Bayonetta Sparks Debate

Different people connect to different games. But sometimes you find a game sparks a range of strong opinion. Bayonetta on the 360 and PS3 is one of those games.

Over on my GamePeople blog we have had a bunch of our (older) family gamers write up their experiences. I was exciting to find that each of them made really different points.

One of our game reviewers waxed lyrical about the overall experience of the game. For him, the sheer wonder and spectacle on display here was worth the price of entry alone.

Bayonetta takes the base structure of Devil May Cry and turns it into a kaleidoscopic fruit basket of exorbitant gameplay, color and style. Bayonetta is the ultimate video game. The sheer indulgent delight of sampling its intoxicating mix left me breathless with adoration for its balletic combat, fantastical characters and intriguing plot.

Another game reviewer engaged with the constantly changing unsettling nature of the gameplay - something he reveled in although it unnerved him a little

Bayonetta on PS3 and 360 creates an unnerving, if a little schizophrenic, fighting game. Craziness abounds as themes combine to convince the player that there is something unsettling at work here, although sometimes it's hard to tell if this is a genuine intention or just a side effect of the here-there-and-everywhere plot.

Finally, one of our female game reviewer shared her experience. She was left a little cold by the experience, and with a sense that there was some unsettling gameplay at work here.

After playing Bayonetta I'm a little mystified as to how it's got such universal acclaim. Although by no means a bad game, it's dated and has plenty of flaws. I also found myself uncomfortable with some of the game's content – and trust me, that takes a lot.

For me though, and this is as true in my family as it is on my blog, the exciting aspect of games like Bayonetta is as much the discussions they spark as the game itself. Anything that my kids and wife are enjoying, I want to understand, question and talk about - usually over a bowl of cereal in the morning.