It’s been almost five years since its announcement, but today, Bayonetta 3 finally launched on the Nintendo Switch. Fans have been awaiting the Umbra Witch’s return since they knew she was returning, and their patience has been rewarded, but not just rewarded in that the game has come out. Instead, they’re rewarded because the game appears to be the best in the franchise. The game is currently sitting at 88 on Metacritic, just a few points below its predecessor, and that score could go up over the next few days as more reviews come out.
Either way, the game is quality, and that’s what fans wanted after such a long delay. On that note, many fans didn’t want to delay getting the game, so they rushed to the Nintendo eShop to purchase it. One prominent insider noted that sales in two regions were already doing great because of the digital sales:
Considering that the title has yet to be out twelve hours in most regions, those are some impressive rankings. Plus, those will likely go up as time passes and people have time to buy the game. Of course, some people will buy the game physically, which is fine. The thing that many people are curious about is how well the game will sell. The franchise has a curious sales history. It did well when the original game came out on Xbox 360 and PS3. But it didn’t get a sequel until Nintendo stepped in and helped out. However, they brought the sequel to the Wii U, and while the sequel got Game of the Year nominations, the sales weren’t great. The twist is that when it was ported to the Nintendo Switch, it did eventually get a million units sold.
With all the hype and controversy surrounding Bayonetta 3, many hope its sales are more immediate. Additionally, Platinum Games has good will going for them on the Switch thanks to titles like Nier Automata and Astral Chain.
Most reviews praise the return of the fast-paced, action-packed gameplay that the series is known for, and Bayonetta is a remarkable character once again. It’s good to know that despite the long gap between titles, the series hasn’t lost its charm. But, as PlatinumGames would happily note, they didn’t rest on their laurels either. They’ve not only brought in new characters like Viola to shake things up, but there are new abilities too. For example, the Demon Slave ability lets Bayonetta control her demons more thoroughly and even fuse with them to create new attack options.
The game’s story is as bonkers as ever and deals with the multiverse—what fun. The game looks to be precisely what gamers wanted, so grab it as soon as possible!
Source: Twitter
