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Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon

PlatinumGames · released Mar 17, 2023

Linear Action AdventureNintendo Switch

Turn back the pages of the Umbra Witch’s story to learn where it all began. Take control of Cereza and her first demon Cheshire to fend off faeries and solve puzzles.

85
VGC Score
·No trend datamedium confidence
80%
Press
86%
Player sentiment
86%
Backloggd
1,321
Ratings

Screenshots & trailers

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (Metacritic)8023
Creator reviews (2 tracked)802
All-time Steam reviews0
Metacritic user ratings88104
Backloggd ratings86557
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)0
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (96)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 85
    trust 84Mar 31, 2023

    Cereza and the Lost Demon is a charming title that sticks with you throughout its 15 or so hour runtime. It may not have the mature flashiness of its main series counterparts, but it doesn’t need it to impress anyone. Its inventive level designs are a treat to behold, and when you need to use both Cereza and Cheshire to solve a unique puzzle, the game shines. Sure, it could be more difficult and offer more varied combat elements, but fans and newcomers alike are sure to be lulled by its magic.

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    trust 80May 3, 2023

    Bayonetta Origins: Cereza & the Lost Demon is a charming action/puzzle game. Hardcore Bayonetta fans may not have much interest in seeing their heroine during her formative early years, but their loss is the gain of anyone seeking a wonderfully presented and consistently clever adventure.

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    trust 78Mar 23, 2023

    Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a perfect case of a confident and fun game that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of players, including younger audience. But even if you are a dark and gloomy adult there is still lots to find in this magical fairy tale.

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  • 70
    trust 76Mar 14, 2023

    Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a delightfully stylish origin tale that sees young Bayo take her first steps on the road to becoming the bad-ass Umbra witch we all know and love. This is a graphically stunning fairy tale with plenty in the way of atmosphere and charm. However, long-term Bayo fans beware, it's also a game that's aimed squarely at a young/casual audience, introducing plenty of fun puzzle and combat mechanics but never really evolving them to a point where they become in any way challenging. Repetition creeps in later in the game and, although it ends with some stylish boss sequences and some nice shoutouts to the main series, it feels like a little challenge, inventiveness and puzzle and combat experimentation could have made this one absolutely essential for all ages.

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  • 90
    trust 75Apr 7, 2023

    This game blows all expectations out of the water. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a phenomenal experience with its interesting character control mechanics, beautiful world, superb voice acting, and music. If you are a fan of the main Bayonetta series, you need to add this game to your collection.

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  • 80
    trust 75Mar 23, 2023

    Unique, very pretty graphics and a way to choose separate difficulty levels for various parts of the game are very strong features of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. But are they worth a fairly high premiere price?

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  • 70
    trust 70Mar 14, 2023

    Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a fresh dawn for the franchise, spinning expectations on their head to great effect. It's a bright and charming storybook blast.

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  • 85
    trust 70Mar 14, 2023

    Bayonetta isn't just about non-stop action, and she has shown that in Cereza and the Lost Demon with an adventure that puzzle-loving, story-driven, and exploration-seeking fans will absolutely adore.

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  • 80
    trust 70Apr 3, 2023

    The fairytale trappings, characterful music and wonderful story make Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon an absolute joy to behold. It is an odd partner to its more mature main series but it's very welcome. Its painterly world is a wonderful place to explore. A thoroughly fun and endearing game that is highly recommendable to all Nintendo Switch owners.

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  • 90
    trust 70Apr 25, 2023

    Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon from PlatinumGames is a game I almost skipped thanks to the demo. Thankfully, I gave it another shot and ended up loving almost everything it has to offer from sublime music, gorgeous art, excellent voice acting, and the interesting gameplay. Everything comes together brilliantly in a storybook-inspired action adventure that is yet another win for the Nintendo Switch and a contender for the best game of 2023.

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  • 85
    trust 69Mar 28, 2023

    Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon it’s a great prequel and a fantastic spinoff. It takes some of the charm from the previous games to make something new, interesting, fresh and fun.

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  • 85
    trust 69Mar 22, 2023

    My hope is that a potential sequel to this would alleviate some of these issues, and I really hope it gets one. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a tremendous surprise that, while imperfect, beautifully blends Platinum design with light Zelda and Metroid trappings. The game’s quiet release (and cumbersome title), to me, betrays Cereza and the Lost Demon’s status as perhaps Platinum’s best Switch game yet.

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…and 84 more tracked reviews.