A spin-off prequel that strips away the sexuality of the Bayonetta series in favor of wholesomeness is definitely not something that was on my Nintendo bingo card for 2023, especially since Bayonetta 3 just launched last October. Of course, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon was announced at The Game Awards 2022, which caused some understandable confusion among fans. Not only are we getting a new Bayonetta game so soon after the last one, but it has a completely different gameplay style, art direction, and overall tone than what we’re used to with the notoriously risky franchise. Having now played the first five chapters of Bayonetta Origins, I quickly learned that one should never underestimate the incredibly talented developers at PlatinumGames.
Before Bayonetta became the sassy badass we’ll come to know her as, she was Cereza, a young girl born from the forbidden love of a witch and a sage. With her father banished and her mother imprisoned, Cereza was cared for by Morgana, a fierce witch who would teach her the ways of the dark arts. One faithful day, Cereza wakes up from a recurring nightmare in which she tries, but fails, to save her mother. This time, however, the dream ends differently, with a mysterious boy telling her that she can gain fantastic power by following the white wolf’s guidance through the forbidden, fairy-filled forest of Avalon. Ignoring Morgana’s warnings, Cereza bravely goes into the forest, not knowing what awaits her inside.
Bayonetta Origins has a strong story focus, told in chapters with fully narrated and beautifully illustrated picture book art style. Being only a child at the time, Ceres’ personality is a full eighty of her adult self in the main games. She is naive, timid, caring and modest, she is not afraid to be vulnerable and show her emotions. This also means that her ability to perform magic spells accurately is deeply flawed, but luckily she wears a special brace she got from Morgana that makes things easier. In an attempt to perform a summoning spell during a difficult situation, Cereza accidentally summons a demonic spirit that possesses her sentimental stuffed cat, Cheshire. In a fortuitous turn of events, the giant, callous demon reluctantly helps Cereza, knowing it’s his only chance to return to his home of Inferno.
In terms of action-adventure gameplay, you take control of Ceres and Cheshire simultaneously, each with the left and right halves of your controller. This means that theoretically, you can play co-op using two Joy-Cons, but that’s not the intended gameplay, nor was the game designed with that in mind. The left stick controls Cereza, while the right stick controls Cheshire, with the respective triggers acting as action buttons. At times when using both characters at the same time is not necessary, Cheshire can be returned to the size of a stuffed toy that Cereza will carry with her. Since Cereza has yet to develop the signature magical transformation powers of her hair, and weapons are clearly not an option like in the other Bayonetta games, Cheshire is your main method of combat. His moveset and abilities will become even stronger when you find all four “Elemental Cores” through a natural progression, and can be switched between them with the press of a button.
Cheshire is the one who does most of the physical damage, but Cereza has her own set of useful skills as well. Not only can she interact with objects, she can also perform several basic spells such as; Witch Pulse, magical energy that can be distributed to a target by rhythmically tilting the control stick, and Thorn Bind, temporarily freezing an enemy in place with a thorn so Cheshire can attack more easily. Additionally, while holding Cheshire (aka “Hug Mode”), Cereza can extend it forward to launch herself from platform to platform or collect hard-to-reach items. Hug Mode also allows her to throw Cheshire onto certain high ledges, which is a useful tactic when Rosemary is in your direct path, as Cheshire has a strong aversion to the smell of the plant. You have to be pretty careful though, as the duo can’t be too far apart for too long.
Progressing through the story is mostly a linear experience; solving puzzles, defeating enemy fairies and following clearly laid out trails of bright blue wolf paw prints. However, there are many hidden paths and paths to find secrets, and as you start unlocking new areas, access to much of the forest becomes convoluted. Some sub-sections require an elemental core that you don’t get until later in the game, so it encourages you to explore and revisit places you’ve already been. Various items, crafting ingredients and Onyx Roses / Avalon Drops are abundantly scattered throughout the forest, which can be used to upgrade the skill trees in Cereza and Cheshire to gain new abilities. The act of upgrading your skill tree can only be done in sanctuaries; recurring checkpoints where you can also save your game and at the end immediately travel to other sanctuaries you’ve found.
Something else you’ll often come across as you move through the forest are the “Tír na nÓg” stages. Tír na nÓg translates as “land of the young”, and in Irish mythology it is described as “an island paradise and a supernatural kingdom of eternal youth, beauty, health, abundance and joy”. These phases are the source of the deceptive illusions of the fairies that Cereza witnesses in the forest. While inside the Tír na nÓg stage, you’ll go through various puzzle challenges to earn treasure, including Vitality Petals to increase your maximum health. Once completed, you can revisit them from the sanctuary to collect anything you may have missed and compete in new time trials to earn special collectibles.
As the Nintendo Switch approaches its sixth anniversary, the hardware is undoubtedly starting to show its age with some of the more graphically intensive software, but luckily, games like Bayonetta Origins are a lifesaver. When a game has stylistic creativity and good art direction, it doesn’t always need top-of-the-line hardware to reach its maximum potential. This is why indie titles often sell best on the Switch, as you don’t have to significantly sacrifice performance by choosing to play the Switch version. Bayonetta Origins has the charm of an indie game with the budget and quality of a AAA title. The watercolor fairy tale aesthetic is a visual anomaly and doesn’t interfere with the frame rate. PlatinumGames made Bayonetta 3 and Bayonetta Origins impressive in their own way.
I’m really looking forward to playing Bayonetta Origins all the way through to give my final opinion, but from first impressions it certainly exceeded all expectations. So far, the narrative seems to be fleshed out enough to satisfy established Bayonetta fans, while also opening the door for potential newcomers by making it easy to follow with a beautiful storytelling method. Although quite different, the gameplay mechanics are on par with the main Bayonetta series, with enough similarities that its uniqueness also feels familiar. Be sure to stay tuned here on iGamesNews for our final review before Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon launches for Switch on March 17, 2023. If you can’t wait and want to see more, you can unlock a short demo of the game that’s hidden inside Bayonetta 3.
A review copy of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon was provided by Nintendo UK.
