Bayonetta 3 patch 1.2.0 makes Viola stronger and a stubborn easter egg easier to find

The launch version of Bayonetta 3 could be a punishingly difficult game, but the people who held off on playing it when it was released will now have a much easier time in Bayonetta’s new adventure, as the latest patch for the game makes the combat and the side missions considerably easier.

The official Nintendo website has listed the patch notes for the Ver 1.2.0 update for Bayonetta 3. The biggest change involves Viola, the other playable character in Bayonetta 3, who has a drastically different playstyle from Bayonetta. According to the patch notes, Viola’s defensive abilities now have a lot more leeway, with her Block and Witch Time now being more forgiving in terms of their activation. This is a welcome change, as switching to Viola’s sword-based playstyle after playing as Bayonetta can be a tricky adjustment and players will now have an easier time getting used to her playstyle.

The other big change in the Bayonetta 3 patch involves several of the side missions being made easier. The most welcome of these involves the Golem Treasure Chest missions, as the player can now speed up the intro cutscene that plays each time; additionally, the time limits have been increased, and the missions have been made easier. A lot of the Niflheim missions are also more approachable now, with a number of them receiving time limit increases or giving Bayonetta more lives. The requirements for finding the hidden Bayonetta Origins teaser in Bayonetta 3 have also been made easier as a result of the patch.

The Bayonetta 3 patch has also fixed several bugs and addressed camera stability issues, but it’s the difficulty changes that are the standout changes in the update. It’s rare for PlatinumGames to update a game in such a manner, but this patch is more about ironing out the frustrating aspects of the game than making it truly easier. The Golem Treasure Chest and Niflheim missions could be incredibly annoying at times, while Viola never felt as reactive in combat as Bayonetta did. Bayonetta 3 is already a great game and it’s now even better, thanks to changes made in the latest update.