Bayonetta 3 gets release date, “Naïve Angel” modesty mode
In a new trailer released this Wednesday, Nintento revealed that Platinum Games’ Bayonetta 3 now has a release date. The long-awaited stylish action game hits the console on October 28.
The new trailer, which you can see below, reveals that the titular character will be teaming up with other witches, including what seem to be other incarnations of Bayonetta from other realities. This is on top of new playable charactersViola, a mysterious witch-in-training who gives some serious Devil May Cry vibes.
In addition to the trailer revealing the Bayonetta 3 release date, Platinum also revealed the game’s new “Naïve Angel Mode” in a follow-up tweet. The mode is designed to allow players to “play right in the living room without having to worry about what’s on screen.”
Relax, the witch is back and sexier than ever🌙
We've added the revolutionary "Naive Angel Mode" to Bayonetta 3 so more people can fully enjoy it👍
By turning it on, you can play right in the living room without having to worry about what's on screen… we think😅#Bayonetta3 pic.twitter.com/SEs3vqrdYc
— PlatinumGames Inc. (@platinumgames) July 13, 2022
Titillation has always been a key part of Bayonetta’s design. Ikumi Nakamura’s now iconic design combined with a powerset that transforms her clothes (actually her hair) into demons at the cost of revealing her body make for maximum sex appeal within what most ratings boards would allow. (Read: An ode to video game butts)
Her design continues to polarize, with some decrying it as sexist. Meanwhile, others have stated that it’s actually empowering with Leigh Alexander writing that “To prohibit a character like Bayonetta, and rush to cover her up in disapproval, is a rejection of her particular brand of femininity.”
But whatever side of the debate you may be on, what’s clear is that Bayonetta’s inherent sexiness may not be appropriate for some situations, which is where the “Naïve Angel Mode” comes in.
As the video in the tweet above shows, this mode tones down some of the more risque moments and animations in the game.
Of course, the presence of this mode does beg the question of how risque Bayonetta 3 will be. We’ll find out when the game releases on Nintendo Switch on October 28.
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