Bayonetta is one of the most over-the-top adrenaline rushes of a game ever! But if you ask me, its most interesting mechanic isn't an offensive one... but a defensive one.

Intentionally or not, Bayonetta (and another historically important contemporary) ask an important question: How can the parts where a character is NOT dealing damage be as empowering as the parts where they are?

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Games Discussed:
Bayonetta (2009) / Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC (Windows) / Developer: PlatinumGames / Publisher: Sega / Directed by Hideki Kamiya / Genre: Action, Character-Action, Action-Adventure, Cinematic, Beat 'em Up, Story-Heavy, Camp, Fantasy

Demon's Souls (2009) / Platform: Playstation 3 / Developer: FromSoftware / Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment / Directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki / Genre: Action RPG, Role-Plating Game, Soulslike, Horror, Dark Fantasy

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Games Referenced:
Vanquish (2010) / Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC (Windows) / Developer: PlatinumGames / Publisher: Sega / Directed by Shinji Mikami / Genre: Third-Person Shooter, Action, Science Fiction

Dark Souls (2011) / Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Windows) / Developer: FromSoftware / Publisher: Namco Bandai Games / Genre: Action RPG, Role-Playing Game, Soulslike

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013) / Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC (Windows) / Developer: PlatinumGames / Publisher: Konami / Directed by Kenji Saito / Genre: Action, Action-Adventure, Character Action, Story-Heavy

The Wonderful 101 (2013) / Platform: Wii U / Developer: PlatinumGames / Publisher: Nintendo / Directed by Hideki Kamiya / Genre: Action-Adventure, Superhero, Experimental

Dark Souls II (2014) / Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC (Windows) / Developer: FromSoftware / Publisher: Namco Bandai Games / Genre: Action RPG, Role-Playing Game, Soulslike

Dark Souls III (2016) / Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Windows) / Developer: FromSoftware / Publisher: Namco Bandai Games / Genre: Action RPG, Role-Playing Game, Soulslike

NieR: Automata (2017) / Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Windows) / Developer: PlatinumGames / Publisher: Square Enix / Directed by Yoko Taro / Genre: Action RPG, Character Action, Action Advenure, Role-Playing Game

Astral Chain (2019) / Platform: Nintendo Switch / Developer: PlatinumGames / Publisher: Nintendo / Genre: Action-Adventure, Hack and Slash, Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Anime

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Topics Discussed:
Psychology, Game Design, Video Game Design, Dodge Roll, Game Mechanic Deep Dive, Operant Conditioning, Behavior Modification, Reinforcement vs Punishment, Combat Design, Style, Style over substance, gymnastics, flip, witch time, advantages, minmax, difficulty, comparison, video essay, short video essay, soundtrack, video game soundtrack, ost, games, video games, game trailer, retro games, retro gaming, 2009, witches, science of games, bayonetta iceberg, explained, ending explained, witch, horror, dark fantasy, action games, gameplay examples, dance, dancing, dance into danger