Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon review: stuck between worlds

Last year’s release of Bayonetta 3This series was marked by major improvements. With fewer encounters with bullets and more options for play, combat is much easier than previous entries. Stealth and platforming are much more popular, complimenting the series’ mainstays of boss fights and brawls. Features like angel mode — which covers Bayonetta’s clothes-shedding ultimate moves — and the new, younger, less overtly sexual characters like Viola leave the provocative, sexy, and irreverent tradition of Bayonetta behind in favor of a more family-friendly tone. Bayonetta Origins – Cereza and The Lost Demon It reinforces this wider, more approachable direction.

Our role is that of Cereza (a tweenage witch who was also named Bayonetta) fighting Morgana, an umbra witch on the fringes of society. She takes Cereza in and teaches her magic. Cereza is awoken by a vision of Rosa and her strange white wolf. After accepting her fate, Cereza enters Avalon Forest in an attempt to summon a demonic to assist. She is too weak for the entity to sign a contract and Cheshire, her beloved pet cat, ends up being taken by it. She and Cheshire begin to explore the forest together. They fight faeries and bicker with one another, eventually becoming closer. It consists of platforming, puzzle-solving, combat, and very basic combos (no coffin guns or extended combos).

Image: PlatinumGames/Nintendo

This loop becomes repetitive throughout the course of the 12-hour story: Enter an area, explore, fight faeries in battle stages, and seek the four elemental cores hidden in the forest to increase Cheshire’s power. Each zone is beautifully illustrated and has pleasant music. Some parts can be ability-gated, encouraging players to return when they become more powerful. The combat against bosses and peons makes exploration of the forest easy. In developer PlatinumGames’ seeming effort to make Bayonetta more palatable to a wider range of players (which I think it has succeeded in doing), the punishing challenge and excitement that initially drew me to the series have evaporated. Approachability can do wonders for bringing new players in, but there’s a hole in the center of Cereza and The Lost Demon regardless.

Concerning those characters, can we actually have a Bayonetta video without tight, disappearing, overtly sexual dance moves, or heel guns? This is possible I suppose. It is not possible. Cereza and The Lost Demon definitely doesn’t succeed in bridging that gap. Platinum gives us a look into the witch’s early life and the unique relationship with the demons she wields, but it lacks the “fuck you” attitude and guns-blazing combat that made the earlier games so propulsive. This title is more like a fanfic for families, trying to connect the thrilling finale of Bayonetta 3 back to the witch’s childhood. Does it taste sweet, creamy, and provide a good jumping off point for new franchisees? Absolutely. It certainly pushes the boundaries, as the other games. I’m not so sure.

Image: PlatinumGames/Nintendo

All things considered, Cereza and The Lost Demon feels less like a new take on the series’ DNA, and more like a concession — one meant to appeal to every denominator (and age group) possible. Many other stories, relationships, or mechanics could have been explored in this title, making it more detailed than the originals and also rewarding series veterans as well as newcomers. Platinum might continue investigating origin stories, or strike a better balance. As of now, though, I’m not optimistic.

If you’re looking for a cute, cozy platformer with simple battle mechanics and a playful story, look no further than Cereza and The Lost Demon. This is not the game for those looking to discover how Cereza really gained her powers and harnessed all the magic prowess necessary to be the ultimate umbra witch. And that’s fine. It’s just that I wish the new approach was as thrilling as the others. I appreciate approachability — but Bayonetta has always been a series about toeing the line, and nothing about this title took a risk. I hope the next approach is worthy enough to stand on its own among the series’ best games.

Bayonetta Origins – Cereza and The Lost Demon Nintendo Switch releases the game March 17, 2017. Nintendo sent a pre-release downloading code to review the game. Vox Media also has affiliate relationships. They do not affect editorial content. However, Vox Media might earn commissions when products are purchased through affiliate links. Find out more. additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.