The fact that we’re getting Bayonetta 1 and 2 on the Nintendo Switch in 2018 was an
awesome surprise from this year’s Game Awards. But what’s even better is that Bayonetta
3 is coming exclusively to the console as well. We don’t really know that much about
it though as a short teaser was the only thing shown. But that’s why we have the old Analysis
Machine to activate Witch Time and see what secrets and hidden details we can find. So
let’s get started.
The trailer begins with the telltale moon that’s marked the Bayonetta series. And
we immediately see Bayonetta’s ribbon fly across the sky as a deep red drenches the
screen, turning the moon blood red. This may very well be an indication of what the plot
could be as a blood moon has often been thought of as a signifier of a coming apocalypse.
In the Book of Joel, it’s written, “the sun will turn into darkness, and the moon
into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.” Bayonetta could
be facing off against a world-ending event. After all, she does have close ties to angels
and demons.
But it’s definitely not going to go well for her as her trademark ribbon rips in two
while still in the air. And right away, we see her take an incredibly hard hit to the
stomach that violently knocks her back. Although she attempts to hold her own, Bayonetta is
repeatedly knocked away by flashes of purple energy. Here’s what’s interesting though,
she’s in the same outfit as the original game, right down to the same hairstyle and
guns. Could she be returning to her classic look? Or is Bayonetta 3 going to serve as
a prequel of sorts?
We can’t say for sure, but there is one difference to her guns. In the first game,
they were called Scarborough Fair with each of the four guns individually named after
the herbs mentioned in the old English ballad: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. But the
guns shown here are called Whittingham Fair, a b ginal where it also lists these herbs,
except instead of Parsley, the herb is Savoury.
Naturally, we thought that this meant that Bayonetta’s right-hand, green-jeweled gun
would get a name change. After all, we see the left-hand, red-jeweled Sage is still the
same, right down to the “Made by Rodin” credit and the saying of “Sage, ever strong.”
Instead, our glimpse of the other hand gun still reads Parsley and matches the original
weapon in every other way save for the name of Whittingham Fair. What is the point of
the name change if the guns are the same? Could it symbolize, along with everything
else about Bayonetta’s design, how this has more to do with the original? We just
don’t know yet.
Continuing on, a cool effect is when Bayonetta tries to fight back by firing seven bullets,
each one coming from a different pose and a different gun with each shot. We can even
see a symbol on the bottom of Bayonetta’s boot in one frame. However, this effort is
for naught as the villain she’s fighting shatters all the bullets, and we’re left
with only a mere glimpse of him. He’s surrounded by purple energy and his face is distinctly
skull-like. And we can’t be sure, but we think there might be a crown-like object on
his head. Either way, Bayonetta stands no chance against him.
She collapses onto a bed of her discarded bullets as he disappears, but here’s the
really brutal thing about this trailer. It appears that her legs fall in opposite directions.
Her left leg lurches forward onto her knee before cascading off-screen while her right
leg twists and falls backward. It’s almost as if Bayonetta has been bi-sected. But is
she really dead? Could we get a different protagonist that shares the spotlight with
her? It seems there would have to be if Bayonetta really does die to this new villain.
Finally, we’re shown her sigil that then cracks in the shape of a three. It’s a cool
visual and the trailer drives home the fact that the odds are stacked against Bayonetta
this time. Not once do we see the outright confidence she always displays. Instead, she’s
desperately fighting for survival. In fact, we don’t even know if she survives. So if
that is the case, could this even be a prequel? There’s just so many ways that this story
could go. It’s pretty wild.
But what matters most is that the witch is back and ready to strut her stuff on the Switch.
We can’t wait to play the original games again and the third entry has a lot of promise.
Now we just have to bide our time until we get details on Bayonetta 3. Of course, if
we missed anything be sure to let us know in the comments. Thanks for watching and make
sure to subscribe to GameXplain for more on Bayonetta and other things gaming.