Bayonetta 2

Bayonetta 2 builds on everything that made the original great, and delivers one of the best action games of the year.

Bayonetta 2 is a classic in the making, and one of the finest, most wonderfully insane action games ever made.

The rhythm of combat remains the same, though it's hard to complain when it's riffing off such a heady beat, where chimed enemy attacks are lithely dodged into slo-mo pugilism, where impossible combos culminate with a 20-foot boot weaved from hair crashing from the heavens and where spinning amidst the avalanche of colour and cartoon violence is Bayonetta herself, stopping only briefly to wink at a player exhausted by the unrelenting joy of it all. Bayonetta 2's biggest disappointment may be that it's an iterative sequel, but it's not such a problem when it's iterating on genius.

Bayonetta 2's blatant over-sexualization puts a big dent in an otherwise great game

More of the same is absolutely fine, as Bayonetta delivers her trademark action in true style. This sequel takes too long to get going and can feel harshly unfair, but when it's at its peak, the action is breathtaking.

Crazy moments, smooth combat, and seemingly endless options help this sequel match its predecessor

Japan's Platinum Games has done it again, applying style and flourish to a control system of immense depth and assurance

As a friend and fellow writer advised me when he heard that I would be reviewing this game, we should take the creators of Bayonetta at their word when they tout the game's "Climax Action." This game is all about smothering players in a cloud of lust. If such a gambit falls outside of your tastes, "Bayonetta 2" will irk you.

When Bayonetta came out in 2010, I thought it was nearly perfect. Four years later and Platinum hasn't lost its edge with Bayonetta 2. It's just as stylish and as fun as ever, and a must-buy for action fans who own a Wii U.

Bayonetta 2 represents a master class in over-the-top set pieces, filled with dozens of giatn bosses and absurd situations to test your reflexes.