Bayonetta: Celebrating 15 Years as a Trailblazer in Stylish Action Gaming

After Bayonetta burst onto the action gaming scene in North America on January 5, 2010, it soon cemented itself as a defining moment for the subgenre it helped originate. While the lines between “Character Action” and today’s mainstream games have blurred over time, Bayonetta’s distinct flair was quite unique back then. Beyond its bold themes and fantastical battles, the game’s Witch Time mechanic stands out as its longest-lasting legacy.

Originally conceived by Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya as another fast-paced action game, Bayonetta has since evolved into a series with its own strong identity. The protective charm of Witch Time, linked to dodging, was new to many players at launch, setting Bayonetta apart from newer games with similar features. Before slow-motion combat rewards became common, Bayonetta was taking risks and stepping boldly into uncharted territory.

Back in the 2000s, Max Payne’s Bullet Time was a celebrated innovation, basically turning a cool trick from The Matrix into a gaming staple. Devil May Cry also stood out for its fresh take on third-person action, though it stayed far away from slow-motion. However, Bayonetta bridged this gap with Witch Time, offering players the chance to slow down foes and speed up their attacks with precise dodges, possibly maintaining the effect through a combo’s conclusion.

While Devil May Cry had Dante’s Royalguard Style offering technical counter moves, Bayonetta opted for a more approachable system. Ideas like time manipulation weren’t unheard of—Viewtiful Joe tried slow-motion in a side-scrolling game—but many others, such as Ninja Gaiden or the experimental God Hand, focused on distinct mechanics. Yet Witch Time laid the groundwork that games continue to reference today.

Bayonetta’s influence on stylish action games is as prevalent as DMC’s, largely thanks to PlatinumGames. Titles like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance borrow elements with their Blade Mode, letting players dice enemies in slow motion. Vanquish uses AR Mode to ease the pace when taking hits, but its action still feels quick. Meanwhile, Astral Chain and Nier: Automata interpret Witch Time differently, emphasizing precision dodges to gain temporary advantages.

Astral Chain’s Perfect Call, for example, is part of a broader skill set in a game that explores dual-character mechanics. Nier: Automata arguably offers the most integrated variation, with Perfect Dodge becoming essential at higher difficulties due to its brief invulnerability periods.

Devil May Cry’s evolution under Hideaki Itsuno shows refined elements from Kamiya’s early days. In Devil May Cry 5, Nero’s Ragtime prosthetic invokes Witch Time by creating slow-motion zones within battles. Though it doesn’t connect to dodging, it preserves the player’s full control, reflecting Bayonetta’s stylistic freeform combat.

The hallmark of Bayonetta’s influence extends across the gaming landscape. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s Flurry Rush rewards evasion like Witch Time, showing its influence beyond directly related games. Titles like Ghost of Tsushima also incorporate pauses in action through its Concentration Mode, revealing a subtle nod to the trail Bayonetta blazed.

The growing complexity of action games makes it challenging to track Bayonetta’s influence directly, as slow-motion mechanics become less of a novelty. With major titles adopting aspects of Platinum’s design, the lines blur, though Witch Time remains a testament to how a bold experiment can resonate with players and shape gaming.