It’s nearly impossible to be involved in the gaming industry and not have heard of Platinum Games. Founded by former Capcom and Clover Studios members, Platinum swept the industry by storm, starting with the ultra-violent MadWorld for Wii and moving on to release Bayonetta and Vanquish in short succession back in 2009-2010. Bayonetta was a commercial success, due largely in part to its similarities to Devil May Cry and its incredible character and enemy designs, painstakingly crafted by Hideki Kamiya, architect of the original Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, and Okami, just to name a few.
Vanquish, on the other hand, went largely unnoticed at its release, due in part to horrendous advertising and a general lack of coverage. It was created by the venerable Shinji Mikami, director of the original Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, God Hand, and The Evil Within. Vanquish is relatively unknown by mainstream gamers prior to this 10th anniversary release and it’s an absolute travesty that it has never gotten more significant coverage previously.
The Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle consists of both games, fully remastered in 4K running at a constant 60 frames per second. What that translates to in English is that both games are absolutely glorious to behold. Every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of both games on every level in a way that only accentuates the gameplay, design choices, and graphics of these titles. Oh, and there’s a fair amount of swearing, drinking, and smoking in both titles, just so you know.
Let’s take a look at Bayonetta first. There’s no reason to review the actual gameplay of Bayonetta at this point as it has been analyzed to hell and back (pun intended). It’s an utterly amazing game with some of the most unique visuals ever created in modern gaming. The witch’s hair for example was startling back on the PS3 and Xbox One, as was the motley rough-spoken cast of characters surrounding Bayonetta. Weapons, costumes, a wry sense of humor, and a lot of gags tightening down into a spectacular showdown constitute one of the most over-the-top outrageous gaming experiences that can be had. It’s simply a great game in every respect and not a single thing has changed about that in a full decade.
What’s amazing about Bayonetta is how modern it feels today. The remastered version of the game is graphically superior by a ridiculous margin, but the core gameplay and controls haven’t changed a bit. They’re still the same controls (functionally quite similar to Devil May Cry) that were originally used and they map the same as they did on a PS3 controller (I had the 360 version myself, but hey, who’s checking?). But with the graphics overhaul and the framerate fixes, it’s hard to imagine that Bayonetta isn’t a PS4 release. This is a title that simply hasn’t aged a day. It still feels as fresh and new as it did originally, and it’s hard not to enjoy it. If you like the style of combat, there’s no question that you won’t love this remaster, even if you’ve played through the whole thing before, as it’s honestly like playing a brand new game. Also, maybe it wasn’t apparent on a decade-old playthrough, but Enzo, Bayonetta’s chunky informant buddy, seems to be wearing rings that look just like Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet. Whether that’s a conscious choice or not, it’s still kind of neat.
The design of Bayonetta is unquestionably without equal. Enemies are inspired by religion and folklore alike, as are the main characters. Everything is modified to fit the fast pacing and the unique style that permeates the entire design of Bayonetta. Accentuating this in 4K is a no-brainer and it works so well that it’s hard to fathom how many hundreds of hours of programming went into this upgrade. It’s truly a marvel to watch a 10 year old game in motion and then think that more games today should look this good. To blow away the competition a decade in the future is worth the price of admission alone, and that’s not even looking at the depth of combat or the wild storyline. But hey, enough about Bayonetta. It’s easy to gush all day because she’s definitely earned it. Now however, let’s move on to Vanquish!
Vanquish is the lesser-known game of this duo, and it’s so radically different from Bayonetta that they may as well be polar opposites. While Bayonetta is entirely unique style with demons and religious iconnography, Vanquish is tight, focused high-tech mayhem at blistering speeds. Imagine if Solid Snake had Master Chief’s armor and add a rocket booster to the back, allowing you to jet across the battlefield at high speed and you’ll have a rough idea of what you’re in for with Vanquish.
It follows the future exploits of Sam Gideon, a DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) agent using a highly specialized cybernetic suit. Russia has attacked America and it’s Sam’s job to clean up the mess. There are pitfalls, betrayals, and a hell of a lot of action, but it would be a shame to ruin the plot as the entire game is story driven and quite linear. Vanquish also manages a distinctive Metal Gear Solid vibe to it, even though the games are unrelated. Storytelling, plot elements, it all fits into the cyber espionage genre quite well. However, Vanquish really shines with its gameplay.
Once you dive into Vanquish, it’s hard to imagine controlling slow-moving characters ever again. Sam’s Augmented Reaction Suit has jet boosters that blow you across the huge battle areas rapidly and allow for last second escapes (oddly similar to Witch Time in Bayonetta) when dodging. On top of that you’re incredibly nimble and can hold a variety of weaponry. This is balls-to-the-wall action at its finest, with hordes of robotic enemies, devastating giant robots, and a plethora of weird vehicles and other items that have been weaponized. You’re fast, maneuverable, and accurate as can be, and it’s ridiculously fun to slaughter waves of enemies as you progress through an increasingly pulse-pounding story.
Visually, Vanquish is utterly stunning as well, even if it’s completely unlike Bayonetta. Robots and weapons are complex and intricate with hundreds of moving parts, and cut scenes add a gritty sense of atmosphere as well as a bit of levity along the way. If anything, Vanquish is the game that would happen if Metal Gear Solid (minus the stealth as there’s none to be had here) and Gears of War had a baby in 4K. It’s everything good about both titles wrapped up in a box full of action. With robots galore and explosions everywhere, Vanquish is so busy that it’s sometimes hard to follow the action, both a blessing and a curse in a game this frantic.
After spending some time with Vanquish, it was time to go back and look at the original 360 version of the game. As you might guess, it was pretty painful. The graphics updates are so comprehensive it’s like playing a completely different game, even though the controls are utterly identical. Everything seems so much more real that it’s hard to believe. Even more so than Bayonetta, Vanquish takes that 10 year old bar and shatters it, becoming instantly relevant and amazing and shutting out current-generation competition for gameplay, fun factor, and graphics. It’s pretty wild that a 10 year old game can become the gold standard by which to judge current releases, but after spending a few hours inside Vanquish, there’s no doubt that it could pass for a AAA current generation title at a simple glance, and be a contender for this year’s current generation gaming awards. Without writing a whole separate article, it’s nearly impossible to sing Vanquish’s praises however. Suffice it to say, there are a ton of detailed reviews already out there and Vanquish is hands-down spectacular in every way. Other than graphics and framerate improvements, just like Bayonetta, Vanquish is also identical to the original release of the game.
Between Bayonetta and Vanquish, there’s no way you’re not getting your money’s worth, especially at $40. But Platinum thought of that too. You don’t like the hyper-sexuality of Bayonetta but you still want to play Vanquish? Not an issue! You can buy either title separately digitally! The physical disc contains both releases but there’s no need to buy both if you’re only interested in one! Both games are equally unique in their own ways and they’re both incredibly solid games. It’s not really a choice unless you hate action games in their entirety! Go out, buy the Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle, and don’t look back! You definitely won’t regret it!
This review was based on a digital copy of the Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle for Xbox One provided by the publisher. It was played on a Sony 55” 1080p TV with an Xbox One X. The Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle is also available on the Playstation 4 and is available both physically and digitally on both consoles. Personally, of the two, I’m significantly more partial to Vanquish and I’ve always maligned its lack of notice by the gaming community. Hopefully that will change now!