Parents' Guide to

Bayonetta 2

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Well-made but very violent game objectifies strong heroine.

Game Nintendo Wii U 2014
Bayonetta 2 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Bayonetta 2 Game: Screenshot #1
  • Bayonetta 2 Game: Screenshot #2
  • Bayonetta 2 Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 13 parent reviews

nuenjins
nuenjins Parent
August 11, 2018
age 18+

Hyper sexualized, over the top and often ridiculous hack and slash. Fun but juvenile.

If close up crotch shots and super powers that cause your female charecter to pose and become 2 threads from naked isn't exploitation, then nothing is. This game wears the shameless objectification on it's sleeve and says "deal with it". To say otherwise is delusional and you should get help. If you can't get into a rated R movie, you shouldn't be playing this. This fact taints the otherwise fun, whimsical hack and slash gameplay and crazy carnage that permeate throughout the rest of the game. The script is cringeworthy garbage doing nothing but provide a backdrop to why you need to kill off heavens minions,...nuff said. You run, gun, kick, punch and torture kill foes and get the huge boss battles to fisih off the carnage. It's at the top of it's genre, but it's alot to swallow for anyone with a morale pallette.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
kayned1
kayned1 Parent of 17-year-old
May 15, 2018
age 16+

Just like the first. It has been mislead by SJWs

Just like the 1st. Many SJWs have gave this game a bad reputation just because the protagonist's revealing clothes but she's not really objectified. The protagonist uses her sexuality to overpower her foes and she is strong and will fight without any worry.
See all 13 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Platinum Games' iconic witch returns in BAYONETTA 2, a very mature title that pushes the boundaries of sex and violence in games. The action starts with the tall, titular heroine out on a shopping trip that goes bad, resulting in an extended fight atop an out-of-control fighter jet while it careens around city skyscrapers. The fight ends with the seeming death of Bayonetta's friend, Jeanne; determined not to let her fellow witch be tormented in hell for eternity, Bayonetta embarks on a quest to reunite Jeanne's soul with her body. Action, exploration, and character growth are similar to what players experience in the original game. Bayonetta searches environments that shift and change even as she runs through them; fights imaginatively designed angels and archangels with her fists, feet, stiletto-mounted pistols, and various melee weapons; and gradually earns new techniques by collecting angelic halos (the game's currency) while scavenging ingredients to craft new items. A new online co-op mode allows a friend to join the action. The game comes with a copy of the original Bayonetta in the box.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (13):
Kids say (15):

Bayonetta 2 is a brilliantly designed action experience. Easily the most visually sophisticated game yet made for Wii U, its lush and dynamic environments and intricately detailed characters rival those of action games made for much more powerful platforms. The stunningly choreographed combat is at once accessible, challenging, and deeply satisfying. Each technique is distinctive, each battle sequence memorable. As players earn more powerful abilities, the fights become even more outrageous and dazzling. Few action games can match this game's pacing, spectacle, and sheer cleverness of design.

But the genius of the action is heavily weighed down by the utter objectification of the game's heroine. Portrayed in many ways as a strong, confident, and capable woman, Bayonetta diminishes herself by acting suggestively both in and out of combat. Lingering crotch shots and frequent mid-battle nudity -- her magical hair, which she uses to clothe her body, frequently leaps from her skin to help her perform more potent attacks -- are completely gratuitous. Match this with the game's immature desire to shock players with excessive profanity (Bayonetta tells her enemies to "f--k off" so frequently in combat that it becomes numbing within minutes), and this otherwise incredible action experience descends to something seemingly designed to titillate pubescent boys searching for a taboo.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about female characters in games. Can you think of some games with women who take serious matters into their own hands without relying on others for help? Were these female characters objectified in any way?

  • Discuss sexuality in media. Bayonetta 2 features a hypersexualized character who also objectifies herself. Why do you think the designers chose to portray the main character in this way? What's the effect? Is this something that should be included in games, even those made for adults?

  • Talk about the impact of violence in media. Do you feel different watching a female character fighting as opposed to a male character? Are there any reasons why you should or shouldn't feel different?

Game Details

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