Stylish action, climax action, character action—whatever you call it, it’s all about awesome characters with awesome abilities fighting awesome enemies in awesome-looking ways. In this chapter and the next, we’re going to break down all of the awesomeness at your disposal so that you may dispatch it upon your enemies at will!
Vitality Mechanics
Keeping track of Bayonetta’s vitality is the most important thing you can do as you play, because if that vitality reaches zero, you’re out of the fight!
The Vitality Gauge
Bayonetta starts with a single green vitality gauge at the beginning of the game. By finding Broken Witch Hearts in Story chapters and buying whole Witch Hearts at The Gates of Hell, Bayonetta can increase her vitality to two full meters.
Low Vitality State
If you take enough damage in combat, red will surround the screen, informing you that you’re close seeing that Continue screen. Watch yourself from here on in, or use a vitality-regenerating item to heal up!
Using the Red Hot Shot
If you’ve acquired a Red Hot Shot and Bayonetta’s vitality depletes to zero, you’ll see a dialog asking if you want to use it. If you answer Yes, you’ll continue at that exact point you lost with partial vitality. Finish the fight!
Game Over
If you don’t have a Red Hot Shot, or you decline to use it, you’ll be booted to the Continue screen. You then have the option to Continue with full vitality at the cost of a full Chapter Rank. Decline and it’s Game Over. You’ll have to start the Chapter again.