Double the fun with these cult classics...
IT’S one of the most stylish action games ever released – which is good news, as I’ve lost count of the number of re-releases it’s had. The difference on this occasion is that Bayonetta has been bundled with another cult classic – Vanquish.
This 10th anniversary edition is the first appearance for both titles on the PS4, and XBOX ONE, each game now presented in sparkling 4K.
Fans shouldn’t get their hopes up about new content though, as these remasters have been taken from PC versions issued in 2017.
Despite that, it’s surprising how well the games stand up on this generation of consoles. On one hand it’s now painfully obvious just how lacking in detail some of the characters are, but the environments feel much richer, and loading time is much shorter.
For the uninitiated, Bayonetta is a gun slinging, acrobatic witch who slays her enemies in over-the-top combat, with some of the most
outlandish finishing moves you’ve ever seen.
First released in 2009, Bayonetta was supposed to be a spiritual sequel to Devil May Cry, and in the initial scenes of the game you can feel that Dante-like vibe.
But the Umbra Witch is her own person, and soon throws off the Dante comparisons to become something else completely.
Gameplay has stood the test of time. Battles still feel blisteringly fast, the only chance to draw breath is when you trigger ‘witch time’ which slows your opponent for a few seconds.
As adept as Bayonetta is with her four guns (she has weapons in her boots ... don’t ask), she’s also pretty nifty with a sword. And when hacking and slashing isn’t enough, she can use her amazing hair as a weapon, and transform into an animal.
There’s a temptation to think this game is fairly easy. The simple controls make for a fair bit of button bashing at the start, but if you’re feeling masochistic turn up the difficulty and it becomes a different game.
Here, precision is a matter of life and death, and mastering the button sequences needed to pull of special moves, dodges and fight combos is vital.
Vanquish is a very different beast, a sci-fi shooter which broke the mould of the 3D shooter genre.
Created by Shinji Mikami, the genius behind Resident Evil, it is as much about style and skill, as it is explosions and gunfire.
Sadly, Vanquish never found commercial success, thus was never given the recognition it richly deserves.
Gameplay is aggressive and frenetic, the clunky looking power armour allowing you to move fluidly, so you can strike an enemy where it counts.
Much like Bayonetta, there’s zero plot here, but the action moves at such a pace that you hardly notice.
You’ll die repeatedly, but mercifully the game’s forgiving checkpointing system means you’ll be back in the fight soon enough.
While developer Platinum Games has done a lovely job with these titles, they have effectively just given them some spit and polish.
There’s nothing extra here, no concept artwork, no dive into the archives, no glimpse into the games’ development.
And while that’s partly reflected in the price – although £33 for a perfunctory remaster is a little steep – it feels like this was an opportunity to do something more.
Still, gamers who have never played these titles before are in for a treat – while the rest of us who have already swum in their heady waters, will need a little more reason to splash out on them yet again.
■ Buy it: £27.85 from base.com