Whenever I feel like I’m missing out on the world, I put on some comfortable shoes, maybe a sweater, grab some water and head right downstairs to my couch. Ahh, much better. Nothing like a travel documentary to really broaden your horizons. The sedentary life is a comfortable one, free of the shackles that plague those afflicted with wanderlust. At least, that’s how things seemed before I recently sat down to review Bayonetta Origins.
Origins is basically an RPG version of Bayonetta—a lot of doubling back, quests and exploration on my part. PlatinumGames could’ve left the game at that, and it would’ve been totally cool, but they just had to go and include an additional feature that made me see the world like a kid again. During the game, hidden collectibles called Remembrances (fancy word for ‘memories’) are strategically placed around differing picturesque overlooks in Avalon Forest that make Instagram filters look obsolete.
Given that the game’s graphics are a charming mix of classic storybook and cutting-edge technology, Remembrances are—at least to me—an opportunity to take in these gorgeous surroundings and appreciate the present. The collectibles themselves are screen grabs-turned-illustrations that could easily be pages ripped out of Lewis Carrol’s “Through The Looking Glass.”
Imagine the scene: the little human and her demon in the foreground, in awe of the majesty and how small they seem compared to this surreal world around them. But it was more than just a nice photo-op (hell, I wish all my vacation shots looked like that!). Those moments felt like Origins was trying to tell me something important. Something I may have heard before.
Oh yeah, that’s right: a general decline in physical activity of human beings and alarming rise in obesity! According to the National Institutes of Health, there are a lot more obese people in the U.S. these days, not just adults, but kids as well. But with so many cool games to play and delicious Wendy’s burgers to eat, it’s no surprise. Ironically enough, video games have made the biggest dent in solving this issue so far.
With Pokémon Go, players young and old were dragging themselves away from the TV and out the door searching for elusive “real life” monsters to varied tales of success and horror. But it smelled like a ploy to me. A classic marketing technique used by companies to incentivize activities that should come naturally. “Hey kids, earn points for every tooth that you brush after mealtime!” I wasn’t falling for it. That, and the fact that I’m not the most observant guy, which would definitely result in an injury or a broken phone.
Pikmin Bloom was a different story. For one, the game was free. Awesome. Secondly, Pikmin Bloom seemed a little more… down to earth than Pokémon Go. How much ‘greener’ can you get than a game about flowers? I didn’t mind sustaining my little guys by heading outdoors, but the aspect that I loved most was the option to document the experience by taking daily photos. It wasn’t just me making a fool of myself in our local park, but I was also making “memories”, or, to borrow a more relevant word, Remembrances.
PlatinumGames must have realized the mood that a simple photograph can create, but weren’t so narrow-minded to assume that only Mother Nature owns the monopoly on them in Bayonetta Origins. The busywork of industrious faeries make up a large part of the game, with intricately detailed train depots, a brightly colored circus and fear-inducing cages found within the enchanted forests. Remembrances focused on such magnificent man-made (fine, “faery-made”) structures in Origins brought to my mind humanity’s own appreciation of famous constructed landmarks. No one will ever know you were there if you don’t perform the compulsory selfie. More than that, you may begin to forget the experience without proper proof.
In all honesty, I may be reading way too much into this minute detail in Origins. A Remembrance is merely a recollection, cemented in time via photographic proof. But when it comes to new games, I always subconsciously look for relatable ways to latch onto them, particularly when it comes to exploration and doing my own thing. Actually, the only reason for the Remembrance feature in the first place is to unlock hidden costumes for Cereza, which falls way short of the mark.
I choose to ignore that, and instead I imagine that PlatinumGames wants to subtly remind me that the world is a massive and mysterious place, and the best way to view it is through a pair of wide-open eyes. Getting off my couch and out in the midst is the best way to make my own Remembrances, even if it’s without the help of a mobile app.
