Hideki Kamiya, one of the founders of PlatinumGames and the creative mind behind Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, and the Viewtiful Joe series is leav?ing the studio he helped create, according to a post on Twitter made by Kamiya and one made by PlatinumGames. Kamiyaâ€??™s resignation is effective October 12.

“We are truly grateful for [Kamiya’s] creative ideas, leadership, and contribution to the growth of PlatinumGames from our start-up to this very day,�said the Bayonetta and Nier: Automata developer in a post on Twitter. It goes on to wish Kamiya success “in his future endeavors as a game creator.�/p>

In a post made to his personal Twitter account, Kamiya elaborated on his decision to leave Platinum, saying “this came after a lot of consideration based on ??my own beliefs. and was by no means an easy decision to make,�while also confirming in a reply that he will continue to create “in my Hideki Kamiya way.�This, plus the studio’s well wishes, seem to suggest that Kamiya will continue creating games.

Kamiya has become notorious on Twitter for his liberal use of the block button, making it very clear that, among other reasons, responding to him in any language other than Japanese would earn an insta-block.

Kamiya’s career began with Capcom, where he served as a system planner for the original BIOHAZARD, known in the west as Resident Evil. He then went on to become the chief game designer and director for the sequel, BIOHAZARD 2 / Resident Evil 2. Kamiya, Viewtiful Joe producer Atsushi Inaba, and the creator of Resident Evil Shinji Mikami would create Seeds in 2006, the studio that would merge with Tatsuya Minami's Odd Inc. to form PlatinumGames in 2007. It was there where Kamiya would work on titles such as Bayonetta, The Wonderful 101, and Astral Chain.

The post Hideki Kamiya is leaving PlatinumGames appeared first on Destructoid.

Just when you thought the game couldn't look more promising

On Sunday night Square Enix hosted a Final Fantasy XVI pre-launch celebration stream. Early in the stream, fans were presented with two special video clips, featuring some of the high-ranking personnel connected to both developer PlatinumGames and to Square Enix' RPG franchise Kingdom Hearts.

The first was from Platin??umGames?? Inc. President and CEO/Studio Head Atushi Inaba.

"PlatinumGames was graced with the opportunity to develop a part of Final Fantasy XVI. We'd never had an experience to work on a title in this manner, so it certainly took us by surprise when we were first approached. But the development staff �myself included, were all extremely excited for this opportunity, saying things like, 'it's the Final Fantasy' and 'we'll never get another chance to work on Final Fantasy.' So we gladly accepted t?his opportunity and made it ??happen.

Takahisa Taura, who worked with Square Enix previously on NieR: Automata, led the development staff and the team on the PlatinumGames side. He powered through thee development as leader of the team, and I'm confident that the part we handled en??ded up being a high quality content.

We were able to work on Final Fantasy XVI with excitement as creators, but we only partially handled the development, so we're also looking forward to playing the content as individual fans, just like those that are watching this video. And so, I am looking forward to enjoying the fantastic world of Final Fantasy XVI as both a creator and a fan.

Our sincerest congratulations!"

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNXD3J3vmqw

Immediately following the first clip, a second was played featuring the Co-Director of Kingdom Hearts IV, Tai Yasue.

"Hello everyone! I'm Tai Yasue, Co-Director of Kingdom Hearts IV. I'm happy to announce that, in fact, the Kingdom Hearts development team had a part in developing Final Fantasy XVI! We joined forces on the battles and such, but to be honest, it came as a surprise when the idea was initially brought to us. It seemed like a daring ?idea!

It's already hard to achieve a scale of this level while being an action-based game. And, it felt even craz?ier hearing their plan to join forces with development teams that each have different creative methods. I mean, even if it's coming from Naoki Yoshida, the man with an asteroid named after him, we were thinking about politely declining...

??That being said, as we got to know more about the game's plan and story, the entire team wanted to make this work, no matter what. Although it was a wild undertaking, there was ultimately something to gain through its development.

Now, Final Fantasy XVI's release is right around the co?rner. In a sense, it's been developed in an unconventional way, but in part, because of that, we feel it's shaped up to deliver an exceptional experience, so please give it a go! Than??????????????????????????k you!"

So there we have it. Creative Business Unit III, PlatinumGames, and the Kingdom Hearts team all worked together to make Final Fantasy XVI happen. Yoshida went on to point out that the production scale of the game was so massive, and with a new action combat system, he felt they couldn't reach the intended scale without the fellow studios' assistance. For spoiler reasons, he declined to point out exactly what elements of FF XVI ?they worked on, but assured fans we'd know after launch.

As if I wasn't already extremely excited for FF XVI, this makes me even more so. NieR: Automata is one of my favorite games of all time, and it nothing else had a stellar combat system. And while Kingdom Hearts III may not ha??ve been the best game in the series, it was still great and the combat was fun.

If you want to try out Final Fantasy XVI for yourself, a demo just released earlier today. Otherw?ise, the game launches on PlayStation ??5 on June 22.

The post PlatinumGames and Kingdo?m Hearts team assisted with Final Fantasy XVI appeared first on Destructoid.

What's the time? Witch time

After Bayonetta 2 hit in 2014, the series became so much more than just a one and done successor to Devil May Cry. It was a fully-fledged universe that many fans started to grab on to; as evidenced by the discussion behind the recently-released Bayonetta 3 story beats. Now it even has its own spinoff! Thankfully, it still keeps the same witchy style ?intact, but with a considerably different genre shift.

[caption id="attachment_368425" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (Switch)
Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: March 17, 2023
MSRP: $59.99

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is an action puzzle game with a major emphasis o??n the puzzle aspect.

Initially you'll control Bayonetta herself (Cereza) as part of a wonder years, witch-in-training prologue before picking up Cheshire; a demon companion that does most of the fighting, and a bit of puzzle-solving. The duo will work in tandem (independently through left analog stick control for Cereza, and right analog stick control for Cheshire), with Cereza using her magic powers to lock down enemies and create explo??ration-based opportunities, while Cheshire can more directly swipe at and damage foes. You'll need to dodge enemies with both halves, adding a neat wrinkle to the urgency of the action.

Slowly, you'll get acquainted with all of the game's mechanics, eventually gaining access to a skill tr?ee for each character (which opens up advance moves like projectile countering and combos). In addition to moving the duo from each story-progressing sequence to the next, you'll wander around a forest playground of sorts connected by save points and challenge rooms: some of which require future abilities to fully complete.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF0TfX02Mw4

I was surprised at how easy it was to acclimate to the idea of Cereza and Cheshire working both together and separately. Controlling them both is easy as the locales aren't too sprawling (albeit sometimes of a cramped variety), and it's? rewarding to pull of even simple combos and clear simple puzzles. An example includes putting Cheshire on a lift raised by Cereza to unlock a seal on a chest; and having Cereza then ride the platform (raised by Cheshire) to grab the loot. These sorts of puzzles raise a bit in complexity over time, but it's nearly always fun to see a theoretical point A (the edge of a cliff) and point B (where the treasure is) and figure out how to connect the dots between the two.

Whoever thought of "hug mode" needs a raise. Using the L button, Cereza can grab and hug Cheshire's smaller stuffed animal form, which lets you move around the world as a single unit. It's a nice respite from controlling both characters, and is even directly woven into some of the game's puzzles. You can use it basically at any time, though you understandably may need to split them off for combat or puzzle-solving (like tossing Cheshire up a ledge in hug form to open up a path ?or avoid a substance th??at keeps Cheshire at bay).

As you progress and earn more tools of the trade, both combat and exploration get more interesting. Cheshire can sport multiple forms, which can be used to solve puzzles; and creates more open-ended situations where the solution to a particular collectible drop or a critical path puzzle is less obvious. After the hour-ish long first tutorial-like area Bayonetta Origins opens up more, but without feeling overwhelming or like there's tons of padding. You'll come across a reasonable amount of collectibles during your jo??urney, and the paths don't become too labyrinthine and boring, even later on.

[caption id="attachment_368435" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

All along the way you'll get constant tidbits on Cereza's backstory, which in turn inform future Bayonetta timeline events. While you don't need to be a pure Bayonetta fan to really enjoy the mostly self-encapsulated story, it does help: especially during some of the game's more eventful series references. As someone who loves this world, it's interesting to see first-hand how Ce??reza grew up and the circumstances surrounding that, as well?? as what led to the imprisonment of her mother (and how she personally dealt with it).

Bayonetta Origins isn't a prestige drama by any means, but the entire vibe is extremely amenable to fans. There's always the risk of over-explaining things (which some fans took umbrage with in the third game), but the way Bayonetta Origins operates is relatively melancholy and muted?, and doesn't quite sink to the depths of "just say the line!" dep??ravity.

The bit that should appeal to pretty much everyone is the storybook ?aesthetic. It's so much better looking in motion, as the backgrounds really pop and feel alive in incredibly nuanced ways. The animation on Cheshire in particular (especially when changing forms) is mesmerizing, which is fun to look at during?? some of the game's slower moments, and during the higher octane battles. I love how Cheshire clambers up walls and has exaggerated slashing motions: it feels true to Platinum's sense of "functional style."

[caption id="attachment_368439" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

At $60, the low key nature of Bayonetta Origins and the fact that some of it is going to appeal to Bayonetta fans isn't going to do it any favors. But when I was playing through it, I was reminded of a few '90s classics like The Lost Vikings and the quirkiness of the Gobliiins series. It's a really breezy game to play if you're enamored by the storybook look and feel, which does some of the ?heavy lifting.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Dem?on appeared first on Destructoid.

The full game is still out on March 17

Bayonetta Origins, otherwise known as Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, is slated for release on March 17. Before that, you can test out this interesting spinoff in demo form. It's actually out today, an??d will pick up from the opening moments of t?he game through "the early chapters."

Here's the ful??l rundown of the demo from Nintendo:

"This is your lucky day. Or unlucky day, depending on how you play your cards, for the Avalon Forest is just as beautiful as it is beastly, and it has an appetite for wandering witches. In the Nintendo eShop demo, you can try out the early chapters of the Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon g?ame. As a bonu??s, save data will transfer over to the full version of the game, when purchased, which launches on March 17."

Yes, you can transfer save data from the demo over to the full version of the game. It seems like it's a given for most larger IP these days (especially Nintendo games), but you never know! Also, there are accessibility options in tow: "The game also features accessibility options, such as reducing damage or automating some controls, that can help anyone (newcomers and Bayonetta fans alike) enjoy the game."

[caption id="attachment_367603" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Where to download the Bayonetta Origins demo

You can find it right here under the?? "download demo" heading on?? Nin?tendo's site, or go to it directly on the eShop.

The post The Bayonetta Origins demo is out now appeared first on Destructoid.

Babylon's Fall: born on a Monday, buried on Sunday

Alas, poor Babylon's Fall. The game has finally fallen down its final flight of stairs. As we reported nearly six months ago, the game's end of life arrived at the end of February, but folks are just now noticing that the? studio published patch notes for it.

Available to peruse publicly on Steam, the Version 1.4.0 patch notes simply state:

• End of service

The last patch the game hosted was all the way back in November of 2022, where the team reminded players that it would be the final update. Before that the team distributed a launch patch, a minor update shortly after release, and patches in April, May, and July of that same year. The "live service element" of the game essentially lasted from March 2022 until a few months later in early? September.

We hardly knew ye, Babylon's Fall

As someone who actually played Babylon's Fall from? birth (the beta) to death, it's sad to wonder about what may have been. Had it not been conceived as a live service game, and if the powers that be gave it a bit more ti?me in the oven, it could have been a cool stylized action romp from Platinum. The team could have moved on instead of spending time developing post-launch seasonal content (before or after launch), and a standalone release definitely wouldn't have scared off so many people from buying in.

Maybe The Suicide Squad game will meet the same fate? Stay tuned!

The post Babylon’s Fall’s death knell is patch notes that just say “end of service” appeared first on Destructoid.

Feelin' Witchy

Somebody deserves a whole stack of lollipops �PlatinumGames has proudly announced that its dazzling hack 'n' slash sequel Bayonetta 3 has smashed past one million global sales. The long-long-long awaited sequel first launched on Nintendo Switch back in Oc????tober 2022.

The sales milestone was modestly announced on the official PlatinumGames Twitter account, and sees the popular series' second sequel become the fastest-selling title of the Bayonetta series. The adventure sees the sultry Umbra Witch take o?n the powerful "Homunculi" arsenal in an effort to prevent the very te??aring of space and time itself. Over the course of the story, Bayonetta is aided by friends from alternate universes, as well as a young witch-in-training known as Viola.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RlGQM6Pv?HY&ab_cha?nnel=NintendoofAmerica

After what seemed like an endless wait for release, Bayonetta 3 finally launched to a mixed, but mostly positive reception from critics and fans. While most everybody was pleased with the iconic and chaotic combat, as well as its seamless integratio?n into the mise-en-scene, many fans were left a little disappointed by the story and the overall character arc for their favorite naughty spellcaster?.

The next title in the series will be spin-off release Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and The Lost Demon. This cutesy-looking title will see the young girl who would eventually become Bayonetta embark upon one of her very first adven??tures, exploring the Avalon forest alongside her first demon companion, Cheshire. Bayonetta Origins will launch on Nintendo Switch on March 17.

Bayonetta 3 is available right now, ??exclusively on Nintendo Switch.

The post Bayonetta 3 smashes past one million sales appeared first on Destructoid.

Update 1.2.0 to the rescue

Just this past week, Platinum released the first major post-launch update for Bayonetta 3, and it was a doozy. Not only did it address some long-running concerns from the community for a few encounters (and Viola's moveset), but it also directly impacted a really low key aspect of the game: the playable teaser for the upcoming release Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon.

Here's a quick reminder of what that up?date actually changed:

Game Modes

• Conditions for obtaining the “Tricolored Keysâ€?needed to unseal the “Old Picture Bookâ€?have been made easier.
• “Tricolored Keysâ€?will be automatically available on the chapter select screen once it becomes possible to access the “Gates of Hellâ€?

• Even if the player already has access to the Gates of Hell, or has already obtained one or two keys, they will automatically obtain the remaining keys when going to the chapter select screen after applying the update.

Accessing the Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon demo is much easier in 2023

As the Nintendo of Europe Tw??itter account pointed out this weekend, once you have the new update (1.2.0) installed, you can just buy the Old Picture Book from the Gates of Hell shop: no keys or added steps needed! Prior to the update, after buying the book, you needed to locate th??ree hidden keys spread across several chapters of the game (Chapter 1, 4, and 13).

This takes me back to the bygone era where demos were king, and sometimes were selling points all on their own. While the Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon itself is very brief, it's c?ool to see more free unlockables in games, sans DLC. The action genre is the perfect host for it.

The post PSA: A new up?date made it a lot easier to play the hidden Bayonetta 3 demo appeared first on Destructoid.

Niflheim is generally easier now

Bayonetta 3 came and conquered, but Platinum Games has been infrequently tweaking the game since its October 2022 release. Beyond the initial day one launch patch, this week is the only time it's been adjusted in a ??major way: in this instance, via version 1.2.0, which was implemented late on January 10, 2023.

So there's a few things this patch addresses:

• Combat adjustments that mainly apply to Viola
• Nerfs to many Niflheim challenge stages (which a lot of people asked for, even on higher-end difficulties)
• The Tricolored Keys/Old Picture Book secret is easier to access, as you just get the Tricolored Keys automatically now
• Other minor game balance issues, as well as bug fixes

So the first two points are actually entwined, as many folks were frustrated with some of the Viola-specific Niflheim challenges. To accommodate, it is now easier to enter Witch Time with Viola, and it's been generally buffed. This has been a consistent point of contention and one ?of the biggest asks from the community.

Beyond that, the enhanced ease of accessing the teaser demo for the upcoming Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a smart move: especially since the initial hype of finding it the "secret way" has died down a bit. Plus, granular bug fixes in a frame-perfect action gam??e are alwa?ys appreciated!

You can find the ?full patch notes here on Nintendo's official site, or below.

Bayonetta 3 Ver. 1.2.0 Patch Notes (Released January 10, 2023)

Combat Adjustments

• Adjusted Viola’s activation window for “Blockâ€?and activation conditions for Witch Time.
  • Block activation window added after releasing Block (during the release animation).
  • Added an additional animation when Witch Time takes effect, making its activation easier to realize.
  • The allotted duration of Witch Time, and its activation window have been lengthened.
  • Now, when block is activated when player is attacked, player will receive damage effect, but block will succeed and activate Witch Time.
  • Now, combo can continue (with Dodge Offset) when player uses Block to activate Witch Time.
  • If the Block input is used repeatedly, the granted Witch Time duration will decrease.
• Adjustments made to prevent Viola's evasive input and Cheshire's summoning input from activating Assault Slave while maintaining invincibility if they are used in rapid succession.
• Weapons "Simoon", "Tartarus" and Viola's Charge Attacks can now continue to hold charge, even if dodged or blocked.
• Wink Slave can now be activated from the combos "PKP*" and "PKK*" for the weapons "G-Pillar", "Dead End Express" and "Cassiopeia".*P is Punch, and K is Kick
• When equipping the accessories "Infernal Communicator" and "Pulley's Butterfly" to summon Devils and Butterflies, it is now possible to cancel the summoning motion by dodging or blocking.

Niflheim

The fo??llowing Niflheim stage conditions were changed to lower the difficulty:

Game Modes

• Conditions for obtaining the "Tricolored Keys" needed to unseal the "Old Picture Book" have been made easier.
  • "Tricolored Keys" will be automatically available on the chapter select screen once it becomes possible to access the "Gates of Hell".
• Even if the player already has access to the Gates of Hell, or has already obtained one or two keys, they will automatically obtain the remaining keys when going to the chapter select screen after applying the update.

Other Changes

• Adjustments have been made to the Golem Treasure Chests found in stages.
  • Time limits have been increased, and difficulty has been lowered.
  • Golem Chest fragmenting animation can now be fast-forwarded with the B-button.
• Adjustments have been made to reduce situations with poor camera visibility.
• Adjusted game balance.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug in Verse 5 of Chapter 7 that prevented progress when certain actions were performed while controlling Cheshire.
• Fixed a problem with the accessory "Hymn of Durga" in which its effect was not being applied to some attacks.
• Fixed an issue where using Alruna’s “Bondage Whip (P or K* long press)â€?skill in certain situations would cause the enemies to to die instantly.
• Fixed an issue where the weapons using “Crow Withinâ€?(J* long press)â€?with "Scarborough Fair" and "Love is Blue" would cause player to move forward significantly under certain conditions.
• Fixed an issue where Bayonetta's animations would not play correctly when switching weapons immediately after using the "Crow Within (J* long press)â€?with the weapons "Scarborough Fair" and "Love is Blue".
• Fixed a bug that caused "Black Pearl Rain (Rotate L stick + S*)â€?for Infernal Demon "Kraken" to trigger "Wink Slave" with abnormally high attack power.
• Fixed a bug that caused "Devil Rodin" to be stuck for a time when using "After Burner Kick (↑K* in midair)" continuously, immediately after rising up with a prior "After Burner Kick (J・K*)â€?
• Fixed a bug in which Viola’s Assault Slave was able to summon Infernal Demons in "Infernal Demon-prohibited areasâ€?
• Fixed an error in the hand symbol seen in Cutie J’s transformation sequence viewable in Side Chapter.
• Fixed other issues to make the game more enjoyable to play.

*P is Punch, K is Kick, S is Shoot,? and J is Jump.

The post New massiv?e Bayonetta 3 patch nerfs some?? encounters, buffs Viola appeared first on Destructoid.

Bayonetta 3 was worth the wait

Welcome back! It's another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Bayonetta 3 is here! The crew shares their thoughts on the highly anticipated action title. That’s not all -- Liam Hemsworth is replacing Henry Cavill in The Witcher season 4, SEGA talks about its �a href="//jbsgame.com/sega-aims-for-super-game-march-2026-industry-news/">super game� and Call of Duty could be Switch-bound. A Bayonetta 3 win is a pretty easy thing to talk ab??out for one! All of that and so much more on Spot Dodge!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHsu39pdqi8&feature=youtu.be&ab_chann?el=SpotDodge

I haven’t completed Bayonetta 3 yet, but it’s already everythi??ng I hoped it would be and so much more. The action is bat-shit crazy, the new char?acters are intriguing and well-acted, and the game is so damn fun it helps me look past its performance woes. I’ve played very few games where it’s so abundantly clear it was crafted with truckloads of tender love and care -- and in this instance, a pinch of perfume and gunpowder. Bayonetta 3 is the win PlatinumGames has needed in recent years. There's so much to discuss!

Our lovely cast from?? around the web: Brett Medlock (me) and Mary Stowe from Destructoid, John Friscia from The Escapist, Greg Bargas from PC Invasion, and Brett Larsen, our extra special guest. Behind the scenes, Gamurs�Eric Weichhart is live-editing this week’s show.

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podc?ast rotation.

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Destructoid’s YouTube and Twitch channels. Don’t be afraid to join the chat and be part of the show! Note: This week we're only streaming on the Twitch. Next week we'll hav??e a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube chan?nel!

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on both YouTube and Twitch (don’t forget to f??ollow and subscr??ibe). So many options!

The post Bayonetta 3 is the win PlatinumGames needed appeared first on Destructoid.

The short answer is yes you can dive in; but if you have time, playing the first two would be ideal

If you asked a member of the Platinum marketing team, they'd probably tell you that Bayonetta 3 as a standalone story that you can dive into. But if you asked Platinum dev and executive Hideki Kamiya, he'd urge you to play the initial two games first. The latter is mostly true: if you can play the first two, you'll get a lot out of it. If you play Bayonetta 3 first you'll mostly be fine??, but there are bits and pieces from the original two games that will greatly benefit your enjoyment of the story, and certain character interact??ions.

Minor vague spoilers below in terms of themes, but nothing specific

In Bayonetta 3, the titular protagonist and her team are squaring off against a new threat: humanity. Or rather, humanity evolved, by way of "Homonculi." Bayonetta has essentially conquered hell a??nd heaven in her original games (which are present throughout mostly in the form of challenge rooms), but this story is new, and most of it will be easy to glean/pick up as said threat is introduced. Viola, the new playable character, is also a clever way to usher in brand new players and ground them to this third entry.

The action speaks for itself. Bayonetta 3 has myriad tutorials, as well an easier mode, and even an accessory tha??t can do auto-combos (you just need to purchase it from the shop). By all coun??ts, it's arguably the most accessible entry in the series from a mechanical standpoint. You can get the gist of what's happening through a lot of early exposition, ride out the adventure with Bayonetta's new adversary, and pick up the game while you're at it.

That said, where you're really going to get a lot out of playing the first two games is the emotional resonance of the f?inal act, and the character interactions. A few people kind of?? just pop up, and especially toward the end of the game, you're meant to react to them on a more personal level, and vibe with the narrative twists.

If you have the time, you'll likely get a lot more out of the last portion of the game, specifically the end?ing. But if you just want to play a game with a good action foundation a??nd come along for the ride, you can totally do that too: especially if you have no intention of revisiting the other two games.

The post Can you play Bayonetta 3 first??, or?? should you finish 1 and 2? appeared first on Destructoid.

"We apologize that we could not meet demand"

Bayonetta 1 Switch shortages for the newly minted physical editions ??are sadly plaguing the UK and some regions in Europe, thanks to an exclusive rollout on the My Nin?tendo Store.

Here's the full statement fro??m Nintendo??, on Twitter, issued today:

"We apologize that we could not meet demand for the physical edition of the first Bayonetta game recently. We will restock the physical edition of the first Bayonetta game once more? later this year, on [the] My Nintendo Store."

The tweet then goes on to prov?ide a li?nk for update registration here.

Meanwhile, in the US, Bayonetta 1 has been available at several retail?ers, and is readily in stock at the time of writing at Best Buy. It actually went up for sale weeks ago (I got my copy a while back), and is holding stock. So the "limited quantities" Ni??ntendo spoke of in the past seem to be region-based.

Outside of the regional Bayonetta 1 Switch shortages, this isn't the first hectic rodeo from a My Nintendo Store rollout. Xenoblade 3 was rife with access problems, with virtual queues that didn't work, or crashed randomly. Ideally Nintendo will stop doing exclusives like this in any region, as the demand clearly exceeds whateve??r Nintendo has in mind in terms of a sustainable approach to taking pre-orders.

In the meantime, if you really want it and don't want to wait on a mystery restock window (or potentially deal with a broken website again), importing from the US could be an option. Secondhand mark??ets aren't selling it at obscene prices just yet, and some stores might ship overseas.

The post Nintendo UK ??apologizes for Bayonetta 1 Switch shortages, says more are coming this year appeared first on Destructoid.

It mostly deals with Naive Angel Mode and leaderboards

A Bayonetta 3 patch has been released, just in time for the game's launch ??on Friday. The good news? ??It's short and sweet.

So the first bit involves "Naive Angel Mode," which, in the words of Platinum themselves, "lowers the amount of violence and sexual content." Apparently the day one patch will apply this optional mode to "more scenes," and it can be enabled immediately when sta??rting the game (rather than on the chapter menu after the intro).

Also, the leaderboard/high score functionality is now properly applied before launch. There are numerous ways to upload your score: right after clearing a chapter and pressing "+," or selecting a chapter manually on the chapter menu hub, selecting play history, and pressing "+" af??ter the fact.

Other than that, there's a generic "game balance and other adjustments" note, which could mean anything. You can find the patch notes below, courtesy of Nintendo Everything.

Bayonetta 3 patch 1.1.0 notes:

Game Modes
Naive Angel Mode, which can be activated to lower the amount of violence and sexual content, can now be used in more scenes. Also, Naive Angel Mode can now be activated when starting the game for the first time.
After starting the game, you can change the Naive Angel Mode setting from “Options > “S??creen Display� However, you cannot do so while in the middle of a?? chapter. You can change it either from the Title Screen or from “Options�in “Chapter Menu�

Online
High-scores and best times can now be uploaded in the “Online Leaderboards�section.
Here’s the various ways to upload your high-scores and best times:
Press the + button on the result screen after clearing a chapter
Select a chapter you’ve cleared as well as the difficulty level in “Chapter Menu��“Online Leaderboards�and press the + button
Select a chapter you’ve cleared in “Chapter Menu��“Play History�and press the + button
If you obtain a “Platinum�rating for your score or time before downloading this update, the score or time will be adjusted to match the target value of the “Platinum�rating
The “Total Time�for each chapter will be revised if your time is faster than the target val?ue.

General
Game balance has been adjusted.
Other adjustment??s were made to improve t??he game play experience.

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Full Umbran circle

Bayonetta 1 and 2 are up there with Devil May Cry 3 and Ninja Gaiden Black as one of a select few all-time action greats. There's a strong case that until Devil May Cry 5 came along, Platinum was practically peerless in the contemporary action space. Now, we have Bayonetta 3.

So h?o??w do you follow up on prior perfection? More of it.

Bayonetta 3 (Switch [reviewed])
Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: October 28, 2022
MSRP: $59.99

Bayonetta 3 starts with Bayonetta getting her ass kicked without context; which is a pretty great way to kick off an action game. We're immediately introduced to newcomer Viola,?? who has an appropriate punk vibe, looking to make a name for herself and earn the respect of Bayonetta while saving the world.

The phrase "multiverse" is literally used early on, and that's the heart of the rabbit hole that Bayonetta 3 takes us d??own. We'll see multiple other incarnations of existing characters, which is a slick way to marry both the old a??nd the new into one non-repetitive or cloying package. "Bayonetta nostalgia" is a thing at this point, given that it's been 13 years and multiple generations since her debut, and most of it is executed in a tasteful fashion. Going big in terms of scope, while also keeping things personal, is a smart way to handle a game like this. The new stuff, thankfully, has the same amount of care put into it, so it doesn't just feel like a retread.

Viola thankfully doesn't fall into the trap of becoming an obnoxious "attitude-era" character. She's relatable, she likes anime, and a lot of her physical comedy is to the tune of Trigun's Vash the Stampede. She sports separate mechanics that involve parrying at the perfect time ins??tead of dodging (like Bayonetta), on top of her playful cat demon Cheshire (who can be summoned in combat) which immediately gives her a?? fresh playstyle. This isn't the first game to have two distinct "young versus old" heroes that juggle different mechanical concepts, but it's one of the better-handled ones over the years. While Viola's voice lines can get repetitive, the actress (Anna Brisbin) gives it her all, with a wide variety of emotions in play by the time the curtain closes.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RlGQM6PvHY

As far as Bayonetta's performance goes, I'd be remiss not to mention the controversy with the original actor, as well as the complicated follow-up report. I'll leave you to make y??our own decisions about how to handle this, but suffice to say that Jennifer Hale is once again a true professional in the booth, and does a fantastic job at voicing Bayonetta. Not only does she need to juggle the Bayonetta we're actually playing and hearing on a constant basis, but Hale also voices many other characters, including the other multiversal incarnations of the titular witch. She has a ton of dialogue, but manages to give each version their own spin (even when it comes to their nuances or attitude).

Of course, the sleaze and impeccable sense of style is still present in the threequel, including a jazzy poppy soundtrack that I would listen to in my free time; and some crazy cutscenes that include a few of the most insane scenes I've seen all year in almost any medium. There's a lot of tension to the story (as well as last-minute eucatastrophic saves that will make you smile), and Bayonetta gains access to an array of powers that allow for tons of different playstyles. Most of these are incorporated directly in??to the game's cutscenes, albeit to an extreme degree.

"Kick, punch, shoot, dodge (with the time-slowing witch time mechanic)" is still the core of the gameplay but the combo system is even more detailed this time around with the addition of demon summoning. There's a quick-swap system (toggled by L) for two weapons, which are tied to traversal, to give them even more personality??. Now instead of whipping people with a yo-yo with a spider-inspired loadout, you can dash to actually turn into a spider, skitter around on walls, and flip around via webbing. Summoning a frog to dance and cause an acid rainfall and directing the course of a train with tank turrets on the side of it is just as fun to control.

The d-pad is further tied to a trio of summons, which are ruled over by a magic meter/MP system. Demon summons generally put Bayonetta in place while they're out, and have their own nuances, abilities, and combos. You can even work them into combos, and a few of the demons that I can't spoil here allow for some insane possibilities. At first I found myself wanting more out of the demon summoning system, but once you start unlocking more and fleshing out their own skill trees (you can boost each weapon and summon separately??), it all came together, and the power fantasy came across nicely.

It's all so seamless. You can dodge, enter witch time, summon demons for a punish, swap mid-summon for an area-of-effect attack, then quickly cancel out of everything back into another dodge. It's just as fun to punch someone across the room and slowly riddle them with bullets as it was in the original Devil May Cry. There are some extremely badass and tense boss fights to tackle, including a few of my favorites in r??ecent memory.

Funnily enough, more so than perhaps any character action game before it, I found myself experimenting with everything. Typically there's at least one weapon I leave behind, but I made a concerted effort to unlock the potential of all of the tools Bayonetta 3 ??provided, and reaped the benefits. I started finding what I meshed with, raising my end-of-level rankings as time went on.

My one errant foundational complaint about Bayonetta 3 is that I wish some of the zones were a bit more expansive. Platinum is gifted at crafting dynamic areas that are fun to fight in, but some locales are c??ordoned off by an impassable mist too much for my liking. We're given access to unprecedented access to unique traversal powers in this entry, and I ??wish there was more of a chance to use them. It's not all bad though.

As far as side content goes, there's a lot of it! Each stage has multiple optional arenas and secrets (which usually include some sort of combat challenge or twist, or gathering cubes on the map i??n a quick fashion), on top of multiple achievements to clear that are level-specific. There's also a postgame of sorts that I can't discuss here (but will once the game is out). It took me roughly 10 hours to finish, at an exploratory pace. A direct shot will no doubt make for a shorter run.

For everyone else, there's a casual difficulty (plus, clicking the left stick will tell you where to go) as well as a "naive angel mode," which alters the game's character models. You can also continue from completed chapters (with checkpo?ints), peruse the art and music gallery, unlock items for Viola's room, boost your skills, acquire new equipment/items, and go for cosmetic unlocks (which can be used to customize the look of the "main" Bayonetta of the game, as well as take on the visage of the multiverse versions). It's refreshing, in 2022, to boot up a game and just hit "play," with nothing else to juggle.

In an early tone-setter for the game, you'll water ski as a giant demon dragon, and it only gets wackier from there. When playing Bayonetta 3, much to my delight, I had no clue what was going to happen next at all times. I was absorbed, and between the crazy sto??ry, the environments, and the action system that's been refined through two prior games (and years of experience), I had very little downtime. It's pretty much everything an action fan could want.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Hair today, gone tomorrow

Ramping up those hyper engines beyond capacity, Nintendo has released a four-minute trailer for its long-awaited sequel Bayonetta 3, ahead of the game?'s October 28 launch on Nintendo Switch. The new preview features the Umbra Witch in typically fine fashion, battling alongside? new and familiar allies.

Titled "Bayonettas Everywhere?!" the trailer mixes fast 'n' frantic gameplay with snippets of the game's cinematics �perhaps showing a little more than is necessary, frankly. Our favorite hair-whipper is showcased battling an array of demons, mons??ters, and ghoulies, while tighter attention is paid to her new punk-rock protege, Viola. This young and spirited witch-in-training will accompany Bayonetta in her battle against a fearsome new enemy: the time-warping Homunculi.

You can check out the trailer below. Personally, I think it shows off a little too much story.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh6bwdYgbio

In addition to the story and gameplay footage. The preview offers another look at the "Demon Masquerade" an ability that will allow the unholy one to channel various?? otherworldly beings �including demons Gomorrah, Malphas, and Phantasmaraneaeto �to both tweak her attack option and offer up brand-new combo routes, allowing our girl to switch up her battle abilities in the thick of the action.

More curiously, the trailer ends with a delightful-looking side-mode, that sees long-time Bayo pal Jeanne infiltrating a subterranean complex in delightful 2D action. The footage is reminiscent of the classic 1994 arcade release Elevator Action Returns, and is, surprisingly, one of the trailer's coolest elements. Bayonetta 3 might have teased us? with the very longest of waits, but the sequel seems to be shaping up very nicely indeed. Besides, ?if we aren't being teased, is it even really Bayo?

Bayonetta 3 launches October 28 on Nintendo Switch.

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"I personally do hope that they still have this portable element"

Bayonetta 3 is nearly here after a years-long wait, and amidst its release, we have some Hideki Kamiya Switch thoughts. Those are arguably the best kind of Kamiya thoughts.

Speaking to VGC (alongside of Platinum vice president and CBO Takao Yamane and CEO Atsushi Inaba), vice president Kamiya chimed in on several industry topics (as he does!) and touched on a theoretical follow-up to the Nintendo Swi?tch: as well as how he currently engages with his current hardware, and the hobby in general.

Here's Kamiya's full rundown on the issue:

"And that’s exactly how we approached Bayonetta 3: we had to make use of the full potential of the hardware that we have. And as I said, this mentality will be the same on every hardware platform that we’re developing games for moving forward, and not a mentality that is limited to the Nintendo Switch. Personally, this is a very lifestyle-oriented preference for myself, but right now I feel it’s really difficult for me to actually 'sit' still in front of the TV and play games. For me, I lie down and play games in portable mode and I enjoy games that way, and that’s the biggest reason why I like the Nintendo Switch. W??henever the new hardware that Nintendo decides to launch next arrives, I personally do hope that they s??till have this portable element so that it can support my lifestyle of playing games as I lie down!"

So there's several things to unpack here. Obviously Kamiya is going to boost up the current hardware of something he's released several big games on, but the "lifestyle?-oriented preference" bit is really interesting. Although portable handhelds have existed for decades, the ability to play many AAA games lying down, for him, ushered in a new way to mesh with the hobby. I've met myriad people who feel the same ?way, who even play their Switches in portable mode despite being right next to a dock/a TV.

He also mentions "new hardware" from Nintendo, and how a portable element is on his wishlist. I think it's safe to say that if Nint?endo does do a Switch Pro to wring out every last drop of the Switch series line (or goes for a Switch 2 in the future): either way it'll likely have a portable focus. Nintendo struck gold with the ability to sell multiple pieces of hardware to families, and likely won't want to give it up anytime soon.

Basically all they need to do is forg?e a "more powerful Switch," and most of the hard work is done.

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A new voice for the Umbra Witch

The next entry in the Bayonetta series arrives this month. But the voice actor of the series' protagonist won't be returning for Bayonetta 3.

In an interview with Game Informer for its cover story on Bayonetta 3, Platinum Games confirms that Hellena Taylor, the voice actress of Bayonetta in? the first two games, is not returning for the third.

Fans had speculated this may be the case, but now Platinum has m??ade it clear.? Rather than Taylor, Bayonetta will be voiced by popular voice actor Jennifer Hale.

"Various overlapping circumstances made it difficult for Hellena Taylor to reprise her role," said game director Yusuke Miyata to Game Informer. "We held auditions to cast the new voice of Bayonetta and offered the role to Jennifer Hale, whom we felt was a good match for the character. I understand the concerns some fans ?have about the voice change at this point in the series, but Jennifer's performance was way beyond what we could have imagined. I'm confident that her portrayal of Bayonetta will exceed our fans' expectations."

Bayonetta's voice actor for the J?apanese VO will still be Atsuko Tanaka.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOGJGv6OoXA

A new voice in the fray

Jennifer Hale is well-known for her work on several different game franchises, ranging from Rivet in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Ashe in Overwatch to perhaps her most well-known role as Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect trilogy. There's little question that Platinum got someone talented to f??ill the shoes (gun-heels?) o?f Bayonetta.

Whether Hale fits as well as Taylor did for Bayonetta?? or not is ?the question. GI's coverage seems positive on the change, commending Hale's portrayal as being "sometimes indistinguishable" from Taylor's work in the first two games. But if you want to find out yourself, you'll have to wait until later this month.

Bayonetta 3 goes live for Nintendo Switch on October 28.

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Ahead of the physical release of Bayonetta 1 on Switch

The two Bayonetta Switch games just got a version 1.1.0 patch (1, 2), mostly to shore things up language-wise (Korean, and traditional/simplified Chinese) ahead of the release of Bayonetta 3 in October �as well as the debut of the first Bayonetta on Switch in physical form.

Due out on September 30 (mine already shipped!), a $30 physical edition of the original ??game will be release??d, said to be "limited in number" by Nintendo directly. Interestingly enough, the Masquerade Edition of Bayonetta 3 will have three sleeves, which will allow?? you to store the first entry in it.

It's a flood of Bayonetta-related news! It's weird to think that this series debuted in 2009 (!), and it's still alive and kicking today. It just speaks to the overall quality of it, as some of Platinum's best work to date: and two of the best technical action games of all time. Hopefully Bayonetta 3 will complete the trifecta.

Bayonetta Switch Version 1.1.0 ［September 29, 2022�/b>