After a long wait, Bayonetta 3’s first real gameplay trailer and release window are finally here. The reasons why Bayonetta 3 took as long as it did are not clear yet, but the pandemic was likely involved. At any rate, it’s clear that PlatinumGames has been hard at work, considering that the game looks rebuilt from the ground up. Plenty of new mechanics are teased in the trailer, and it seems that Bayonetta is not only back with a new look, but a slightly more youthful attitude. Her enemies this time also belong to a mysterious new faction that can directly attack humans, which will likely be explained in time.
However, any Bayonetta fan can confirm that it’s the mechanics, not the lore, that’s worth getting excited for. The new trailer was meant to demonstrate a number of new mechanics that Bayonetta will be able to use to abuse her foes. Aside from the usual Bayonetta mainstays like Witch Time and Torture Attacks, a couple of entirely new mechanics were shown off. The most notable pair of new additions to Bayonetta's arsenal were named in a PlatinumGames blog post after the trailer capped off its Nintendo Direct. They are the Demon Masquerade, where Bayonetta fuses with an Infernal Demon to wield even more formidable magic power, and Demon Slave, which lets Bayonetta control Demons to freely attack enemies in regular gameplay. Both look like powerful tools for dealing with Bayonetta's new giant foes.
What is 'Demon Slave?'
The most prominent technique shown in the trailer was Demon Slave. A transparent sigil flashes over Bayonetta's back and she begins dancing, summoning one of the Infernal Demons that she used in past games for Wicked Weaves and finishing blows. However, this time her hair retracts from the summoned beast after it's manifested, and Bayonetta assumes direct control over it through a dance routine. This technique seems especially useful against the giant enemies that seem to populate Bayonetta 3, although to compensate it can't be used in tight spaces.
Available beasts are shown near the bottom of the screen alongside a bar that serves as their health. When a Demon is summoned, the bar gradually decreases and can be further reduced by enemies hitting the Demon. A number of familiar faces are already confirmed to be controllable via this mechanic, including Gomorrah, Malphas, and Phantasmaraneae. More will certainly follow. This technique seems to be a more refined version of Bayonetta's summoning in past games, suggested by the total subservience of the unwieldy Gomorrah. The technique also seems based on the dragon commands found in the scrapped Scalebound, which should please some of that game's disappointed fans.
What is 'Demon Masquerade?'
It seems that additional integration of Infernal Demons into Bayonetta's moveset is a core goal for Bayonetta 3, and to that end, the Demon Masquerade mechanic was also made. This technique allows Bayonetta to merge with Infernal Demons for short periods of time, "masquerading" as them while she rains down powerful magic on her foes. The example used in the trailer involved Bayonetta becoming a miniature Madama Butterfly and pummeling an enemy with Wicked Weaves.
Much has yet to be revealed about this mechanic. There was no visible UI element tied to it, which could mean that it is either used with a meter that was not visible in the trailer, or it is a type of special move accessible on command, like one of Astral Chain's Skills. This could replace Bayonetta 2's controversial Umbran Climax, or it could simply be a core part of Bayonetta's moveset that changes based on what weapons are equipped (in the case of Madama Butterfly, it would be tied to Bayonetta's pistols). More on Demon Masquerade, as well as Demon Slave and the rest of the game, will definitely be revealed as Bayonetta 3 gets closer to launch.
Bayonetta 3 is due out in 2022 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
