition, in terms of positioning, Cheshire mainly uses her sharp claws to attack enemies, as opposed to Ceressa, who cannot attack. Even if Cheshire runs out of energy, she will only turn back into a stuffed animal, and can be revived by Celessa holding her for a while, so she can be used as a shield for Celessa and fight as hard as she wants.

In other words, Cheshire is the attacker and Ceressa is the supporter, and the fact that these two players can cooperate with each other at the same time is the most important point of this work. The two players must be very careful in their positioning, as they are not allowed to be too far from each other.

In the field, there are various gimmicks, such as a place where you must use Ceressa's witch pulse to release a trap in order to proceed, obstacles that can only be broken by Cheshire's claws, and a place where rosemary flowers, used to ward off evil, bloom that the demon Cheshire cannot pass. In addition, the rosemary flowers used to ward off evil spirits are inaccessible to the demon Cheshire, and various other gimmicks await them. Some of the riddles are so elaborate that you have to return Cheshire to her plushie state and throw her to a high place to proceed, making the riddles challenging enough to solve. The exhilaration of successfully breaking through is also great.

As mentioned earlier, the left hand controls Ceressa and the right hand controls Cheshire, but in "Hug Mode," in which Ceressa holds Cheshire in a stuffed animal form, the player can concentrate on controlling Ceressa alone. The modes can be seamlessly switched at any time with the touch of a button, so it is best to use the "Hug Mode" for normal exploration and the "Unleash Mode" for when Cheshire's help is needed, depending on the situation.

When in Hug Mode, the R stick can be used to extend Cheshire in plush form. This can be used to retrieve hidden items, so if you are in a place you are curious about or visiting for the first time, it would be a good idea to move Cheshire around by moving the R-stick around. By the way, this Cheshire is quite cute, so don't miss it.

This place is amazing!　My 3 recommendations for "Bayonetta Origins

From here, I would like to introduce "my personal recommendation" for this title.

1、A fresh new experience in which you control two players separately with your left and right hands

This is, in my opinion, the greatest feature and the most exciting part of the game. The unique sensation of controlling Ceressa with the left hand and Cheshire with the right hand is confusing to the brain and hand until you get used to it, but as you play, you will get used to it and before you know it, you will be operating the game smoothly. This feeling of your brain and hands gradually working together is a one-of-a-kind experience that can only be experienced with this title.

Platinum Games' games are known for their exhilarating action, and this "Bayonetta Origins" also has a unique control feel that allows the player to enjoy "exhilarating action" from a completely different angle than in the previous Bayonetta series. This unique control experience also allows the player to enjoy "exhilarating action" from a completely different angle from the previous Bayonetta series.

While there are many games in the world that allow cooperative play between two players, it is probably quite rare to find a game like this one that is a "single player cooperative game". However, taking advantage of the fact that this is a Nintendo Switch title, it is possible to hand the Joy-Con (L) or Joy-Con (R) to a family member or friend for "realistic 2-player cooperative play". Although the game's concept suggests that the greatest enjoyment is in the awkwardness of controlling two players by yourself, it may be a possible way to play the game.

2、Well-crafted picture book-style storytelling that will make you gaze and listen with fascination.

The fantastic watercolor-style graphics are one of the major attractions of this title. The main game screen, where Ceressa and Cheshire unfold their adventures, as well as the system screen where various settings are made, the archive screen where detailed information on characters and enemies can be viewed, and every corner of the game is thoroughly integrated with picture-book-like visuals, making the game enjoyable to play even just by looking at. It is fun just to look at it. The carefully crafted effects, such as the flipping of pages when switching screens and items, and the way the screen appears as if watercolors are "smudging" on the screen, also increase the level of immersion in the picture book-like world of the game.

Among these picture book-like effects, I was most impressed by the narration of the story. In this work, event scenes are inserted here and there in the style of a picture book. The characters' lines are naturally read out loud in their own voices, but the narration reads out the so-called "ground text. This narration is not a simple, systematic voiceover, but a deep, warm voice (narrated by Ikuko Tani), as if she were telling a story to a child before bedtime. This wonderful narration is so nostalgic that it is worth playing the game to experience it for yourself.

3、Detailed option settings for those who are not good at action games

The "left and right characters are controlled separately" feature of this game may give some players the impression that the game is a bit complicated and difficult. Players who are not very good at action games may be put off by this unique control method, despite the appeal of the picture book-style visuals and worldview. But rest assured. This title is designed to allow players to set the difficulty level very precisely.

For example, the "Witch Pulse" action that Ceressa performs when disarming a gimmick, which normally requires the player to move the L stick down at the right moment, can be optionally set to omit this stick operation. However, this can be optionally omitted. When actually playing the game, the player will find that this alone makes a considerable difference in the level of difficulty.

In addition, the strength of enemies can be set not only to "normal" and "tough," but also to "weak," and the amount of damage that Ceressa and Cheshire take can be set not only to "normal" and "weak," but even to "no damage," which reduces all damage to zero. These settings can be changed at any time during the game, allowing the player to experiment with various settings while playing to find a play style that suits him or her. The presence of these well-thought-out options makes this title a game that can be enjoyed to the fullest by a wide range of players, from advanced gamers to novice players.

A quality action adventure that can be recommended to both fans of the series and those who have not yet played the series.

Thus, we have delivered our first impressions of "Bayonetta Origins.

Bayonetta Origins" is full of unique charms: a story that lets you know the origin of Bayonetta, the strongest witch; detailed picture book-style graphics and beautiful music that enlivens the game; and a unique game system in which you control two characters, Ceressa and Cheshire. Whether you like action games or not, whether you have played the Bayonetta series or not, you will be able to enjoy this title widely. A demo version that allows you to carry over your save data to the full version is also available, so if you are interested in the game, why not try the demo version first?

• Title Information
• Bayonetta Origins: Ceressa and the Lost Devil " (Nintendo)
• Release date: March 17, 2023
• Platform: Nintendo Switch
• Price: Package version: 6,578 yen (tax included)
• Download version: 6,500 yen (including tax)
• # of games

Author: Nero Hyakkabe

Freelance writer who buys too many games. Currently have more than 300 games in my stack. Also a novelist. His works include "Yubisaki Kaidan: 140 Scary Stories" (PHP Kenkyujo) and "Goa-ken: Unrated Edition" (Kodansha).

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