Hello all!
Welcome to another episode of THE DAMAGE PER PODCAST! This week, Mitch and I tackle one of my favorite series - BAYONETTA!
To pull off a character like Bayonetta without it being regressive is a FINE LINE. I mean, homegirl walks around in a skintight outfit in stilettos that ALSO have guns attached to them while only shedding her clothes to punish demons? Incredible. Empowering, sexy, and badass? What a combo. While it’s obvious BAYONETTA has a male following, she has gone on to inspire cosplayers for years. All hail Bayonetta!
BAYONETTA was one of the first games released by the newly formed studio PLATINUM GAMES. Consisting of CAPCOM royalty including Shinji Makami (RESIDENT EVIL) and Hideki Kamiya (DEVIL MAY CRY), PLATINUM GAMES set out to make creative, original titles in a time where that didn’t seem relegated to just the indie market.
Along with MADWORLD for the Wii, they also shipped BAYONETTA in 2009 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC with the help of publisher SEGA. The game was met with a universal “this is dope” but like every game we seem to talk about, it didn’t make its financial goal (sold over a cool million initially - it has since sold LOTS more but that didn’t help at the time). Luckily BAYONETTA (the IP) would go on to be acquired by Nintendo and we would get 2 more (and I think way better) direct sequels. I’m still not sure Nintendo was the best purchaser of the brand in terms of an audience but hey, they are great followup games.
Hideki Kamiya who was the creative mind behind BAYONETTA clearly wanted to make a new versions of DEVIL MAY CRY but with what he considers his “ideal woman.” That’s a troubling quote to read as it says more about Kamiya’s psychology than it does about anything else but hey, she IS an icon now. Shout out to Mari Shimazaki for the art design and model creation. She also went on to work for POKEMON so figure that out.
Replaying BAYONETTA after both 2 and 3 have graced us is less stellar than the first time around but there is personality bursting from the seams (literally). I mean licking your middle finger and sticking into the ignition of a motorcycle to get it turn on is by far the best way to sum up this game.
Also can we talk about the soundtrack???
Anyway, enjoy the show! Mitch and I will be tackling VANQUISH next!
