Welcome to EXPlay, (Explain & Play) the review series where we care not for scores but tell it how it is when it comes to every game we get our hands on, whilst also taking the time to include some lengthy gameplay, to give you the reader, the chance to shape your own impressions and views whilst watching and reading. In this installment, we’re covering Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon by developer PlatinumGames.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon: (The Explanation)
When Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon was announced, I’m sure quite a few of us were indeed surprised by the news. The long awaited Bayonetta 3 was recently released after a very long hiatus and all of a sudden, we have a Bayonetta spin-off on the way too! We have since had an update for Bayonetta 3 that added a small teaser for the upcoming game and then, in early March, we got a demo released on the Nintendo Switch eShop that will allow save data to be carried over to the full game.
Now, with the full game in our hands, we can take a proper dive into this tale of whimsy that is Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon.
As the name suggests, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is an origin story of the sassy and powerful Umbra Witch Bayonetta before she learned how to use her powers and slay angels and homunculi. The story takes place when Bayonetta was a young girl and went by her given name Cereza. Due to the “unspeakable” union between her father who was a Lumen Sage and her mother who was an Umbra Witch, Cereza was forced to live as an outcast near Avalon Forest and her mother was imprisoned. An older witch called Morgana, who was also casted out by the Umbra Witches, gave Cereza sanctuary and offered to train Cereza in the art of Witchcraft. Cereza agrees so that she could become a powerful witch and save mommy.
Cereza was having some strange dreams recently which had her trying to see her mommy in prison, a young power would appear and tell Cereza to go into Avalon Forest and follow the White Wolf that would lead Cereza to find a source of great power. This power would help Cereza become strong so she could finally rescue her mommy. One late evening, Cereza mustered the courage to enter Avalon Forest despite warnings from Morgana that it was very dangerous and the faeries there would do terrible things to her. Cereza was determined though, and so begins her adventure.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon’s visual representation is like that of a colorful children’s picture book, similar to Alice in Wonderland or Little Red Riding Hood and has a story that seems to be loosely inspired by the two. The story and the cutscenes of the game unfurl across pages of a book and the actual gameplay itself also maintains the same visual representation throughout.
As for the gameplay, there are two characters that players can take control of; Cereza and Cheshire, the demon-possessed stuff toy. Both characters can be controlled simultaneously with the left side of the Pro Controller or left Joy-Con controlling Cereza and the Right side of the Pro Controller or right Joy-Con controlling Cheshire. Cereza cannot attack enemies but she can bind them in place with spells. Cheshire on the other hand, is the muscle in this game and can unleash a flurry of attacks on his enemies. The player must coordinate both characters so that they can overcome adversity and solve puzzles that may hinder their progress forward.
Some areas restrict Cheshire from walking through them (something about divine plants or something and demons having an aversion to them) and so he must find alternate means of getting through them and reunite with Cereza. There are a few segments like this in-game but for the most part when it comes to exploration, Cheshire can return to his miniature form and be carried by Cereza.
Speaking of exploration, Avalon Forest is divided into several areas and there are many branching paths that lead to different areas that may have chests containing useful items. Not all areas are easily accessible though, and require Cereza and Cheshire to acquire certain abilities that will grant them access to areas they couldn’t reach before. Both characters can also be upgraded to learn new skills like speeding up cooldowns or leaning new charged attacks. Each new skill requires a certain number of special crystals and other items to unlock them. New skills can be acquired by finding a sanctuary where players will also have the option of saving their progress as well as concocting potions that can be handy in combat like health recovery, or dealing blast damage.
As someone who has played the mainline games, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is very different and yet still very familiar. While the more mature nature of the main games is absent here, the essence of the series is still here as the game is full of charm and you can still wail on enemies till your heart’s content with your trusty demon partner. I enjoy its whimsical nature and the unique art style and hope to see more entries in the Bayonetta Origins that may focus on other characters like Jeanne or Rodin.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a fun game and you don’t need to be a fan of the main series in order to enjoy it or understand it. The interesting choice of playstyle with the two characters being controlled at the same time may take a little getting used to but it actually works pretty well. Better yet, even though the game is predominantly a single player experience, the fact that the controls for both characters are independent from one another means you could share a Joy-Con with a friend for some ad-hoc co-op!
To wrap up, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a spin-off game we never knew we needed and is a real treat for both series fans and newcomers. Its storybook visuals and “cartoon” violence (for lack of a better term) may make it an appealing game for younger audiences as well as it is focused more on childlike innocence rather than the strong adult themes that the other games are known for and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Simply put, we loved every minute of it.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon: (The Gameplay)
Game Specifications:
Developer: PlatinumGames
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch (eShop)
Category: Action, Adventure
No. of Players: 1 player
Release Date: March 17, 2023 (EU & NA)
Price: $59.99
File Size: 3.2 GB
Nintendo.com Listing
