Bayonetta blows the doors off the action genre with a jaw-dropping heroine, ridiculously fluid combat and direction that goes for broke. Kamiya delivers an absolute peak of the genre that still feels insultingly fresh.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player18+
Description
Action game by PlatinumGames and Sega, October 2009. Amnesiac witch Bayonetta, wielding a divine weapon, battles celestial angels while seeking to recover her lost memories. Spectacular combat with weapons in both hands and feet, Witch Time system slowing time on dodges and devastating chained combos. One of the finest action games ever developed.
Bayonetta review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Turbocharged action, a heroine stylish to the extreme and flamboyant baroque staging: the game chains climaxes with a furious elegance. The deep colours and the choreography of the combat compose a permanent visual opera. This graphic extravagance, sleek and unleashed, showcases all of PlatinumGames' talent.
Glamorous and unhinged, the music blends jazz, pop and electro in a stylish whirlwind carried by the euphoric cover of "Fly Me to the Moon". Each fight pulses with a chic, supercharged energy perfectly in tune with the heroine's extravagance. This singular sonic identity, bold and jubilant, makes all the panache of the game.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Dodging at the very last instant to trigger Witch Time, that life-saving slow-motion, rewards boldness and turns every clash into a stylish showcase. The combo palette is colossal, the pace frantic yet always readable. A benchmark for kinetic action, this festival of movement retains a speed and precision rarely matched since.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
An overpowered witch, unbridled combos and devastating slow-motion triggered by every perfect dodge: this action game runs on virtuosity and stylish excess. Chaining attacks with grace delivers an exhilarating satisfaction, elevated by extravagant staging. Snappy, spectacular and wildly fluid, a peak of the modern brawler that rewards mastery.
European (PAL) edition of Bayonetta, a frenzied PlatinumGames action game hailed as a genre peak for its virtuosity and extravagance. Still sought on the European market, its desirability rests on this status as a stylish-action reference and a tenacious demand rather than scarcity, the original Japanese pressing remaining for its part harder to find. A prime piece for an action set on the console.
Memorable bosses
Between elegance and chaos, the climaxes staged by PlatinumGames turn each boss into a circus act: split-second dodges triggering Witch Time, colossal demonic summons and fiery duels against the rival Jeanne. The witch chains her counters with insolent flair. The precision of the system and an unbridled staging make these fights as exhilarating as they are theatrical.
A cult cover
On the Japanese edition, the witch takes on a composition and title treatment tailored to the local market, playing differently with her silhouette and weapons. The same venomous glamour and supercharged spirit remain. A regional variant with a distinct graphic identity, just as self-assured.
Is Bayonetta still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2010 on Xbox 360, this PlatinumGames title by Hideki Kamiya remains an absolute benchmark of fast action gaming. Its combat system, built on the perfect dodge that slows time and on combos of exhilarating fluidity, has barely aged a day. The witch Bayonetta flaunts an unapologetically over the top style, carried by spectacular direction and a frenzied pace. On 360 the version runs very well, unlike the PS3 port of the era. For fans of demanding character action and unbridled staging, this classic still stands today as a peak of the genre.
