Something wickedly enticing, this way comes.
Being the Nintendo fanboy that I am, my romance with the Bayonetta games began with the Nintendo Wii U. I purchased the double pack and was instantly hooked. The games had me properly engrossed and for the future of this series, I became properly engrossed. Fast forward to the 2017 rendition of The Game Awards, a teaser trailer was shared for Bayonetta 3. From the first moment I laid eyes upon the game, I knew I needed it for my Nintendo Switch and got it I did. Admittedly, we all had to wait until October 28, 2022 to have the pleasure and plenty of drama unfold, but the wait was worth it.
We got a new game, despite some frame and performance issues, it played incredibly well, it’s just a shame the story took the sideways, deep dive of a turn it did. More could have and should have been done to make players like Viola, perhaps even better controls or a few additional chapters just to further flesh her out would have helped. These things didn’t happen, of course, and feelings are mixed when it comes to the how PlatinumGames have set up the proposed future of the Bayonetta games, but then, another curveball was thrown into the mix. Back at The Game Awards, this time in 2022, another Bayonetta game was revealed, mere months after the release of Bayonetta 3.
Instead of being Bayonetta 4, a continuation of the main series games, a spin-off was announced in the form of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. The biggest surprise of all, was the fact the spin-off game was given a March 17, 2023 release date and that in the months that followed, a teaser for it would be playable in Bayonetta 3. As far as demos go, this was perhaps one of the most intriguing ways of doing it. Instead of making it available to all, it’s locked behind a paywall that only devoted fans would be able to enjoy. It’s certainly a “cut your nose off to spite your face” approach, but then again, this is PlatinumGames we are talking about, but what of the game?
The teaser for Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, albeit rather on the short side and easily beatable in ten minutes, I simply adore it. It’s actually become something of a guilty pleasure. Despite knowing full well that it purposefully restricts players from experiencing a battle and only allows us to explore one singular area of the Avalon Forest, I can’t get over this feeling it gives me.
Thanks to its whimsical nature and graphics befitting a beloved child picture book, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is simply a hauntingly beautiful game. The inclusion of Cheshire feels very forced in as it’s clearly a means of bridging the game to the more recent Bayonetta 3, instead of tying in to the already established lore of Bayonetta 1 and 2, but I can’t wait to see more of this little Cereza in action. We’ve seen her big adventures and now it is time to cosy up with her smaller escapades before everything goes horrifically wrong in her life as we know it does.
On the plus side, since all trailers seen so far, have done a fantastic job of showcasing much of the game’s geographical locations, puzzle solving prowess and combat sequences, utilizing both Joy-Con for their own specific purposes. In short, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon looks a promising follow-up and if Cereza is looking for the power to save her mummy, I’m all for helping her. Besides, who knows, if the spin-off proves rather popular, it might pave the way for a Cutie J or Rodin focused spin-off. I’d happy settle for either one. How about you?
About Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon:
Once upon a time, there was a young witch named Cereza… – Long before this trainee of the dark arts would come to be called Bayonetta, she took a fateful journey into the forbidden Avalon Forest. Alongside her was Cheshire, her very first demon, possessing Cereza’s stuffed toy. Play as both Cereza and Cheshire and search through the treacherous forest to look for the power to save Cereza’s mother.
Control both Cheshire and Cereza to solve puzzles and fend off fiends – Any good story has a lesson about teamwork, no? In this tale, Cereza and Cheshire coordinate their efforts to fight faeries and solve puzzles. Use the Left Joy-Con controller to move Cereza and bind enemies with her magic. With the Right Joy-Con controller, move Cheshire to slash and chomp foes.
Turn the pages of Cereza’s story as you explore the enchanting, storybook-inspired Avalon Forest – Avalon Forest is just as beautiful as it is beastly. Each new area looks like it has been painted carefully by hand. Fully-narrated story scenes are told through the vibrantly-illustrated pages of a storybook. Be sure to stop and smell the roses in this whimsical world, but don’t tarry too long – the forest has a taste for lost witches.
