I've always seen the Bayonetta series as a "when I get there" game growing up. I've seen the memes, I've listened to the soundtrack, but I've never seen even a lick of its story, only going by what I'd assume to be an old school God of War esque combo game; So I decided, with my last voucher, I would finally play Bayonetta 1.

And then I used it on Cereza and the Lost Demon. It had came out three years ago, and I played the demo and wasn't all that interested in it, resigning it to the list of "when I get there" games — until I finally did. In as little words as possible, the game was absolutely charming. The tir na nog sections are trash, give me my flower petal. The combat is super fun, until I can't find that damn inferno fruit. Bosses were a breeze, only died once at the beginning of the game because of a tir na nog that trapped me between a faerie chase sequence and a floor button puzzle.

The story was basic, yet thoroughly enjoyable. Being an "origin story", my expectations weren't high to begin with. I sniffed out Lukaon being the final boss from the start, and the story's context clues made Morgana being his mother clear. And yet somehow I still didn't expect the game's ending going the way it did. From beginning to end, it was mesmerizing; hearing Cereza sing fly me to the moon, the surprise betrayal from Morgana, watching Cereza activate her first witch time, it was only then, as I pressed the left bumper, did all of my combat upgrades finally feel complete. It finally felt like what I believed would be Bayonetta.

Although I'm sure the Bayonetta Origins won't tie into Bayonetta 1, I'm glad it was this game that got me into the series, rather than the trilogy.

Cereza and the Lost Demon is my introduction to the trilogy.