Chapter V: The Cathedral of Cascades

Bayonetta and Loki find themselves ever closer to their goal, but their encounter with the Masked Lumen has left them under duress...

If this is your first time playing through the game, then welcome to your new power: Snake Within! Press the Jump button to dash through the water and rescue Loki.

A cutscene plays. Once it’s over, grab the City of Water Journal’s Echo on the right side of the platform.

Move to the opposite (left) side of the platform to find an Umbran Witch Resting Place containing a Broken Witch Heart (15/40).

From here, look left across the water for an Umbran Crow (6/20). Now that we’ve collected everything topside, it’s time to get our feet wet. Again.

Heading into the water, you see three branching paths going left, middle, and right. Go left to reach a chest containing the Angelic Hymns Gold LP Erlkönig 1/2. Go down the middle for a chest containing a Mega Green Herb Lollipop, as well as the first Verse.

Verse 1

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax

Enemies: Fidelity x2

The ground here is quite uneven, and even with Snake Within, Fidelities will always be more nimble underwater than Bayonetta. Maneuvering can be difficult. Use Stiletto to close the distance, but be mindful of the mines that Fidelity drops!

∞ Climax

Enemies: Fidelity x4

This difficulty relies on the same strategy, but with twice as many Fidelities (and twice as many mines)! Get to it.

Go for Pure Platinum!

Suggested Weapons: Salamandra or Love Is Blue (Arms), Alruna (Legs)

As mentioned, the ground here is very uneven and there may be times when you want to just stand your ground and shoot things. Use Love Is Blue to accomplish this, but any time you’re in range of a Fidelity, slice with Salamandra for maximum points.

Now backtrack and go to the right of the sunken passage you’re in. This leads to a Muspelheim.

Verse 2

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax

Muspelheim Objective: Defeat all enemies. Witch Time cannot be activated.

Enemies: Fidelity x5, Compassion x2

Above water, Fidelities are a little easier to deal with, even with Compassion backup. Use your full maneuvering capabilities to flank and rout them, watching for their pincers. You won’t have Witch Time to help you, so stay aggressive and look out for attack tells at all times.

∞ Climax

Muspelheim Objective: Defeat all enemies. Witch Time cannot be activated.

Enemies: Accolade (Shield) x3

This one is an utter doozy, but completely winnable with patience and a couple of sneaky tricks. As usual, hold off on attacking and bait at least one Accolade into dropping its shield. You won’t have Witch Time here so you can’t break the shield using it. Instead, equip the Evil Harvest Rosary. The explosions send the Accolades reeling, allowing you to get hits in! This also gives a greater chance of activating the Counter prompt, allowing you to do even more damage via a special Quick Time Event.

Angels play dirty sometimes. Why shouldn’t you?

Go for Pure Platinum!

Suggested Weapons: Salamandra (Arms)

Salamandra with the above strategies will absolutely nail Pure Platinum for you. Don’t get hit!

Beating this Verse nabs you a Broken Witch Heart (16/40)

Once you’re done here, go back to the central path and enter the opening above the chest. Swim above the first broken gate and through to the second to see a path splitting off into multiple levels. Go to the bottom level first—we’ve got something to pick up!

Verse 3

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax

Enemies: Fidelity x2, Enrapture x1

The ground here is a lot more even, allowing you to get a bead on the Fidelities even with your decreased mobility. Down the Enrapture first, however.

∞ Climax

Enemies: Fidelity x2, Acceptance (Harp) x3

Harp Acceptances would have made the Verse much easier had they shown up at the same time as the Fidelities. Alas, they show up afterward. Use normal strategies. Dodge the arrows, then hit back during Witch Time.

Go for Pure Platinum!

Suggested Weapons: Salamandra (Arms)

The above strategies with Salamandra will ensure Pure Platinum.

Beating this Verse nabs you a Broken Moon Pearl (6/16).

Once done here, head to the top level, and keep swimming until you surface. You come out of the water into a square room with one exit. Take that way out into the Underground Graveyard. Don’t move too quickly out of that doorway, though—an Umbran Crow (7/20) waits for you right outside. You wouldn’t want it to fly away, would you?

Directly ahead of the Crow is the Journal’s Echo Underground Graveyard. Go back around the outer edge to find a chest containing a Broken Witch Heart (17/40), as well as an entrance to The Gates of Hell.

Go to the center. Loki conjures a pole. Press the Action button near the pole, then have Bayonetta spin on it to activate it. Voila: The Bridge to the Heavens!

We’ll get to that later, though. First we have to fight an unexpected guest...

Verse 4

Enemy Spotlight: Pain

Pain is a rolling tank-like demon who would love nothing better than to ram you across the room. Fortunately for Bayonetta, it takes a second or two for him to get up to speed, and a second or two is all Bayonetta ever needs.

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Suggested Pure Platinum Weapons: Salamandra (Arms), Alruna (Legs)

• Enemy: Pain x1

At any difficulty, take advantage of Pain’s tells and lack of speed compared to your own to dodge into Witch Time and bring him down. Even though it’s slanted, use the large battlefield to your advantage and maintain the high or level ground whenever possible. If you have Alruna, you can whip him to the ground, but only for a moment.

Once Pain is dispatched, the room fills with water! As the water rises and you swim upward, note the set of higher platforms you couldn’t reach before. One of these contains a chest with some Halos, and another holds a Muspelheim. In the center of all of these platforms, a Trademark Journal’s Echo floats freely—don’t forget that, too!

Verse 5

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Suggested Pure Platinum Weapons: Kafka (Arms), Alruna (Legs)

Muspelheim Objective: Defeat all enemies without touching the ground once.

Enemies: Compassion x6; ∞ Climax: Cachet x2, Compassion x6

Beat this Verse on any difficulty just by pressing K over and over again with Alruna equipped to your legs. You may have to adjust for direction, you might have to fire a couple of Kafka shots at faraway targets, but otherwise...yep. K all day. Impress your friends!

Beating this Verse nabs you a Broken Moon Pearl (7/16)

Head up and surface. Once you do, however, jump back into the drink again to trigger a hidden Verse.

Verse 6

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax

Enemies: Fidelity x3

This is the biggest test of your water maneuvering skills so far. Use Snake Within to dart to the Fidelities, and away from their attacks, in order to destroy them with brute force.

∞ Climax

• Enemies: Fidelity x2, Compassion x10

This one’s a little harder, and it’s likely that you’ll be fighting all the way to the bottom, but the overall strategy remains unchanged.

Go for Pure Platinum!

Suggested Weapons: Salamandra (Arms), Alruna (Legs)

Pressing KK and holding the second button press during Witch Time can help a bit, but otherwise, it really is a matter of rocketing to your foes with Stiletto and cutting them to pieces.

Head back up and approach the giant stairway. Bayonetta and Loki talk for a while. Use this time to walk to the left of the steps to a chest containing some more Halos. Now backtrack all the way to the end of the hall. Enter a room bathed in a golden light to find the Angelic Hymns Gold LP Erlkönig 2/2.

Once you come out, head left. A Verse triggers to reward your curiosity. Naturally.

Verse 7

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax

Enemies: Cachet x3, Enrapture x1

Leaving the Enrapture alive to capitalize on the enraged Cachets for score is a viable strategy, but it’s just a whole lot easier to take him out, then go for the flyers. Stay mobile.

∞ Climax

Enemies: Accolade (Hammer) x3

Do not get crowded under absolutely any circumstances when engaging these Accolades. It’s far too easy to get knocked around like a ping-pong ball. Stay just on the outside, run in and attack when you see your chance, and repeat.

Go for Pure Platinum!

Suggested Weapons: Salamandra (Arms)

Keep a cool head and the above strategies will serve you and Salamandra well.

Now you can go up the staircase...but only halfway! Look to your left to see some outcroppings, one of which contains a chest yielding a valuable Midas’s Testament.

Resume climbing up the steps...but this time, three-quarters of the way up you’ll see more outcroppings to the left! One contains an Umbran Crow (8/20).

Finally, finish climbing the steps to see a Muspelheim directly ahead.

Verse 8

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax

Muspelheim Objective: Defeat all enemies within the time given.

Enemies: Cachet x1, Enrapture x2

You’re faster than any of these enemies. Smash the Enraptures, clip the Cachet’s wings, grab the bounty, end the Verse.

∞ Climax

Muspelheim Objective: Defeat all enemies within the time given.

Enemies: Belief x1

This one’s a little tougher, but only because Belief is a giant damage sponge and you only have 30 seconds! The trick? Equip the Evil Harvest Rosary, then rush in and dodge everything Belief’s barely mobile self can dish out. Between your attacks and the Rosary’s explosions, he’s all yours.

Go for Pure Platinum!

Suggested Weapons: Salamandra (Arms), Alruna (Legs)

Use the above strategies with the above weapons and you’ll emerge with Pure Platinum victory.

Beating this Verse nabs youa Broken Witch Heart (18/40).

Go ahead from the Muspelheim and pick up the Advanced Technology Journal’s Echo, then talk to Loki. The next Verse has you riding a giant spherical elevator of death!

Verse 9

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax

Enemies: Acceptance (Spear) x3 Acceptance (Harp) x 3, Cachet x1, Compassion x6, Enrapture x1

Welcome to the elevator of doom! Run around the globe as fast as you can, killing angels left and right. They’re all weaklings, but stay mobile and divide and conquer so you won’t get caught unawares.

∞ Climax

• Enemies: Acceptance (Spear) x2, Acceptance (Harp) x4, Cachet x2, Compassion x4, Allegiance x1

The strategy here is largely the same, except you face an Allegiance at the end instead of an Enrapture. Naturally an Allegiance is tougher, but by the time he shows up, there should also be a couple of Harp Acceptances hanging around, and you know what that means! Use those arrows to engage Witch Time and defeat Allegiance without breaking a sweat.

Go for Pure Platinum!

Suggested Weapons:Salamandra (Arms)

It’s very important to keep moving around and scouring the entire globe for new enemies to keep your combo going. If there aren’t any, taunt to keep your chain going until there are.

Once you reach the top, it’s not over—Loki now has to deal with a rampaging Gravitas.

Verse 10

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Suggested Pure Platinum Weapons: N/A

• Enemy: Gravitas x1

As Loki, keep running up the steps, dodging whenever the Gravitas tries to slam its arms down on you. When your magic gauge fills completely, press the L button to throw a card and knock him back, as well as give you the points you need to get your Platinum Score medal. Repeat until you’ve thwarted Gravitas utterly!

Once at the cathedral summit, press the Action button to have Loki restore the area, and prepare for your last fight of this Chapter.

Verse 11

Enemy Spotlight: Gravitas

Gravitas is a lot like Urbane, except he’s ice instead of fire, and can freeze you into an immobile ice chunk rather than burn you. If you’re waiting for a punchline, don’t bother. These things are dangerous!

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Suggested Pure Platinum Weapons: Salamandra (Arms), Alruna (Legs)

Enemies: Urbane x1, Gravitas x1; ∞ Climax: Urbane x1, Gravitas x1, Belief x1

The only difference between difficulties is that a Belief shows up to spoil your fun on ∞ Climax. Take the Alruna into the fight and knock the heavies down by pressing and holding K during Witch Time and Umbran Climax. Concentrate on bringing each enemy down one at a time!

post-chapter spoils 2 Verse Cards (Pain, Gravitas)