Hi, my name is Koji Tanaka, I am the Visual Effects Lead for Bayonetta 2. Recently I’ve taken up walking to get some exercise.

Let’s start by discussing what the effects section actually does. The short version is, we make the fire, the smoke, the heavy rain, and the snowfall. We make the visual effects for each move and magic attack. Our job is important for setting the tone for the game, giving it the right atmosphere, and the right feel.

For this entry, I’d like to talk about the battle VFX we made for Bayonetta 2.
Bayonetta is a series where you fight, fight, and fight some more. To get the most out of the game, it’s best to fight groups of enemies building one combo on the other. Every time you execute a combo, there are effects that go with it. There’s actually a little more thought put into balancing these effects than you might think. What I mean is, there’s an ironclad rule that effects should never hide a player’s motion. That may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s actually not so easy. We want battles to be exciting and have lots of stunning effects, right? So we tend to get carried away. If we add too much, though, you’re unable to see your character and the game becomes unplayable. As the player, your eyes should be on the enemy and your own character, not the effects. That being said, if we start being too safe making effects, battles are boring.

In the end, we decided to make over-the-top effects that would fade out nice and quick, with just a hint of the effect lingering behind. In other words, we tried to give them an edge. Rather than giving the effects too much screen time, we chose to give them a brief, brilliant appearance, leave an impression in the player’s mind, and then have an echo remain, to still give the effect some presence in the battlefield.

Look, maybe a movie will speak louder than words.

Here’s an effect before giving it an edge.
*This video was taken from a build of the game that may differ with the retail version.

Now, with an edge:
*This video was taken from a build of the game that may differ with the retail version.

Did that make it easier to understand? Originally we were making VFX similar to the first video, but it interfered with gameplay too much. So we visualized taking effects in a new direction, and came to where we are now. It might sound like a subtle difference, but that subtlety is important. You’ll realize that when you’re stringing combos together. The more manic the battle, the more this method works.

That’s something you’ll just have to play and see for yourself, though. When you feel the sweat in your hand as you grip the controller, I think you’ll get it. I look forward to the moment when you do! Bayonetta 2 is an action game where every department devoted time and thought on how to put together the most satisfying kind of action game possible. I hope you can see that for yourself when it comes out. Each day we’re getting closer to its release! Until then, keep visiting here and checking our blog out!