Bayonetta 3 is the highly anticipated third installement in the stylish Bayonetta series made by Platinum Games. Ahead of Bayonetta 3’s October 28 release, critics have released their reviews. We’ve rounded up some of their thoughts on the witch’s next adventure, and if you’re on the fence, maybe they can help you decide whether or not to purchase the game.
For a comprehensive overview, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
- Game: Bayonetta 3
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
- Developer: Platinum Games
- Release Date: October 28
- Price: $60
GameSpot – 9/10
“I’m not sure whether it’s because of the game’s fantastic music, the use of the word ‘verse’ to refer to encounters, or her over-the-top style, but when I think of Bayonetta I can’t help but imagine her as a popstar. Bayonetta 3 feels like her Las Vegas residency: a lavish and spectacular show where each number is beautifully choreographed, every song is a banger, and the guest appearances are sure to delight. It’s a fast-paced and joyous adventure that achieves its goals with an abundance of charisma and style. While it might have taken the better part of a decade to get here, the queen is back, and she’s ready to serve.” — Jessica Howard [Full Review]
Game Informer – 8.25/10
“Bayonetta 3, for the vast majority of its runtime, is an absolute blast. It’s bombastic, over-the-top, and extravagant for the sake of extravagance, leaving ruins, literally, in its wake. I’m already going back through each level trying for better scores, and I have no immediate plans of stopping. I may be hesitant about the series’ future, but at present, this is the best Bayonetta has ever been. ” — Blake Hester [Full Review]
GamesRadar+ – 3.5/5
“When the witch takes charge, this demonic fighter is better than ever. After eight long years, PlatinumGames has delivered a sequel which successfully celebrates the series, although it does have problems with pacing and a split-focus.” — Oscar Taylor-Kent [Full Review]
Inverse – 8/10
“Bayonetta 3 delivers everything that franchise devotees and action game lovers could possibly want. You get a responsive, layered combat system and entertaining cutscenes. Unintuitive mini-games and obtuse challenges muddle the overall experience, but still, I’d be hard-pressed to name another game from this year with more in-depth and satisfying real-time combat than this one.” — Jess Reyes [Full Review]
The Gamer – 4 / 5
“Bayonetta 3 is like your party animal friend on a night out. When it starts out, it feels like the most fun you’ve ever had, you’ll remember it for a lifetime, you never want it to end. Then as it goes on you’ve lost track of where you are, your feet hurt, you just want to go to bed, and she’s still going. Too much game is never a bad thing for some ‘pennies to enjoyment ratio’ players, but Bayonetta 3 overstays its welcome and dips from being an all-time classic to just being a very, very good video game. It’s not the all-time top five Switch game that I think it might have been with a few different decisions here and there, but it’s still a must-play title.” — Stacey Henley [Full Review]
The Verge – Unscored
“When Bayonetta first came out, everything about her–her extreme sexuality, the way she dressed, her exaggerated movements–became this incisive parody about female video game characters. Bayonetta leaned so hard into those old stereotypes of the male-gaze-defined video game heroine that they became her strength. Her sexiness makes her powerful. It’s right there in the text, because the harder she fights, the more naked she becomes. She delighted in this empowerment and so delighted me for a whole decade before the last 30 minutes of Bayonetta 3 erased all of that to fit her into the box she once stomped on in four-inch, gun-strapped heels back in 2009. ” — Ash Parrish [Full Review]
Polygon – Unscored
“I don’t know what to tell longtime Bayonetta fans about this game, let alone the newcomers hoping to come aboard with this installment. If all you care about is button-ramming combat that’s similar to Devil May Cry, you’ll have a ball. But if you ever wanted to believe that there was something deeper to Bayonetta’s story–some grander statement about femininity and sexuality and power dynamics–you’ll find the truth to be quite a disappointment. Viola did tell me at the very beginning of this game that it would reveal this fundamental truth to me. I only wish I could have lived in ignorance for a little while longer.” — Maddy Myers [Full Review]
VG247 – 5/5
“As a game, and as a tonic for people sick of buying season passes and DLC, Bayonetta 3 is an essential romp; a love-letter to classic Nintendo games that delight in making you laugh, smirk, and feel like an absolute badass. PlatinumGames has misfired a little lately, but with this fitting conclusion to the original Bayonetta trilogy, the studio proves it can still fire on all cylinders and then some. This might just be one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch.” – Dom Peppiatt [Full Review]
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