The storybook adventure of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon may not be what fans of the Bayonetta series were expecting to follow up Bayonetta 3, but it is still full of charm. The fairytale story of the young witch Cereza on a mission to rescue her mother on one fateful evening combines beautiful art with fun puzzle platforming. But with so many differences from the main series, fans might find themselves confused at the beginning of this new journey. Here are six tips to get you on the right path in no time.
6. Get Lost
The story of Bayonetta Origins is all about Cereza getting lost in the Avalon Forest in pursuit of the White Wolf. By default, when running through the forest you will see flowing blue footprints that guide you in the direction you should be going. I’m here to say you should turn this feature off.
Avalon Forest isn’t a sprawling open world; it does have its hidden paths and treasures to uncover but you are not at risk of fully going down the wrong path for hours. Turning off the footprints will make your exploration feel more natural and adds a bit of adventure to Bayonetta Origins which can really put you in the spirit of the game.
5. Hug It Out
Cheshire won’t be in his monstrous form for the entirety of Bayonetta Origins. By tapping the L button Cereza can recall Cheshire into his stuffed animal form and hold him close in what the game adorably calls Hug Mode. Besides being cute, Hug Mode has a lot of utility, such as launching Cereza across gaps.
One of the things Hug Mode also allows you to do is stretch Cheshire out around Cereza and collect any spare items floating about. The game won’t tell you this but all the bushes in Avalon Forest are chock-full of goodies, and sending Cheshire’s Hug Mode across the brushes will rustle up these treats. You can get a lot of upgrade materials this way so be sure to ABH: Always Be Hugging.
4. Check in on Your Friends
Cheshire and Cereza aren’t the only people lost in the Avalon Forest. Wisps, the souls of dead children lured into the Forest by the faeries, also inhabit the mysterious woods. Each Wisp is in need of rescue by Cheshire and Cereza, but once saved they will all congregate in the Forgotten Knoll with Colm.
Colm is incredibly thankful to you for rescuing Wisps and will reward you the more Wisps you return to the Forgotten Knoll. Every once and a while, make a trip back to the Forgotten Knoll and check in with Colm; he may just have something good waiting for you.
3. Listen to Cereza
Sometimes you will get stumped during a boss fight or a puzzle section and you won’t know what to do. This is when you should pay attention to any dialogue happening. Certain boss fights will require you to use a specific elemental form of Cheshire or activate Cereza’s Witch Pulse at just the right time.
Cereza will helpfully make comments that tip you off to what you should be doing if you are having trouble. If you have trouble hearing the dialogue in the heat of combat then turn subtitles on.
2. Don’t Get Your Wires Crossed
The biggest challenge throughout Bayonetta Origins is not getting confused when controlling dual protagonists Cheshire and Cereza. Combat and puzzle solving can get very complicated in the late game, and if you aren’t paying attention the two characters crossing over each other will get you confused and hinder your progress.
One way to make keeping track of Cheshire and Cereza a bit easier on the head is to play using the Joy-Cons in either hand and crossing your hands over each other anytime the characters switch sides on the screen. This way your brain will know to keep using the correct controller for the correct character. You’d be surprised how helpful this can be.
1. Retrace Your Steps
Chesire and Cereza will be adventuring through the many corners of Avalon Forest in search of the White Wolf and the four elemental seals keeping Lukaon trapped at its center. While the main quest will propel the pair forward, it is worth going back to old stomping grounds as you unlock more skills.
Cheshire’s four elemental forms also open up the ability to traverse special elemental gates that block paths through Avalon Forest, if you go back to earlier areas of the game you will be able to uncover entirely new areas to explore.
