Bayonetta packs epic boss battles and strong gameplay into what will be one the year's best games.
The game opens to a battle of angels. The combos you first throw out are weak button mashers that still look cool. The combat system in the game is one of the deepest in any action game you can play. As you progress through the game you will earn new weapons and skills which take the combat system even deeper (different weapon layout, slower/faster etc).
While the game wants you to believe Bayonetta is a hard M, it is not cause of the nudity. Yes, when you pull off sick combos and executions (quick time events!) Bayonetta loses her clothes because it is actually her hair which turns into awesome monsters and weapons. But from what I seen, there is nothing more then some butt crack and side boob, nothing that wouldn't get a PG 13 at a movie release. What earns the M is the bloody combat, a-la God of War.
The boss battles are fought in multiple stages or weak spots like the great God of War. But it seems to one up the GoW series not only in it's combat and boss animations, but the scale of the battle seems bigger. Yes, Kratos took down a few Gods in his time, but EVERY boss battle you come across is huge. They all end in sick Bayonetta fashion as well, with a hair monster and a over the top finisher.
Bayonetta cut scenes are beautiful, and you can't help but fall in love with the kid they introduce in the game. The story is very corny and some cut scenes are sexual, like Bayonetta doing stripper moves. But those stripper moves aren't really that sexual when she is clearly dressed, it is more of a nod to Japanese culture in my opinion.
The game really picks up about three quaters the way through, when things kick it up with even bigger boss battles and on rails shooting level that is very, very challenging. The save system is something to be desired for as sometimes you have to have a perfect run at levels if you didn't buy a healing lolipop from the mini games that are playable before every level. You can also buy items, weapons and techniques throughout some levels by entering the gates of hell and talking with a friend. Weapons are earned by collecting Angel Records throughout levels (very hard to find) and finding secert areas that lead you to heaven to fight more angels under certain circumstances (time, damage, weapons etc).
Bayonetta rewards multiple playthroughs by only offering Normal, Easy and Very Easy on your first run. Like all games should though, you get to keep all your upgrades and halos (money) for your next playthrough on a higher difficulity. Use your halos wisely because once you equip a certain weapon or technique you will wonder how the heck you even got so far without it.
Again, one cannot stress the combat system enough. You will not believe some of the combos you can pull off by playing around with the weapon layout and learning the different Punch/Kick combos. Between loading you can practise your combos too, a nice addition to hone your skills and stay entertained. The combat is some of the best to be seen in any action game, bar none. It is deep, bloody and satisfying.
The game itself is beautiful to look out, sometimes you will be in awe at the backgrounds and what is going on screen. You'll be fighting on side of buildings in different levels when there is so much going on, you will have to pick up your jaw. The game is one of the best to grace the 360 (have not played PS3) this gen. It is one you want to show off to your friends, after you get by the corny Japanese intros, the over the top action and bloody awesomness that is combat is some of the best seen work in any action game ever.
No action gamer should go without playing this game. I don't care of what you think about it now, get through the first couple levels and you will be hooked. She's not bad to look at either.