Bayonetta 3 on Switch - DF Tech Review - A Great Game With Polish & Performance Issues

In gameplay terms and in its wealth of ideas, Bayonetta 3 is another great release from Platinum Games - but this time the consistency in visual quality varies too dramatically, performance is not where it should be and there's a general lack of overall polish. John Linneman has the DF verdict.
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[@san.cochado]

I think I can sum this up for you, John. The game feels like the old gen version of a cross gen game... Except there is no new gen version!

[@Radek494]

It looks like a cross gen game... but between PS3 and PS4 generation.

[@interfusor]

So, a Nintendo game.

[@Alexander5R]

probably they will port it to the next Switch, like Bayonetta 2 on Wii U...

[@DavidHosey1]

Nah the game just feels stylized in a different way than expected as well as unpolished when it comes to frames and some effects

[@DavidHosey1]

@@Radek494 nope, better than that for damn sure lmao

[@jlag191]

I know a lot of DF viewers hate motion blur but I'm underwhelmed by the lack of it in Bayonetta 3's cutscenes. The first two games used a serviceable motion blur effect that really helped sell the dynamism and craziness of the cutscenes even on underpowered hardware, and I think its absence in 3 is why a lot of the cutscenes look kind of weird now.

[@chairforceoneYT]

Object motion blur saves 30fps for me

[@JohnSmith-XYZ]

The silent majority love Motion Blur, including myself.

[@pierreo33]

@@JohnSmith-XYZ that's one way of looking at the world I guess.

[@WllKiedSnake]

@@pierreo33 I don't mind motion blur?

[@fallenmercury]

@@JohnSmith-XYZ Love motion blur? Can't tell if trolling or console gamer.

[@TheGamerGeek128]

Add Platinum to the list of developers passive aggressively telling Nintendo they need new hardware, right behind Monolith Soft and Omega Force. Games like this also make me wonder if developers are low key future proofing for a possible backwards compatible successor.

[@Benri05]

I bet Nintendo games would still be made with the old Switch in mind even if there's a new successor for Switch.

[@MM.MischiefManaged]

Monolith games ran like shit since the beginning on the switchs launch and still run like shit today. Those are the lowest resolution first party games out there.

[@Cruxis_Angel]

A game that desperately needed better hardware. Would have been great to see this run 1440p120 on current gen.

[@flydancer60]

@@mikeuk666 nah ps5 can do 120 fps easy but it deff cant do 1440p120 its one or the other 1440p or 120 fps

[@lum26akua28]

@@mikeuk666 Overwatch 2 runs at 1440p@120fps, it looks more demanding than Bayonetta 3. You good?

[@indiscretion.]

@@mikeuk666 Horizon Forbidden West on PS5 can reach 70-90+ fps, provided you play in Performance mode on a TV with HDMI 2.1.

[@doddynuryanto3800]

@@indiscretion. what about gotham?

[@alexandrebelair4360]

@@lum26akua28 It's not really more demanding tho.

I chuckled every time John mentioned Bayonetta's performance on PS3.

[@mistersurrealist]

Funnily enough, the PS3 version of Bayonetta is the version I played the most back in 2010. Later I got it on the 360, Wii U, PC and Switch. Yup, I guess I'm a fan.

[@weaverquest]

@@mistersurrealist You and many people, PS3 version sold surprisingly well as far as I remember because people just didn't know about technical issues going into a game back then and PlayStation probably was the console that garnered the most hack & slash fans with God of War and Devil May Cry on PS2.

[@hexagonsun33]

the ptsd from pre-patch ps3 b1 😵‍💫

[@dauntless1866]

@Spiral It was likely the developers not understanding PS3 cell architect with DMC4 being able to pull out 60fps I believe PS3 was more capable than that

[@ParanoiaGentlman]

@@hexagonsun33 the only thing about the ps3 is the audio it sounded crazy on a surround sound because of Sonys audio codecs.

[@Kasaaz]

2022 has been a very interesting year for Switch. Lots of games that feel like they are making sacrifices because of the hardware, and still are struggling within the constraints on offer.

[@DavidHosey1]

Nah not really, just poor optimization for a console that’s hard to optimize for. Xenoblade is proof of that, it came out laggy and glitchy as hell, now it runs better than any of the previous titles lol

[@simonmaduxx6777]

480P... DAAAAAMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. This is a modern game stuck on a cell phone home. It's still boggles the mind that they couldn't find anybody but Nintendo to back up the development of this game. First of all shame on Sega they get the most credit for the reason why we are not being able to enjoy this on modern consoles. But for the love of Christ all the publishers out there and only Nintendo would buy? Is it a sales were absolutely disgustingly terrible or somebody was very bad at business. ...??

[@Cha0s808]

13:50 He said you’re gonna spend a lot of time punching monsters ankles. That got me 😂

[@Jetanium]

13:59?

[@theLikou1]

So, like playing a Souls game. Gotcha.

[@Jason-td1gu]

I just saw a video on Platinum’s youtube channel explaining “lining up” attacks. It’s a game changer really, I went from attacking ankles to using Demon Slave in unison with combos. The general idea is that while the demon is attacking, it will queue the next attack which allows you to release ZL, move and attack with Bayonetta, and then press ZL again to keep the Demon combo going, then repeat.

[@oratank]

well bayonetta has after burnner kick, double jump ,air combo and can teleport to enemy use them as a trampoline like forever as long as there are enemy she don't need to touch the ground so it his choice to punching monsters ankles

[@camw6519]

As is tradition

[@RadDude69X]

Really wish they locked the framerate this time, Astral Chain ran so good that way Idk why they didn't just do that again

[@michaeloconnor1281]

Fuck that game was lit. Here's hoping for a sequel one day.

[@RadDude69X]

@@michaeloconnor1281 🙏

[@via_negativa6183]

Astral chain wasn't as fast paced and the combat was way simpler.

[@theLikou1]

@@via_negativa6183 What? Astral Chain can be as fast paced as Bayonetta. The only difference is the scale of the enemies on Bayonetta 3.

[@RadDude69X]

@@via_negativa6183 well yes, but as the video shows the 30fps lock in certain gameplay instances & cutscenes works just fine for Bayo 3, not that I like 30fps if I can avoid it but it would look more consistent than the game dropping below 60fps 99% of the time

[@marcw3852]

A visual fidelity comparison to Astral Chain could be interesting. That game targets 30 and seems to have noticeably higher graphical detail. You have to have 60 on Bayonetta though, so hope they can patch it up. Will likely pick it up at some point mind

[@dante19890]

Ye thats why they needed to constrain the game with small levels but they felt pressured for the 3rd entry to top the previous games in scale but its failing on all fronts . Kinda ironic since bayo 2 is a better looking game that runs better too

[@spacecoffee6706]

Oh it will have a 120+ FPS mode, but not on the Nintendo weak. Gonna play this at 4K 60+ on the master race.

[@dante19890]

@@spacecoffee6706 bring out the switch emulator ;!

[@ms.p99]

@@spacecoffee6706 are you going to buy the game? Otherwise you should be ashamed.

[@spacecoffee6706]

@@ms.p99 Another emulation = piracy clown... Of course i will buy it mate, i just refuse to play at switch standards in 2022.

[@denisruskin348]

Guys I know it’s a bit out of your usual area, but could we see RE Village Mac coverage? It just released and it includes MetalFX (Apple’s DLSS alike) so it would be interesting to see how native ARM games perform.

[@The_Ostrich]

Its looks and runs like crap. Theres your coverage.

[@shootermcgavin1208]

Target audience for that would be very small.

[@megacartfr]

@@The_Ostrich I thought you were trolling...then I watched some videos and sadly you are right :(

[@denisruskin348]

@@The_Ostrich 1080p50-60fps with MetalFX in the most stressing village areas, on the base M1 Mac from like 2020 is crap? Maybe do some research before you start typing.

[@timsmyth7942]

@@denisruskin348 he plays mario

[@dragothica4925]

That dithering effect looks really nasty indeed, when it happens even on big boss models when you are up-close and on spell effects. You definitely are going to see it often in this game..

[@homebrewGT2]

That dithering effects HAS to go. It looks terrible. I felt like i was emulating a PS1 game.

[@TakumiJoyconBoyz]

The dumb thing is that every game uses this instead of real transparencies now and I have no idea why because it looks terrible.

[@zaxele]

So that's what they call that pixelated transparent effect. I thought it was just a design choice lol. Anyway I almost always play in handheld mode so it doesn't matter that much, everything is tiny 😂

[@mistersurrealist]

@John Smith Oh yeah, I had forgotten about it. When I first played Odyssey I thought it reminded me of how the Sega Saturn displayed 'transparencies'.

[@LUEFSolutions]

@@TakumiJoyconBoyz Alpha transparency is, even now, just expensive. This is especially true for alphas with smooth transitions in opacity. Smooth alpha transparencies are also very difficult to work with when layered in top of each other, especially with effect animations. I suspect the increased use of it newer games is because at larger resolutions the dithering effect is much less noticeable.

[@joeyrosas7435]

The loading screen transitions were my favorite it was so shocking to see that they made that happen

[@Cardamander]

Astral Chain was 30 fps. Given the legacy of Bayonetta as a 60fps target they were kinda stuck. Really should have offered a 30 cap option though.

[@peterkevintaylor]

Yeah option for 30fps is needed.

[@weaverquest]

@@peterkevintaylor Yup and option is the key word here. Wouldn't want to limit the potential of a backwards compatible Switch 2 with a 30 fps cap.

[@ionrage]

No, what needs to happen is a more powerful Switch to be launched, thats it.

[@NowOnAFM]

I’m kind of surprised that Platinum didn’t opt for a 30 FPS cap toggle given the performance drops. Nonetheless, looks really ambitious indeed.

[@chadmann132]

30fps cap is garbage

[@goncaloduarte4683]

@@chadmann132 better then an unstable mess that constantly switches from 16ms to 33ms of responsiveness

[@chadmann132]

@@goncaloduarte4683 sure, whatever you say, that stuff you hardly notice unless you're a PC guy with a fps statistic on at all times.

[@The_Ostrich]

30fps is unplayable

[@SonicTheFrenchHorn]

@@The_Ostrich Fuckin spare me.

[@rjhs01999]

It is sad for Bayonetta 3 not to have access to a better hardware, but I clearly remenber when Hideki Kamiya said that only Nintendo jumped to the pool for Bayonetta years ago. So it is like being between the sword and the wall,,, you have to work with what you have and try to do the best.

[@rodryguezzz]

Really sad indeed. Capcom showed how a game like that can sell well. DMC 5 sold 6 million copies and it's an older franchise that was almost murdered when they rebooted it in 2013.

[@SonicTheFrenchHorn]

Child hunger is sad. Bayonetta 3 performance issues are irritating at worst.

[@alanjay479]

@@SonicTheFrenchHorn That is the most internet thing I've read all day. Like one time in school a classmate was really hungry and said they "were starving" so promptly got a lecture about malnourished children in third world countries. Maybe log off and chill out a bit.

[@viktorzeman5202]

I will never understand this kind of excusing of this exclusivity. I do understand that Platinum as well as Nintendo need to make money, but creating a game is an art to me. If i was a game developer and Nintendo as the only publisher came to offer me a financial help to create a sequel of a certain game in exchange for the game being exclusive only to their console, i would politely thank them for a kind offer and said "no". Why would i want to make the game look bad because of Nintendo hardware limitation? Just to make money? No. The game is my creation, my art and i want to make it look and run as good as possible. I would rather make some different game with different publisher on different hardware and who knows, maybe later some other publisher with better hardware would come to support Bayonetta sequel and i could make it look awesome. Why willingly make it look like garbage?

[@hododod246]

@@viktorzeman5202 You got the game on more powerfull hardware with different publisher. It is called Babylon's Fall. If they did not partner with Nintendo, alternative would be not having the game. Game got critical acclaim. It may potentially be nominated for game awards. It got same metacritic score with horizon which is a technological show piece. I think it is fine.

[@PKGamingOmega]

I'm very curious what they'll have to say about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet considering what previews had to say about that game's performance. They honestly make Bayonetta look like a technical marvel.

[@2yoyoyo1Unplugged]

Who plays Pokemon for the framerate? I just want CONTENT in the game this time

[@lum26akua28]

@@2yoyoyo1Unplugged Excuses, excuses.

[@2yoyoyo1Unplugged]

@@lum26akua28 lmao get all upset over a game that you’re not even gonna buy

[@PKGamingOmega]

@_ Sionor Why does that matter? A stable performance is something all games should aim for, no matter what genre. It doesn't need to have ultra crisp and detailed visuals, it just needs to run properly.

[@ShadowMan64572]

​@@PKGamingOmega So you *need* a stable framerate to press the "A" button in Pokemon? I really don't think you know what Pokemon actually is.

[@xizar0rg]

I wonder what the point of going to 810p is. Just staying at 720p would allow for better integer scaling to many common higher res displays, and would make for simpler downscaling to 480 (if that's what the hand-held mode is targetting).

[@saaaaaaaaadasda]

That is what also bug's me.

[@systematicallyshocked]

I think the opposite, 720p lock would mean better frame rates instead of getting use out of every tiny pixel to a game that's already dated. At least the pixel change allows for a higher resolution lock once the Switch Pro releases next year with the Nvidia upscale. Yeah I said it! Next year! Definitely maybe but probably improbable and yet plausible.

[@nathanmerritt1581]

A classic example of the software outgrowing the the hardware.

[@malamucik2096]

Not so classic because the hardware was obsolete from the beginning. Bayo 2 was a port and had both input lag and graphics issues.

[@nathanmerritt1581]

@@malamucik2096 example of it it is because it happens all the time. With other generations aging hardware.

[@malamucik2096]

My point is other platforms have aged. Switch was outdated from day one.

[@more_UO_memes]

And still, we get hardcore fanboys saying, that the Switch has to be weak, 'cause "it's portable" and "graphics/performance don't matter". I'm so sick of this.

[@Jenny-sd6ji]

@@malamucik2096 Huh?? You have no idea what you're talking about. The Switch uses 2015 hardware(Nvidias Tegra X1) and launched in 2017. Meanwhile the PS4 uses 2011 HW(Jaguar and GCN) and launched in 2013. The PS4 was far more "obsolete" in 2017 and onwards than the Switch. What ignorant folks like you don't understand is that the Switch has to run its HW at a low power envelope because it is a portable device in a small chassis. The PS4 and PS5 on the other hand can chug on electricity straight from an outlet without relying on batteries, additionally they aren't meant to be handheld and are therefore huge compared to the Switch increasing heat dissipation. It's like calling the PSP which launched in 2005 obsolete versus the Dreamcast that launched in 1998.. They are 2 different platforms with different goals(handheld gaming vs TV gaming).

[@patfer1189]

"A great game that lacks polish". Pretty much describes every Platinum Games' game.

[@lokeras92]

Not really. Nier Automata is fantastic

[@otherprisma7354]

But is it excusable?

[@ivanleon6164]

meanwhile Requiem...

[@jackjohnson8305]

@@lokeras92 Yet it lacked polish on PC

[@jdwastaken4126]

@@lokeras92 uhm I'm not sure if you and I played the same game then lol. I love Nier but even then I can see its lack of techincal polish

[@simonrockstream]

This game is a f*cking joke. What a complete waste of a perfectly good game. The Switch needs to die already.

[@StillWeRide]

😂😂100000%

[@Titan1930S]

Its a shame this franchise is condemned to be a Nintendo exclusive, more people deserve to enjoy bayoneta 2 and 3

[@musabmohammed8446]

Emulation

[@metroidcypher]

with every new trailer shown i was baffled by the amount of people saying the game looked great for a switch game when i though it looked worse than Bayonetta 2. Glad i wasnt crazy

[@ChrisCarlos64]

I was concerned too and thinking it didn't look smooth. I already have the collector edition pre ordered and coming to me, so I love the series a lot. I'm just baffled everyone else said it looked smooth and great visually when I felt it wasn't really. I'm sad but I hope tonstill be entertained and have fun, but I do hope maybe they release an update to lock at 30 maybe. It seems like that would be best for this, or wait for the next Gen upgrade to Switch 2 someday if it ever happenns.

[@BillyPalmerMusic]

Completely agree

[@RandomBlackGamer]

Just shows you how absurdly blind the Nintendo fandom is.

[@beardalaxy]

Can I say just how much I hate this weird current trend of dithered transparency? It makes the whole image look so noisy! I'm glad somebody else has pointed it out because I've looked like a crazy man for the past year and a half playing Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis, which does the same thing everywhere with its transparency. Really wish there was just an option to turn it off, performance be damned.

[@flink1231]

John's choice of music at the start of the video shows his good taste in games and game music... this version of space harrier theme is great.

[@mataleao]

That has to be in reference to the Space Harrier sequence in the original Bayonetta.

[@WilliamChoochootrain]

Still runs better than switch Pokémon games while looking 10 times better lmao.

[@TripMX]

Great analysis as always John, another thing I noticed while playing was in handheld mode- the framerate seemed a bit more stable than TV mode. Either way, Platinum have really pushed the hell out of the Switch this time around, and used all techniques they knew to try to keep the framerate as close to the target as possible. But alas, the hardware limitations, as it was. I suppose if the trilogy gets “remastered” for future Nintendo hardware, Bayo 3 would probably run better just like Bayo 1 and 2 runs better on Switch than they ran on the Wii U.

[@maartenhendrickx8962]

Anyone else that can confirm this?

[@TornaDoza]

@@maartenhendrickx8962 yep, better textures and FPS somewhat around 60 in docked mode. Handheld seems to be 30 FPS capped.

[@octogigas]

"Lack of polish" is a pretty significant understatement here. Bayonetta 2 came out 8 years ago and it (still) looks incredible. Astral Chain was on Switch, also developed by Platinum, and it's stunning. This looks like an MMO trying to run on the Wii. Seriously, this game is absolutely hideous to look at and it drives me nuts how many critics and Nintendo fanboys don't seem to care. Considering how much the Bayonetta franchise is all about spectacle, this severely hampers the enjoyability.

[@pedrogoncalves4585]

In a game where you fuck everything up doing crazy combos most people don't give a shit if it doesnt look amazing

[@drunksquirrel2051]

Cry more?

[@saaaaaaaaadasda]

​@@pedrogoncalves4585 But it doesn't run amazing either, so trade off that Platinum between fps and graphics choose nothing. And please don't even try to pretend that framerate doesn't matter in a fast-paced action game like this, especially on maximum difficulty.

[@darkcloak100]

Can't let the small stuff get in the way of a good game. For me I can't tell the difference between 30fps and 60fps and the graphics don't matter because I'm too busy having fun to notice

[@saaaaaaaaadasda]

@@darkcloak100 Have fun getting hit by enemies on maximum difficulty with that unstable framerate and enemies, SFX and your summon's blocking your vision.

[@WheeledHamster]

Viola is the result of when creators have zero imagination so they just copy/pasted the most generic ass character ever. Resident Evil Revelation 2, Saints Row, Matrix Resurrection, Ruby Rose.

[@yoshomiamoto]

Such an amazing action game limited by hardware. And the chances of it ending up on other hardware is unlikely, as the game is fully funded by Nintendo, so they may as well own the game at this point.

[@BigDaddyCola]

Barely started 3 and im excited for it. However i am puzzled why 1 and 2 look better and they are from older consoles

[@ronuss]

not sure what it is with platinum recently but there graphics seem to get worse and worse lol

[@GuyOnTheInternet53]

@@ronuss ikr? I always thought nier, astral chain and bayo 3 look way worse than bayo 2, transformers and mgr

[@Dd-fb2tj]

it categorically does NOT look worse....the visuals are better and they are doing moree things, but perhaps too much

[@DaRkLoRd-rc5yu]

@@GuyOnTheInternet53 I think nier automata is a good looking game. And as terrible as babylon's fall was I assume it looked next gen. So they can do current gen visuals, it's just the switch's hardware and them not wanting to compromise their vision for gameplay mechanics and scale. And I'm glad they didn't but visuals took a hit for it and performance didn't quite get up to their usual standard. But i think they did try, this is probably why development took so long, as I'm guessing they delayed it trying to get it to a stable 60fps until they reached their limit.

[@ketrub]

@@DaRkLoRd-rc5yu have you ever even seen any footage of babylon's fall? it looked atrocious

[@Ryan-xn3mt]

Nintendo ought a consider more powerful hardware. Xenoblade 3 is another game that graphically was held back by the Switches aging SOC. It's only gonna get worse.

[@jirojairo90]

The first time I played through Bayonetta 1 was on a PS3. No amount of framedrops will keep me from enjoying this one lol

[@naruhearts1]

This game is a reason why i hope the Switch 2 is backwards compatible so it can run at a constant 60

[@carlosbaptista7183]

Nintendo Switch is a shit whole. I'll never understand how such a crappy hardware has sold so much. Nintendo is so lucky people are willing to spend money on garbage.

[@force5926]

It has those giant exclusives, and it's also the best multiplayer system hands down.

[@carlosbaptista7183]

@@force5926 Yeah, a bunch of childish games for virgins and kids. Thanks, but I'll pass. Did you say multiplayer? That garbage machine that operates at 720p and doesn't even have a LAN cable port? You're a comedian, dude.

[@Charles-hy6gp]

@@carlosbaptista7183 Well why did PS4 sold well even when the machine was a collecting dust in first 3 years

[@DDT-lr3zz]

@@carlosbaptista7183 Well the Original Wii manage to sold 100 millions units despite being an overclocked Gamecube in terms of specs. However the Original Wii was a horrible forgettable console, nothing but dumping ground for shovelware, awful ports and rushed games. Made for casuals which got tired of playing it after 2 years. The Original Wii after 2009 was just a collecting dust for a lot of people, only hardcore nintendo gamers played it after 2009 and all they got was shovelware, overpriced classic games and occasional 1st party games

[@XanderCrease]

Not bad, for mobile hardware from 5 years ago. I knew the frame drops were constant but it didn't bother me too much, frames are unlocked so I'll just assume it'll play at a steady 60 come next Switch, no patch required.

[@SNMG7664]

I'm fine with them recasting but couldn't they have chosen a British actress? Americans doing bad impressions of UK people in games should be a thing of the past by now. It's *the current year*. Bothers me in Zelda too.

[@saifojio2259]

as usual a great analysis by John, keep it up mate

[@0ctothorp]

"aging technology base" I could have told you that when Nier Automata used a goddamn video encoding format from the early 90's.

[@zjacob60]

I really hope that if the switch successor is backwards compatible, It can iron out performance issues on these types of games. I have this game on physical but haven't had the chance to play this game because of the performance issues.

[@peterkevintaylor]

I have been enjoying this a lot. I think the games short comings don't let the game experience down at all. Hoping that dev does some optimization to make the frame rate a bit more stable.

[@repeekyraidcero]

Shame df's reviews make one think "every game is terribel" oh well

[@devmiles]

The switch would explode

[@DavidHosey1]

@@devmiles the switch is a lot more capable than many would think lol

[@devmiles]

@@DavidHosey1 True and not so true. Obviously there are many great games and achievements but it’s aging hard now. You can’t polish all away with style, more and more compromises are becoming visible. Sadly in games that don’t deserve any. Surely nintendo will milk the switch for some years to come with little upgrade.

[@DavidHosey1]

@@devmiles I really don’t see it, and most people don’t either. Sure if you break it down to the most minute levels there are some games with compromises being made. But the fact is the system doesn’t age, it literally can’t. It is what it was back when it was made, and even back then people were saying style is leagues more important than realism, especially for Nintendo games. Some say games like Xenoblade 3 are hampered by the system, when the game runs smoothly and is the best in the series performance and visuals-wise. The repeated claims that it’s a weak system that gimps it’s games use examples like that, and it shows hours these claims are predominantly wrong. I’m sure Bayo 3 would’ve looked and played better with better hardware, but the fact that it plays with more stable frames now that patches are out and that it still achieves all that it set out to do shows that the Switch isn’t holding it back Plus, these complaints won’t be around for these games for too much longer, as Nintendo is all but due to release they’re next console as a Switch successor, likely with backwards compatibility, and will continue that modem into the future ongoingly. So all of the games here now that some might have issues with will likely be fixed whenever that releases

[@Nobutehuhh]

My biggest issue with the art direction, and many other current games’ art direction, is the reliance on desaturated backgrounds / environments smothered in neon & bright colors. It feels like the two extremes are spreading each other thin. I’m not sure why so many games & movies opt for this direction.

[@Charredasperity]

Every time there's a new Switch exclusive, despite having a Switch, I always think "I wish I didn't have to play this on Switch"

[@Psyi1]

Since Nintendo’s only competitor to Nintendo we get this… on a visual scale, I’m 1000% sure the meta quest can reproduce these graphics as well as my cellphone an iPhone 13. Ugh I swear Nintendo will actively avoid creating a state of the art platform just to say we make “games” for the game play and then charge 500 dollars for outdated silicon. I love Nintendo games but the hardware is trash by todays standards, the joycons always stick drift, they’re still using led panels that are below decent standards today. For a few bucks more you can update to an oled screen. Etc… 😢

[@Secret_Takodachi]

An underbaked Switch game I'M SHOCKED! lol but seriously thanks for continuing to highlight the fact that Nintendo is trying to push new games out on a handheld that's getting close to ten years old! Soon the Switch will be older than most of the kids playing on it at the rate Nintendo releases new hardware. Hell, the tech inside the Switch probably already rivals the average age of a Switch user!

[@ZantetsukenGilgamesh]

Really now, we're going back to 480p gaming? If only the visuals held up, I'd be willing to forgive but these textures look straight-up PS3 era military shooter.

[@Kiki-qh7xk]

I am playing this game and i MUST say is FANTASTIC. One of the best on switch for SURE

[@BoJangles42]

Bayonetta appears to be a game crying out in vain for Nintendo to build a successor to the Switch.

[@davecerv]

I’ve been having an absolute blast playing B3. However, I can’t help thinking how glorious it would perform on PS5/Xbox… my goodness.

[@strikerdavo]

Stellar Blade is coming next

[@jonr7364]

Yep, I’m done buying these hamstrung switch games. Haven’t bought a switch game in years because of it.

[@randyrrs7028]

@@jonr7364 imagine wasting $60 on a game that can easily run on a ps3/360

[@sauceseji]

don't forget pc. imagine bayo3 with rtx on. that's a sight to behold.

[@deepmind5318]

@@jonr7364 I'm really tired of the huge amount of pop in that too many switch games have, the constant and major drop in frames, and the nauseous, blurry resolutions. Fanboys are always creating excuses like, "Nintendo games are not about the best graphics and framerate", "gameplay is the most important thing." yeah sure, gameplay is one of the most important things, but creative gameplay is also being limited by the switch's extreme lack of power. Think about how many ideas had to be scrapped for tears of the kingdom, simply because the switch isn't able to handle those ideas.

[@DGFTardin]

We missed you John. Take care!

[@SagaciousEagle]

I don't understand why this game is not released on PC. It's a missed opportunity. I would buy if it were.

[@joshuabrien2970]

Because bayonetta is pretty much a nintendo ip cause they help finance the sequels but who knows what could happen

[@cassiopeiadeadprince8424]

Almost glad to see something this ambitious yet messy from them again. Very bold to see Platinum attempt to utilize clear design DNA salvaged from Scalebound (the big demons fighting in real time, definitely something rescued from the Scalebound archives let's be real here) on a humbler system like the Switch.

[@BasedKiliK]

This is one of those situations where a modded Switch really does help. I've applied slight overclocks to the CPU, GPU and RAM, and it improves the framerate by about a good 5 to 10 frames depending on the action. But PG has definitely pushed this game somewhat above what the Switch can handle. It's still incredibly impressive though.

[@blisphul8084]

That 7 year old SoC is really being pushed to it's absolute limits. I doubt Nvidia ever expected this chip to run games at this scale. It was just meant to be used for cheap Android game boxes.

[@systematicallyshocked]

Just imagine what they'll be able to do with an updated "next gen" version meant specifically for a Switch Pro

[@jonathansoko1085]

Overclocking a switch is not smart, it cant handle it and you are doing so knowing you are killing your console. If not, well you are.

[@icecube1158]

@@jonathansoko1085Do you even have a modded switch? It can 100% handle it because it's within chip's specs. It was literally built for the "overclocked" speeds but Nintendo limited the ranges for power savings. The temperatures are still perfectly within margins even on max possible clocks.

[@DavidHosey1]

@@blisphul8084 nah it’s not being pushed to its limits and beyond, especially not when looking at the rest of the system. The Switch is a perfect example of how a system can last and keep being pushed through generations way further than many would expect, and that it’s more due to the optimization of all that a game demands that would cause a system to lag behind. The Switch is undoubtedly less powerful than current gen, but the fact that it can keep up at what would be negligible losses for the average person is impressive and telling

[@Omie-Wan-kenobi]

I knew this would look and run like crap. Nintendo need to sort their hardware out now, it’s becoming a joke with new games.

[@tHeWasTeDYouTh]

Wish it was on the PS4/PS5 and PC but Nintendo is paying so it will stay Switch exclusive. I cannot believe there is no other publisher that wanted to co-publish the IP

[@SaberRexZealot]

Me too. Capcom were fucking idiots for not chucking money at Bayonetta when the IP was up for grabs.

[@Aliens1337]

@@SaberRexZealot Why would they though?? They have DMC which sold way more. Bayo 1 sold less than 1 million copies. DMC franchise at than point had already sold like 15 million copies. Capcom could just make more DMC games rather than grabbing another action franchise that would cut into their own established action franchise.

[@djayjp]

Unfiltered, raw, low res dithering like that is absolutely horrid.

[@TehHuskeydood]

It doesn''t lack polish. Its legit pushing the system way to hard. Platinum being stuck on this hardware really isn't their fault. Performance issues are a bummer but i'd rather they focus on stuff that mattered here. The amount of actual polish in this game is pretty incredible.

[@meandtheboyz4675]

That's called lack of polish. They should have lowered the target experience or graphics to provide a more polished and consistent experience.

[@saaaaaaaaadasda]

@@meandtheboyz4675 They could figure it out in 5 years of development...

[@alexandrebelair4360]

Prove it

[@alexandrebelair4360]

@@saaaaaaaaadasda Not necessarily.

[@saaaaaaaaadasda]

@@alexandrebelair4360 Why, why do third game in the series made exclusively for Switch and had a long development cycle performs worse than previous one's that were just ports...

[@Hazemann]

Nintendo need to release a Switch Tegra T239 ASAP !!! Announcing it in Jan 2023 and release in May 2023 with BOTW2. It's so stupid if Nintendo still not rectify resolution & frame rate issues for many big AAA Switch games

[@floppa9415]

certified Cortex A57 moment

[@Doug_Hannon]

I'd really like to see you guys review Persona 5 Royal for the Switch. It seems like the sort of game that would be perfect for a portable system if the visuals hold up decently.

[@lukidjano]

It can even hold a stable 60fps on a hacked switch

[@SteamPunk96]

Polish being capitalized in the title had me really confused for a second there.

[@theorangecandle]

Ah there it is, capitalization matters

[@bladechild2449]

Letting this franchise fester on the potato machine was a sin

[@ChrisCarlos64]

I'm almost not surprised. Ever since the debut, I fel it never looked smooth, and the visual quality to me was kind of not the greatest looking in the series. I attribued the latter to maybe my feelings on the art direction, but now it seems like it also is technical as well. This is a shame, but I already pre-ordered my collector edition. I normally don't bother pre-ordering anymore, but I love the Bayonetta series, as they are some of the finest action games around. Pretty much my most looked forward to game in the genre since DMC 5 which was also amazing. I do hope we see an "upgraded" version down the road for the Switch 2 or whatever they call it, because I'm sure we will never see this come PC side ever down the road, so I can only hope for Nintendo to bundle the 3 games together for a slow release cycle on the new hardware or something once in a while.

[@PLYTATN]

Switch emulation on PC will "upgrade" this game long before Switch 2 is here. Currently,Ryujinx already got the game running smoothly at 60+fps when in combat and rarely drops below 60. You can choose to upscale the game to 2K or 4K and it will look gorgeous. The only problem with playing the game on emulator right now is delayed audio in cutscenes. Gameplay wise,it is 100% playable.

[@sheltonpicardo2161]

when a DF video is uploaded in just 1080p, u know something is messed up

[@paul1979uk2000]

I can't help but feel that this game will be so much better on the PC by emulation, locked at 4k/60 and with a texture pack to improve the visuals. It kinda looks a bit of a mess on the visual and performance front on the Switch, with very inconsistent visuals and honestly, looking at this, this is one of the few cases where I want to play the game on the PC with the enhancements over the Switch.

[@ralfsstuff]

I'm kinda surprised to see those massivd framedrops. I'm several hours into the game and I never even thought about fps because it felt perfectly fine to play the entire time.

[@veraalves6874]

Some people are more sensible than others with unstable framerate. I was fine with RE2 Remake dropping to 50fps for example, but other people can't stand it

[@wertywerrtyson5529]

Dropping from 60 usually doesn’t bother me that much either. Especially compared to dropping from 30. It is very different dropping from 60 to 40 compared to dropping from 30 to 20. That said I’d rather it hit 60 more often. I’ll see how I feel when I play the game. But first I will play Star Ocean The Devine Force. Another game with frame drops.

[@bosschopper9441]

The game masks it’s frame drops relatively well

[@spencersdh1]

I play PC game on a 144hz monitor. Most games don't hit that mark, but they usually run above 60. I really don't care about bayonetta 3's performance. It feels great to play, and I just got done playing DMC5.

[@alejandropradalozano6525]

Yeah, Im sensible to fps but this game feels smooth to me. Its a shame how everything gets reduced to numbers here, i dont care how unstable it seems in this analysis, the reality is: it feels smooth

[@gleam6370]

Breath of the wild 2 which is slated for mid 2023 is still releasing on the switch. We won’t see a “switch pro” for some years if it’s even gonna happen

[@The_Ostrich]

No, its not gonna happen, cause they're not releasing a Pro console after 6 years, thats like if the PS4 Pro and One X came out in 2019. You might see a Switch 2 in fall 2023 though.

[@JarJarBinks4ever]

@@DeadPhoenix86DP Switch 2 with enhanced backwards-compatibility to Switch 1 games is more likely at this point

[@dante19890]

botw2 will be delayed to 2024 dual released with a switch 2. Mark my words

[@maegnificant]

The only enhanced Version of bayo 3 will be on the next Nintendo console. Without Nintendo, Bayonetta would have been dead after the first installment. Platinum said this themselves.

[@MegaTrolleybus]

What i take from this is that they used every trick in the book to get the game run as well as possible on an aging (very old in fact) hardware.

[@clg2445]

The Switch Is a handheld. And it was top notch hardware when it released. VERY OLD is not what I would call it. Aging is the right word. If 5+ years is VERY OLD then PS5s and XBXs 2years is OLD. And I highly doubt people would call these consoles old. The problem with Switch is NOT the hardware its people not knowing what to do with it. I mean look at Alien isolation on PS3/360. Look at GTA5 on PS3 and 360. You cant tell me that a hybrid like switch thats much more powerful has problems with games such as bayonetta 2 and now 3 running at 720p. Alien Isolation is also on Switch and this is the LEAST I expect from a new Metroid game for example (Halo4 also was phenomenal on 360 back then and was made by some former Metroid Prime devs)

[@DanielJimenez-vq5gw]

@@clg2445 The Switch never had impressive hardware lmao, the Vita had impressive hardware for its time, and the Steam Deck has impressive hardware for its time. The Switch, like most Nintendo consoles, is clearly produced in a tighter budget.

[@slyrxccoon]

@@clg2445 It was definitely not top notch harware when it released lmao. It was always outdated. The PS4 was released in 2013 and is way more powerful than the Switch.

[@thorscape3879]

@@clg2445 The Switch was not top notch hardware or top notch handheld hardware when it released. There were mobile phones with better hardware and the GPDWin came out five months before the Switch.

[@clg2445]

@@slyrxccoon The PS4 is a crappy shit system that was outdated the moment it released. Jaguar cores that were worse than the PS3 processor lol. The Switch is a handheld. Pretty nonsensical to compare these two things. I mean how is the PS4s battery life? Pretty shit compared to the switch. What a shit portable the PS4 is.... even the PS5 is worse than the older switch! Both are WORSE than the gameboy from the 80s! What a disgrace! See how dumb that is?

[@nanimonoda6897]

cant wait for the emulated version

[@ruijikisu]

seems to me that they rather wanted to make the game as they wanted and maybe have it ported to a newer system later than have old hardware limit the vision of the game nintendo really needs to do something on the hardware front

[@skyyswaggstudios2934]

Yeah I love the switch, but bayo 3 seems like evidence that Nintendo needs some better hardware for devs to work with now

[@Charles-hy6gp]

@@skyyswaggstudios2934 Well that because Nintendo couldn´t give a damn about specs. You have to talk about the Original Wii which was really behind of the PS3 and X360 in terms of specs

[@arturdabrowski3976]

Man, you were too easy on this game. I thought I was crazy thinking Bayo 1 and 2 play and look more fluid than 3, but you've proved it's not an illusion. I'd never paid attention to performance before, but after playing 1 and 2 on Switch, 3 does feel jarring 😓😓😓

[@lukakapanadze6179]

Such a great franchise, shackled to trash hardware. What a shame.

[@offspringfan89]

A good game that is severely held back by the weak hardware it runs on. This is going to become the norm from now on, as 2015 era SoC is just not cutting anymore in 2022. Sadly, as long as Switch keeps printing money, Nintendo will have no incentive to develop a more powerful successor.

[@Charles-hy6gp]

Yeah, just remember how underpowered the original Wii was from 2006, considering that was powerful as OG Xbox(2001 console)

[@JamesThomasJeans]

The Switch is such a goddamn disappointment on a technical level. Whatever their next console/hybrid is, they REALLY need to put some more modern hardware in it.

[@bamban_garcia5562]

Its Nintendo mate they prefer to build their machines on outdated mass produced hardware that already lost its value to ensure maximum profits from each console sold Hell why would they when their minimum efforts are blindly praised even defended by their cult of brainwashed nintendrones, if you read up countless rabid fanatics will be happy with the 2013 PlayStation 4 performance for the so called "next gen" Nintendo system whenever it releases Even the 2006 PlayStation 3 was capable of 60fps as well as hd something the 2017 tablet built on 2015 hardware struggles with Like I said no real excuse to even improve their machine when idiots are blindly throwing money at them already

[@Beavernator]

I'm just happy to FINALLY have the game... It's EIPC... 👁👄👁

[@danbooke2001]

It's sad that Nintendo refuses to acknowledge that this hardware just doesn't cut it. It didn't when it released, and it has just been getting worse. In 2022, this is just beyond acceptable at this point.

[@kastaway-mtx]

And they are wasting that 10 year contract with Nvidia. Almost 6 years into the contract and they only utilized the Tegra X1 - a chip that was already outdated in 2017. 💀💀

[@nukeclears]

Man, it does look like an early Xbox 360 title.

[@mr.horseshoe2301]

Its a travesty that this game is stuck on the horrible Switch. That thing is two generations behind. I'll keep hoping for a PC/PS5 version.

[@k3tupat1978]

DF : Bayonetta 3 a game that await for a more powerfull hardware that never arrived Nintendo : Switch will have 10 years live span

[@__lim494]

1. No proper comparison. (Bayo 1-2-3, fps/resolution side) 2. No proper comparison. (Handheld/docking performance) 3. Diversity of game play is not something that will be covered in tech review. You take the lead in defending the technical problems of some games. And the target was always a game with a lot of hardcore fans. 4. John, stick to your technical review instead of exaggerated adjectives. Recall the criticism you have received in past RE2 reviews. When you say pixel (or low poly) related things, you seem to be just trying to satisfy retro fans.

[@saaaaaaaaadasda]

They wanting transition to half techical/half usual review, but i don't think it's a great idea if techical side will suffer. He also didn't mentioned that Viola gameplay is less taxing and more smoother and he didn't use Demon Slave that much, that in combination with big enemies would crush framerate even lower. You can see it one time with dragon enemy on the footage - this is how low it would run at most taxing moments.

[@Wooksley]

Well, I suppose I’ll play it in a couple of years when switch emulation matures. I bet it will look fine in 4k 120 fps with a reshade and a couple of mods…

[@zdeanbx]

It's actually fine on switch, I've had no fps drops and the quality is great on docked mode.

[@shadow_force]

Its 480p on handheld..

[@Wooksley]

@@shadow_force how do you even play in 480p 30? Is it at least upscaled to some sensible resolution?

[@theblerd1889]

I have it and without my nostalgia googles there is more going on In this one and it looks better. Especially with costumes

[@sakitoshi]

bottomline, switch shows (even more than ever) its age, bayo 3 should have been on all the other platforms but switch. it's such a shame sega dropped the ip after the original game tanked.

[@Graczula]

I've been playing Bayo3 since Friday and it s a masterpiece...HOWEVER....Dear Nintendo! we really need Switch 2 ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@mirfalltnixein.1]

Wouldn’t be a Platinum game if it didn’t have major performance issues.

[@saaaaaaaaadasda]

And camera issues.

[@Jason-td1gu]

I would be interested to see the performance graphs on an overclocked Switch. I applied an overclock on mine and it feels like it runs much smoother, not amazing but better for sure.

[@mitchjames9350]

How did you overclock it.

[@deepmind5318]

Wouldn't that overheat the console and cause it to lose battery very quick?

[@ItsYuhBoyyyy]

How do you do that?

[@KhristianAbasolo]

This video just states.... bring this to the PC and stop messing with Nintendo old hardware....

[@wafflehatt]

The Switch is definitely trying to punch above its weight, here. I mean, we’re talking about down-clocked circa 2015 mobile hardware. The Tegra X1 was never a powerhouse chipset and the Nvidia moved on to the more efficient X2 by the time the Switch was released in 2017; Nintendo cut corners by purchasing a bulk of outdated down-clocked processors only 4GB of LPDDR4 ram. A lot of 2017 tablets at the time had better hardware. 5 years in, we are at a point of diminishing returns; developers can only push this system so far and perhaps Bayonetta 3 was a tad too ambitious for this given platform. That said, I’m glad Nintendo isn’t letting the franchise die and is continuing to fund this series. It’s a good and charming game if you overlook its graphical shortcomings.

[@MrCaerbannog]

To be fair, an X2 wouldn't hold up all that much better than the X1 nowadays, other than in situations where memory bandwidth was the main limiting factor. The Switch really needed a chipset that was capable of DLSS, and nVidia didn't release any SoCs like that until two years after the Switch launched.

[@Group-935]

The games ambitions are too great for the given hardware. If there were a PS5 and Xbox Series X version, this game would be amazingly beautiful.

[@Psych0technic]

John went out of his way to be as mild as possible in his criticism, it's actually pretty funny. Knowing his snobbery when it comes to games technical quality it must've been painful for him to play this one. I can't imagine him finishing the game in this state.

[@shortsrus]

Would be interesting to compare this and SMT V's Tokyo since SMT also had some visual issues on Switch, but still made it's environments look fantastic

[@BananaCake26]

Not comparable. All you do in SMTV's environments is traversal, battles are turn-based in separate screens. Bayonetta is fast paced action with characters, huge monsters, summons, effects all on screen at the same time

[@raresmacovei8382]

One is proven Unreal 4, one is proprietary engine from a relatively small studio.

[@shortsrus]

​@@BananaCake26 They're aesthetics in a videogame, of course they are comparable. Nowhere did I mention comparing the gameplay. They both feature post-apocalyptic Tokyo as playable areas. Next you're gonna tell me the real city of Tokyo is not comparable too?

[@doddynuryanto3800]

@@shortsrus What he mean is heavy action game will be impacted more than turn based. Of course environment on smt V is more cleaner because you are not battle on the same map. Less demanding from graphical point of view. To achieve above 30 fps platinum need to reduce, texture, effect or what ever it is to make the game playable above 30 fps. The method of optimization is also different too

[@karamitros20]

Pixel counts don't matter when you are having fun... They never did

[@w0nd3r6]

480P What a joke nintendo is a joke and all there fans Imagine if sony released a 480p game they would be run out of the building

[@Antronix3]

I think saying the game is "unpolished" isn't fair. I haven't experienced any glitches of any kind, and the performance, while It hardly ever reaches 60, never dipped hard enough to distract my gameplay. If you play and don't obsess over the frame rate you won't even notice it. The game feel never felt sluggish to me at all. I think Plantinum games did the best they could for the hardware they were working on.

[@seinfan9]

Looks like an early PS3/X360 game.

[@RandyThompson]

Absolutely bang-up job, John, as usual. You've always got a keen eye for these details and I love how much passion you bring into videos on games you really care about. I will say that I've played through Chapter 5 so far, and I did actually run into one b-tier cutscene that's a slideshow of animated screenshots. I'm wowed that there's so few, but just wanted to point out they DO exist in Bayonetta 3.

[@DerdOn0ner]

The dithering looks horrible. Makes you feel you you’re loosing your eyesight

[@redking8585]

Nintendo hardware is 15 years behind there's no other way of putting it.

[@Gure_Shimo]

I definetly noticed that Astral Chain looked better, and atleast expected Bayonetta 3 to look on par. But I have to say that the game is amazing and I really enjoyed the main story. Now I'm going to deal with the collectibles and challenges.

[@GForceIntel]

Astral chain is pretty flat in terms of realism compared to bayonetta 3