LOS ANGELES–Platinum Games, the action kings behind the likes of Anarchy Reigns, Vanquish, and Mad World, graced Nintendo's early morning media-only event here at E3 to showcase Bayonetta 2, the follow-up to its hit PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title. Bayonetta 2, a Wii U exclusive, sees the gun-toting witch battling supernatural elements in a number of high-octane scenarios.
Bayonetta 2 retains the original's fast-paced, over-the-top action, but ups the ante with even smoother animation. Bayonetta's attacks, a mix of fiticuffs, gunplay, and sword-based melee, flow effortlessly with each button press.
Like Capcom's Devil May Cry games, Bayonetta lets gamers switch between gun and sword-based attacks (you switch by tapping the GamePad's right bumper button). Creative use of guns, hand to hand, and swords makes for incredible combos. Torture Attacks also make a return and are as sadictically fun to execute as ever (nothing feels quite as good as kicking an enemy into a mystic torture device and watching it shred as you hammer the attack button). Platinum Games also added a new attack, the uber-powerful Umbran, that you can unleash for big damage when your fill the magic meter.
The visual splendor applies to the environments, too. The demo level I played saw Bayonetta brawling with mystical foes atop a stealth fighter-like aircraft as it raced toward a metropolis. Even those who question the Wii U's graphical chops will be impressed with Bayonetta's look.
Bayonetta 2 is being designed as a single-player game, but it will have a two-player mode. Platinum Games hasn't revealed details on its implementation.
Wii U owners can excpect Bayonetta 2 to hit store shelves sometime in 2014.