BAYONETTA & VANQUISH 10TH ANNIVERSARY BUNDLE / DEVELOPER: PLATINUMGAMES / PLATFORM: PC, PS4, XBOX ONE (REVIEWED) / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Originally released in 2009 and 2010 respectively, Bayonetta and Vanquish are two of PlatinumGames’ finest titles. Remastered to coincide with their tenth birthdays, both titles are now available on current-gen hardware for the first time, with some shiny new 4K graphics and all of the frantic over the top action that both games have become known for over the years.
Created by Devil May Cry veteran Hideki Kamiya, Bayonetta was well-received on its initial release and has gone on to become something of a cult classic. Following the story of a (really rather attractive) shapeshifting witch, players fight their way through hordes of murderous angels and monstrous demons as Bayonetta tries to get her life back together after being asleep for 500 years. The DMC influence is strong, with combat based around countless variations of two-button combos, and Bayonetta’s miraculous outfit (made out of her own hair) comes into play during countless finishing move-style transformation sequences. A stunning hack n’ slash action adventure that really needs to be experienced by anyone with an interest in the genre.
Back in 2010, Vanquish didn’t quite grab the same amount of attention as Bayonetta for whatever reason, but it’s always been held in high regard by those who played it. Directed by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, this is a chaotic sci-fi B-movie in videogame form – a death ray from space destroys San Francisco, and an evil Russian overlord threatens to repeat the process across the world. Your mission, as space marine Sam Gideon, is to head beyond the clouds to reclaim the Providence space colony from the invading forces. The five-act campaign, during which you’ll be blasting away at hundreds of enemy robots using all manner of futuristic weaponry, does admittedly sag a little during a slow-paced monorail section, but everything else is absolutely top notch. Vanquish is one of the last generation’s greatest shooters, and it holds up tremendously well today.
The graphical enhancements have glossed over many of the original games’ rough edges, polishing them up to a decent standard, particularly in Vanquish‘s case, which really does look rather impressive indeed. Bayonetta might not fare quite as well, with hair popping through clothing and a few other minor gremlins that haven’t quite been fully ironed out, but it still remains a massively playable game. Both games are an absolute joy from start to finish, heartily recommended in every way possible!
