Post Script

The art of not fighting

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Ask why Bayonetta is lauded as a peak character action game and most people would refer immediately to its combat system. Its sense of control, grace and style has few rivals, and combines with room for individual expression through loadout choices, combos and other techniques. That’s far from the only reason PlatinumGames’ crown jewel holds together, though. Equally impressive is how it portions out its bouts of sublime scrapping and manages their pace with so many other distractions. The homage to Space Harrier is the boldest, of course, but even minor interventions — a sudden escape sequence, a QTE — have their positive impact, ensuring you aren’t merely ambling from one battle to another. You might say the perfect action game is as much about the notes not played, or the punches not thrown, as it is about spanking an angel into a fine paste.

Given the track records of both Platinum and the Ninja Gaiden series, we can almost take it for granted that the core focus of