Dear Bayonetta,

I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry.

I’m sorry that I once doubted everything about you, from your magic wardrobe to your keen wit. I’m sorry I lacked faith in your strength, your charisma, and your ability to make a hack n’ slash game rise above, far above, that to which we are accustomed. Please accept my humblest of apologies as I would very much like to continue to bask in your glorious gameplay.

Sincerely yours,
Cary

P. S. Thank you also for the amazing soundtrack.

*****

So I’ve been playing Bayonetta, and everything in my letter is completely true. I thought very little of the game when it first came out. I watched several hours of it being played, and at the time, I couldn’t see much past those titular, strutting gun boots. Childish, ridiculous, and over-the-top fan service were what came to mind, and this despite the raves and great reviews.

Fast forward to the release of Bayonetta 2 exclusively for our lonely Wii U. The fan in our house could not wait, while I felt rather “meh.” Once the game arrived, and after enough prodding to made me want to horse kick someone in the gut, I relented. And, great googly moogly, I haven’t looked back.

Playing Bayonetta makes me rethink plenty about what I thought I enjoyed about games, especially their soundtracks. As I might have stated here (or elsewhere) before, I’m terribly dense when it comes a game and its music. My concentration usually ends up everywhere except in listening to the tune surrounding a boss battle or cut scene. What I’ve discovered with Bayonetta, however, is that I can’t wait for the music to arrive. I particularly like how it both fits into the game and stands out from music that might accompany your typical action game. While the soundtrack contains the expected sweeping ballads and pounding melodies, it also contains some wickedly earworm-y gems like “Fly Me to the Moon (Climax Mix).” (Seriously, this song has been stuck in my head for days.)

And in case you’re wondering, yes, it is a take on that (see below) “Fly Me to the Moon.” (It took a couple times for me to make the connection myself.)

In the game, “Fly Me to the Moon (Climax Mix)” doesn’t play often; but when it does, its presence is equal to the giant rolling boulder in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Okay…so maybe not musically. I mean, it’s super poppy and, well, sweet and very syrupy. But that doesn’t make it completely awful. If anything, the light, breathy vocals lend an extremely welcome albeit circus-like air to a number of cut scenes showing Bayonetta at her best – doing away with large numbers of feathered enemies with supreme tact and precision. Plus, Bayonetta is something of a dark character with a very sharp and intelligent demeanor — extreme synth-pop wouldn’t seem to be her thing. Yet the contrast works so well simply because it is just that unexpected. I’d be willing to bet that this song would totally be on her iPod, and she’d have no problem admitting it…in her own special way, that is.

If you’ve played Bayonetta, do you think this song fits in the OST or is something of an odd duck? If you’ve not played the game, does “Fly Me to the Moon (Climax Mix)” sound like your typical game song? Shoot…what is a “video game song” anyway?