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Consider Bayonetta’s Automatic Mode As "A Helping Hand From An Incredibly Skilled Expert"

By Spencer . August 25, 2009 . 4:48pm

In an effort to make Bayonetta the most accessible stylish action game, PlatinumGames added a one button control system called automatic mode. In automatic mode Bayonetta locks on and dishes out damage with a single button. OK, two buttons if you include torture attacks.

 

 

Hideki Kamiya, Director, comments, “You can consider Automatic mode to be a helping hand from an incredibly skilled expert in the game. By the way, you can turn Automatic mode on and off anywhere in the game, so you can try a few different play styles I think… If you want to turn it off and get some hands on practice, you can. If you are feeling like, ‘This is impossible!’ Then just turn on Automatic, go back, and try again.”

 

Players can use automatic mode only if they’re playing the game’s difficulty is set at easy or very easy. Actually, very easy has another bonus — life regeneration that happens in a few moments.

 

Automatic mode is an innovative way to bridge the gap between core gamers and newcomers, but will this really sell more copies of Bayonetta?


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  • Pesmerga00

    While I personally wouldn’t use this, I can see it’s benefits. I know theres a few people out there who will respond with “thats cheap, cheating” or ” why even bother playing” and of course “OMG YOU SUCK DISCRACE to GAMERSS1″. Please, just ignore the feature. It won’t ruin the game for you.

    There are those who crave brutal unforgiving game play, who praise skill, reflexes, and perseverance. They enjoy the challenge and feel a sense of accomplishment (rightfully so) upon completion of a particularly difficult portion. Some see the act of overcoming the opposition as itself being the rewarded.

    On the other hand there are people out there who are not particularly skilled at action games, and may be put off by Ninja Gaiden or (Cringe) Battle Toad esque difficulty. Maybe they like the setting or story, but would rather forgo the hair pulling. Perhaps they like the game but are afraid of getting stuck and not being able to complete it. The “helping hand” may be what nudges the casual gamer who’s on the fence.

    So in this case. Yes, I could see this addition actually selling a few copies.

    • Aoshi00

      I think you summed it up very well. I’m one of those who’s not very good in these kind of unforgiving action games either (DMC3 was frustrating as all heck and I couldn’t get very far) and I simply don’t have time to invest learning all the intricate and complex combos. Yet I always like a good story, so the ability to turn this feature on/off at any time is certainly welcoming to the more casual gamers, save all the unnecessary hair pulling, cursing, and controller throwing.

  • http://twitter.com/ECMIM ECM

    I won’t hold my breath waiting for the same crowd *screaming* about the Wii’s auto-play feature to condemn it in Bayonetta.

  • carmina2008

    Sonic Unleashed! SEGA the games you’re, Bayonetta button sigh… eye.

  • http://www.siliconera.com Ishaan

    Here’s my take on stuff like this: In recent times, there’s been a very active and a very obvious effort from developers everywhere to make their games more accessible and streamlined. The problem is, all these developers look at the backlash Nintendo often find themselves on the receiving end of, and pretend that their easy-access features don’t exist or try to sweep them under the rug. It’s like they’re ashamed of themselves, which is a silly sentiment.

    If SEGA want Bayonetta to sell more copies — and I do think this feature will, to an extent, help with making the game more appealing to people who aren’t fans of the genre — they’re going to need to include the Automatic Mode in their marketing. They’re going to have to emphasize it in their TV ads and make sure they show very clearly how easy it is to pull off cool tricks.

    This obviously means they risk incurring the wrath of those that hate this type of thing, but hey, time to make a choice. It’s not as if people that don’t like the feature won’t buy the game because of it.

    • http://www.younganimal.com/berserk Mr_Qoo

      I’ve never been a fan of these things, personally, yet I’ve also never condemned them. I completely agree that this, in itself, will not sell more games. It will definitely appeal to the small group of fans that don’t have the time for it yet really want to play it. Yet, I think these people were probably going to get the game already, so how many “fans” are they actually creating with this? It’s great that they will be aiding someone get through the game though. (Good luck, Aoshi =] )

      I hate when they include codes to unlock artwork/costumes/et cetera that normally get unlocked through dedication and high level play (e.g. Devil May Cry 3). You would unlock costumes and art in the game for beating harder modes but you could _also_ use codes. =P

      DMC4 had something called “Automatic” but I never used it. Can anyone confirm if it is basically what Bayonetta will have included? If so, some of you guys who prefer this can play some of that too!

      • Aoshi00

        yeah, I wonder how many new fans that originally wouldn’t get the game would get it now. I planned on buying this game anyway even though it looked hard from the gameplay videos since it’s very stylish, Bayonetta has literally dozens of moves. I would still try to play it the normal way of course (Ninja Gaiden was too hard for me, but 2′s easy mode was okay), and if I die too many times and get stuck then I wouldn’t mind copping out w/ that feature.

  • Trotmeister

    OMG YOU SUCK DISCRACE to GAMERSS1!

    • Pesmerga00

      LOL

  • http://otoboku.se manga

    …

    I never complained about DMC3 being hard. In fact it was one of the reasons I enjoyed playing DMC3 as much as I did.

    When I first played DMC I choose easy as the setting, but just going around pressting one button to fire the guns and always hitting the enemy wasn´t fun.

    It was more fun in DMC3 to focus on a group of enemies and do them in in a stylish manner.

    Just pressing one or two buttons and let the game play itself is no fun. I experienced that enough in FFXII. I want a challenging game and I hope that Bayonetta will bring me this action filled thrill I´m looking for. I still wonder why they made her clothes be her hair and magic attacks drains her hair…

  • kylehyde

    Well In games like Bayonetta this feature has benefits, just imagine all the things that you can do with your other hand meanwhile you are playing bayonetta (brush you hair, brush you teeth, kill chickens by chocking them, play pocket pool and many other things). If you don’t like this function just don’t use it. Personally I think that other games like Tomb Raider or dead or alive should include this element.

    • cowcow

      I know a friend who will personally NOT touch Devil May Cry 3 or Shinobi PS2 simply because its way too unforgiving for him

      • Aoshi00

        I tried to tackle both of them and had to say uncle :(…

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