Part 18: An explanation of the changes in the save system

Ok, so I completely mangled that explanation about the save system in this game. Maybe this will clear things up.

Let's clarify a few things first:
Checkpoint: Some bit where the game automatically checkpoints you. Example: mid-boss fight checkpoints, just before one of those insta-kill QTEs.
Save file: Don't make me define this, just don't.

Let's talk about Bayonetta 1 first. In Bayonetta 1 the checkpoint was separate from the save file; When you boot up B1 you can elect to either Continue (from a checkpoint) or to Load (from a save file). You could manually save your game, or just rely on the Continue option to play, but if for some reason your Continue file got messed with you would lose all your progress, so save manually and often, dummy.

In the case of Pure Platinum runs, this system become a case of quitting out to the title screen if you get hit and choosing to Continue. Multi-checkpoint bosses like Jeanne 4 or Jubileus are designed around this, so the platinum combo rank is achievable even if you use/abuse checkpoints.

In Bayonetta 2, there are a few fundamental differences:

1. There is no concept of manually saving your file
2. The checkpoint and the save file are now the same thing
3. Due to 1 and 2, the concept of Continue and Load does not exist. Again, they are now the same thing.

So, when you start a game in Bayonetta 2, the first striking difference is that it makes you select a save slot to use. Once you select a slot, that now acts as both your checkpoint and your save file. What this means is that when you quit to the title screen and you want to continue from where you left off, you are forced to select your save file (which, remember, can also be your checkpoint). This works fine if you're using it between chapters. However. if you do this in the middle of a chapter, your save file is going to put you back from last checkpoint the game made.

You can manipulate this system by making copies of checkpoints. So, in the example I gave, when you exit the Muspelheim the game automatically makes a checkpoint. You can then exit out to the title screen, make a copy of your save file which has the checkpoint, then if you get hit during the Masked Lumen fight, you can use the copy of that Muspelheim checkpoint to try the fight from the beginning again. In a multi-checkpointed verse like the Masked Lumen, this is extremely handy and basically feels like cheating (because it kind of is).

Of course, the developers seem to punish the checkpointing PP behaviour by making the platinum combo rank impossible to get *unless* you don't use a checkpoint, but then that just makes them redundant, doesn't it? I'm not necessarily saying this system is bad, but it sure as hell is broken.

I actually was trying to avoid using this system up until this chapter, which is why the first Masked Lumen fight incites particular anger in me.


That was the boss fight! Valiance is the body and Valor is the shield. Kinda makes the boss less impressive in terms of Bayo's signature large crazy bosses, if you think about it