PlatinumGames' popular action-adventure series had its latest mainline installment in 2022, but it seems like the next entry, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the LostDemon, will be a big departure for the franchise. Bayonetta burst onto the scene in 2009 with a memorable titular protagonist complete with iconically long locks and a deadly aim. Quickly establishing herself as a firm favorite with fans, Bayonetta helmed a highly original game with amazing combat and exceptionally stylish visuals, and two sequels unsurprisingly followed.
Now, with the announcement from Nintendo at The Game Awards 2022 that a new Bayonetta game was in the works, fans have something else to look forward to. However, it might not feature the powerful witch the way that they've come to expect, as Bayonetta Origins:Cereza and the Lost Demon is a prequel game that centers on Cereza as a young girl and serve as a companion title to Bayonetta 3. This may come as a surprise to some players, but it seems to follow a strand of other franchises turning to prequels to help establish the backstory of a main character and deepen their lore.
Bayonetta Origin's New Focus
Instead of bombastic action, over-the-top characters, and balletic gunplay, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon's different style reflects on the gameplay, designs, and characters. It will follow Cereza before she takes on the Bayonetta persona as she trains to become a witch and fights to save her mother as she navigates the dangers of the Avalon Forest. With the ability to control both the young girl and her first demonic summon Cheshire, Bayonetta Origins:Cereza and the Lost Demon takes players on a fairytale-like quest complete with puzzles and much more sedate combat.
Not only is the gameplay and the narrative a huge departure, but the art style is almost unrecognizable for a Bayonetta entry. Favoring a more simplistic and illustrative design, Bayonetta Origins:Cereza and the Lost Demon's timeline will reflect the youthful nature of the protagonist. While Bayonetta 3's action was praised, its story and characterization did face some criticism, so Bayonetta Origins:Cereza and the Lost Demon will be a chance to strip the series of its familiar mechanics and focus on the beloved main protagonist instead.
How Bayonetta Origins Signals A Growing Trend
Needless to say, the Bayonetta series is entering an interesting new phase with Bayonetta Origins:Cereza and the Lost Demon, but it's not the only franchise to do so. While Hades 2 will be replicating a lot of the style and thematic elements established by its popular predecessor in 2018, it's also moving the series in new and interesting directions. Instead of following Zagreus, Hades 2 will feature Melinoe, the immortal princess of the Underworld and sister of the first game's protagonist. This will help to expand the story of not only the two siblings but also the wider world of the games, and show how franchises are willing to depart from established norms. While Hades 2 moves away from the story introduced in Hades in some respects, it's also providing new context to beloved characters.
One series that did something more similar to what Bayonetta Origins:Cereza and the Lost Demon is attempting to do was THQ Nordic's Darksiders with the release of Darksiders Genesis. This spin-off prequel title introduced the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse and provide key background for many of the narrative aspects of the Darksiders series. Fans may need to let go of Bayonetta 3's power boosts to the protagonist in favor of a more grounded version of Cereza, however. Like Bayonetta Origins:Cereza and the Lost Demon, these prequel stories will hopefully create a deeper, richer world for fans to enjoy when it comes to their favorite series, while not necessarily expanding the franchise in a way players would expect.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon will launch on March 17 for Nintendo Switch.
