Bayonetta 3
Image: Nintendo

We are glad that Bayonetta 3 is almost out. After a full week of back and forth controversy, the game will soon be able to stand on its own merit and be judged accordingly - and boy, oh boy has it been judged. We have been through the reviews from a whole host of outlets to give you the full rundown of the critical consensus, but was all that drama really worth it? Welcome to our latest reviews round up!

Before we dive into what other critics are saying, let's catch everyone up on our Bayonetta 3 review. Simply put, we thought that the game was outstanding, granting it a 10/10 rating and describing it with the following accolade:

a huge celebration of everything we love about Bayonetta, an action all-timer and one of the biggest highlights of 2022, on Switch or any platform

This is high praise indeed, emphasised by the fact that, for the most part, we are not alone in our admiration. Here's what the other outlets had to say:

Kicking things off with a similarly besotted take, The Guardian awarded Bayonetta 3 a complementary 5/5, praising the game's combat system and addition of demon attacks.

Like its predecessors, this is destined to go down as a cult classic – a dizzying dance of demon-dicing delight. Its crude, whiplash-inducing narrative means it certainly won’t be for everyone, but the best things in life rarely are.

Following along similar lines, The Telegraph agrees that the game sees the series at its whackiest, but maintained that it was worth a perfect 5/5 stars.

Its unruly attitude is its calling card, the manic beating heart that its exquisite combat is built around. And if this sounds like a good time, then Bayonetta 3 could well be the most fun you have with a video game all year.

Dexerto gave the game 9/10 in its review, echoing our views that this is the best entry in the series due to how it builds on everything that has come before it.

Combat is refined and expanded upon, boss fights are outrageously enjoyable, and there’s always something bigger and badder lurking around the corner to discover. It’s another stunning addition to the Bayonetta collection.

Gamespot continued this sense of positivity in its equally appreciative 9/10 review. The outlet states that the visuals are nothing special to look at, but the game more than makes up for it in its style and music.

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.

Not to break the trend, My Nintendo News also gave out a 9/10 review. The outlet praised the game as an impressive feat of technicality, will all of the joy of the previous two games to boot.

PlatinumGames must have used some real-life witchcraft to get the game running at 60fps, and although there are some occasional dips in framerate during graphically intensive segments, it’s understandable that some corners had to be cut to make the visuals look as incredible as they do.

Eurogamer rounds out the positivity with its equally admiring review. Slightly more mixed than those which have come before it, Eurogamer saw the game as being messier than its predecessors, but a good time nonetheless.

It's so over-the-top that trying to make sense of it would be a mistake, and while the rough edges are a disappointment if you embrace the chaos there's a lot to love here. Bayonetta 3 is overstated, in parts underbaked - but it's rarely less than a thrill.

Finally, in the interest of presenting an alternative take, Polygon was not so besotted. The outlet does not provide a rating, but it was left cold by the game's politics, which it describes as "quite a disappointment" and "a personal insult."


Will you be picking up Bayonetta 3 soon? Let us know in the comments below?