L3 Y1 Video Games

1. Bayonetta 2
A single-player hack n’ slash game from the autumn 2014gaming
season, and the long-anticipated sequel to the highly acclaimed
Bayonetta, a game that more-or-lessdefined the hack n’ slash genre.
A 3D, second-person gamemadefor a decidedly matureaudience, the
original Bayonettabroke a lot of boundaries, and in termsof quality
and style it performson a stage that other developerscan only dream
of pushingtheir games towards. Filled with inventiveand iconic
designsfor everyonefrom the main character to the starter enemies,
with harmoniously blended architecture and terrain to create an
artfulaesthetic straight out of a painting.
The narrativefollows the titular protagonist Bayonetta, a fierce,
elegant, compassionate, and absolutely fearless woman who usesthe
powersof hell to quite literally dominatethe forces of heaven.
Since the release of the initial Bayonettagame, the franchise has
entered cult status, thanks to its truly original characters,
transcendentoverload of style and attitude, and truly satisfying
gameplay. Boasting an arsenal of combos, weaponsand assist items,
the game takes pridein makingyou want to cause pain for pleasure,
with the loot you get from the angels you kill workingas the in-game
currency. Basically, the morehavoc you cause, the more you get paid
enoughto buy things that let you cause even moreviolence, and so
the cycle continues.

2. Since a sequel offered the opportunity to improveupon theoriginal
concept, the developersmilked this chance for all it was worth.
Bayonetta2 wasmet with near-unanimousacclaim, and received
high honoursfrom virtually every rating system that they were
evaluated by. Compared to the original, it was mostly the same, but
sufficiently moreadvanced narratively, withnoticeably better pacing
and a significant uptick in emotional beats. Not only did it includea
greater focus on the original’s flaws, it put an equal amountof
attention into enhancing the strengths of the franchise, such as its
irreverentpersonality and breakneck pace.
Mechanically, Bayonetta 2 is more-or-less the same as the original,
utilising lightning-fast and controversially provocativecombos and
purchasable weaponsfor a variety of waysto bring the pain. The
pacing of the game means that there are very few pointsto rest in
between the action sequences and cutscenes, and it is designed to be
played multipletimes to get the fullexperience. In terms of
aesthetics, it drawsheavily from in-depthcharacter designs and
central European gothic architecture, along with a plethora of alien
environments. Thisworks to sell the game’s mysteriousand
melancholic, yet volatile and highly expressivestory.
However, this is not to say that the game doesnot have flaws.
Bayonetta2’s trademark zeal for in-your-face, sexually-charged,
hyper-violentaction turnsa lot off peoplebecause of its perceived
objectifying and pandering. Whilethose are valid complaints,
Bayonettais intended to be a figureof empowering femalesexuality,
and it shows, as throughoutthe course of the game she refusesto be
cowed by any of the massively destructiveopponentsshefaces, and
alwaysmaintains a composed demeanour of grace and dignity.

3. Also to take into consideration, is that many of the major plot points
seemingly appear out of thin air, at least initially, and are introduced
rather abruptly. While the sequel doestell itself better than the
original, it does occasionally stumblewith character interactions,
with the dialogue being excessively attitudinous, as well as the more
emotionally charged scenes occasionally falling into needless
melodrama.
Nevertheless, Bayonetta2 still remains as one of the most standout
games in the past fiveyears, delivering hard on the nostalgia and
faithfully improvingupon thegroundwork laid by the original. The
result is a marvellouscontinuation in the franchise, cappingoff the
next chapter in Bayonetta’sstory with one of the most inventive,
satisfactory and truly engaging Wii U exclusives yet.
A recent phenomenon in nerd culturethat has steadily been on the
rise is video game addiction, a problem that has had a multitudeof
effects on the modern gamepopulation. From severely damagingthe
health of gamers, to effecting the environmentaround them, the issue
can damagefinances, livelihoods, and even friendsand family. In the
absolute worst cases, video game addiction can resultin death. As a
result, variousmentalhealth centres and addiction clinics have
established measuresto combat and curethe illness, with even the
WHOtaking notice of it.
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-01-06/who-
to-recognize-gaming-disorder-as-mental-health-condition/.126057