Thanks for sharing that tutorial, I wish I came across it earlier.
Completely agree about the Block / Dodge abilities. It just doesn't make sense. If it were up to me, I would have applied these changes:
- Cut down the length of the game down to 60% or so but put more emphases on the collectables, secrets and scoring to encourage replayablity (add hints to locate them and make them more rewarding)
- Improve pacing and add a little more variety to stage designs
- Add a tutorial and gameplay tips during loading screens
- Have the block / dodge abilities available from the get go
- Tweak the drawing system so that instead of having a time limit on powered up weapons, make them deplete your unite gauge over time. The bigger they are, the more they deplete (this is to avoid the need of having to re-draw the same shape over and over to retain its powered up form)
- Get rid of the animation on being hit as well as the need to pick up downed team members
- Tweak the camera and get rid of the "look at gamepad screen" thing
The game could also benefit from having full HD graphics. Sometimes it looks too blurry. Sadly, it may not happen anytime soon considering the Switch's specs.
Edit:
This definitely helped a lot. I ended up getting it way too late. However, my only grip is that you loose the advantage of slow-motion during drawing, thus spending more time dodging the enemy while charging. That's why I thought the whole system needs tweaking.
Reading your points here's some more tips:
- There's a power up that you can equip that acts as a radar for collectables. In general try to get into windows (drawing your wonder line into them as if they were those WC thingies), circle with the wonder liner "suspicous" circular shapes and smash with unite hammer things that remind you of "buttons". The collectable's radar will help you find the rest.
- I understand why it doesn't deplete unite gauge over time when using unite morphs: It let's you mix and match different transformations. If your bar depletes you limit the variety of transformations in one combo. Once you chain a punch combo into Gun launcher, then Sword upper, 2 spins -> tomb -> punch upper you will be like "man, I wish I had MORE gauge".
- Two tips fot the knockdown animation: First, get Ukemi. When knocked down if you press Jump right when you hit the floor you will recover lost health and land on your feet. For the "pick downed team members" part, press Y (to run) and then draw a straight line and move around. You don't have to touch them with the leader, if they're touched by the line they will recover too!
- With the "bigger transformations button" upgrade it's true that you loose the slowdown, but you dont have to draw again. Consider you just enter a new combat, just keep the button pressed and you will get a huge punch ready right at the beginning. Remember you can also "team attack" while charging. Try to launch partners into enemies with X while charging your morph, then unleash.
Also don't downplay the usefulness of Team unite morph attacks (glyph + X instead of A). They deal damage and since your leader can be moving while the team attack it keeps you safer and let's you move into a better position for your huge "manual" combo.
Oh, and TRY TO FIND AS MANY HIDDEN CHARACTERS AS POSSIBLE. Those are permanent allies and it makes a HUGE difference in duration of the game, since you don't have to "rescue" as many civilians to get to 100 heroes for the bigger and more powerful unite morphs. At the beginning you start with like 20 or 30 partners. Try again Blossom City when you have 80 partners or so and suddenly you will be like "umm I remember this part being more difficult".
About variety...in fact there's a lot. But yeah, some sections do drag.
It's a shame we will probably won't have a sequel of this game due to it's TERRIBLE sales but for me it's the game with more heart from Platinum. The sense of scale is incredible, it has Platinum's best final sequence, lots of "minigames" and little details like the shirogane comet being the space station where Vanquish takes place, Rodin from bayonetta being playable (think unite Hammer but with combos), 2 zandatsu sequences from Metal Gear Rising... Bayo 2 and Nier sure have some influences from it (not only in gameplay but also content like the Valiantum Blade appearing in Bayo 2 being used by a boss). A sequel with some refinements (dodge, block, tutorials, more heroes from the start, pacing, selecting morphs just by tilting the right analog stick) and I would be in heaven. But who am I kidding... a sequel to Bayonetta was miraclously enough. A wonderful 101 sequel is unthinkable after only 300k copies. I'll be gratefull for a remaster with HD @ REAL 60 fps like the director's trailer
