They were yummy and not bad
Bayonetta 2 has the potential to do what most sequels set out to do — meet the approval of existing fans while being appreciated by a new audience. It feels more confident in it’s own inherently brazen nature, and less interested in resembling anything one might term “conventional”. It was just a few seconds into my first play before I seeming turned into a giant neon purple butterfly. Just a few minutes later I was whipping giant purple thorny whips over the entire screen before locking a centaur in a death cage. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
My second play through of the demo was with the game’s touch screen controls. They were surprisingly fluid and competent. You tap enemies to attack, swipe up to jump, and swipe left or right to dodge. The complexity is negated, but the need maintain aggression while being ready to dodge enemy attacks remains. It’s definitely harder to pull off complex combos though. You change attack types by hitting different on-screen buttons on the gamepad. It would actually take more technical skill to pull off big combos via that method.
Overall, Bayonetta 2‘s motion controls served as an interesting diversion for those that like the traditional controls, and would work as a far less intimidating alternative for those with an aversion to pressing buttons. If you want all the style but less of the game design substance, check ’em out.