IGN

Every aspect of Bayonetta 2 feels polished and focused. At times, the writing feels ridiculous, but I still love how it plays. The superb pacing and combat are just that good. By the end I was convinced: This sequel builds on everything that made the original great, and delivers one of the most satisfying action games I've played.

Joystiq

Bayonetta 2 is the perfect action game. It oozes style and boasts gameplay that's both refined and lacking in excess. The combat is so purely entertaining that it's easy to lose yourself in the almost-zen flow of dodging, countering and kicking enemies to death. Bayonetta 2 rewards a player's drive to look as cool as possible in combat with gameplay designed for exactly that - and with the acrobatic violence of a winking heroine who is as legitimately endearing as she is completely ludicrous. Even if Bayonetta 2 did not include an enhanced remake of its predecessor, it would launch as one of the Wii U's best games, but this generous inclusion pushes Platinum's first sequel into no-brainer territory for anyone with even the slightest affection for action games. If you bought the Wii U months ago explicitly in anticipation of Bayonetta 2, congratulations, your decision has paid off in spades.

GameSpot

But it's a challenge you'll want to experience again as soon as you put down the controller. Bayonetta 2's combat is so expertly constructed, and its presentation so joyously insane, that you'd have to try so very hard to get bored of it all. In a year filled with the promise of ever more elaborate experiences on all the shiny new hardware, that Bayonetta 2--a homage to classic game design and escapism--should be the most fun I've had playing a game all year is unexpected. But maybe it shouldn't have been. After all, its predecessor still stands as one of the finest games of its genre. To have surpassed that with Bayonetta 2, and to have created a game that will be remembered as an absolute classic, is nothing short of astonishing.

NintendoWorldReport

Bayonetta 2 is one of the best games to ever grace the Wii U. The sequel feels tighter, less obnoxious, and is a blast to play through. While the Wii U GamePad is not used in any significant way, and Tag Climax could have benefited from local co-op, this is the action-packed Bayonetta follow-up that I wanted. Fans of Platinum's outings owe it to themselves to check it out and start exploring the many twists and turns along the journey.

NintendoLife

Bayonetta is is a must buy for any action gaming fans. It's fast, intense and ridiculous, all with an entertaining story and a protagonist that is forever subverting and playing with her audience. It's pure Platinum Games, too, which means it'll likely be adored by its converts and ignored by too many -- we hope that won't happen, as what we have here is one of the Wii U's best games, and a rare arrival on the system that's unashamedly violent, gory and mature, while still mischievously winking at the watching world. Bayonetta 2 is brilliant, brash and impossible to ignore.

God is a Geek

Intense, gorgeous and thrilling to play, this is Platinum's best game so far. Nintendo have clearly had an input here, with a game that's more forgiving for new players, but still has enough challenge for fans; all without watering down or compromising the experience for either type of player. A non-stop climax of excitement from the moment you start the Prologue, this is one of those games that demands to be played.

GameInformer

Creating a sequel to an already-polished game is a challenge, but Platinum Games' approach ultimately succeeds. Bayonetta 2 is rooted in its past while taking steps (but not strides) toward the future. Though I was disappointed by some of the familiarity, I was usually having too much fun to care.


Eurogamer

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.

Polygon

I won't guess why the blatant over-sexualization is still there, often more intensely than before. But it causes an otherwise great game to require a much bigger mental compromise to enjoy.

Destructoid

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.

GamesRadar

Bayonetta 2 is sheer class. Yes, it takes a little too long to get going, given its length, but the final four hours are relentlessly, breathlessly exceptional. Granted, it's all just 'more of the same' with a shorter haircut, but we're talking about more of one of the best games ever made. And seeing as the Special Edition of Bayonetta 2 comes with a Wii U conversion of that gorgeous original, Nintendo certainly has the ultimate Bayonetta experience in its portfolio. And that's something it should boast about as loudly as possible.

GamesBeat

Bayonetta 2 is surprising. Some of that is because it is an M-rated Wii U exclusive. It’s also because it is a good game in a genre that doesn’t seem long for this world. With everything moving open-world and online, Platinum is still sticking to it’s better zone. And it’s working.

VideoGamer

There's no question that the Pro Controller is the best option here, simply because it's more comfortable to hold for long periods. Whichever controller you choose, just be aware that the first few hours will have an extra learning curve in which you curse the button layout and naming Nintendo opted for.

DigitalSpy

It's a frantic game packed with stunning set-pieces, thrilling boss battles and a fantastic combat system, even if it doesn't deviate too far from the original.

CVG

We didn't need a Bayonetta sequel, we needed this gracious evolution of style and execution, an injection of loving new content into a game that always felt as though it deserved more, even after we'd rinsed it clean. It might be an expansion pack, but it's quite possibly the best one ever made.

Nintendo Insider

Bigger, badder and exquisitely better, Bayonetta 2 knocks its predecessor off its enviable perch to become perhaps the greatest action game of all time. From the word go, it will send your adrenaline into overdrive as you venture on a quest that will take you to the very depths of Hell and back. The plethora of unlockables promise to keep you coming back for more in new and refreshing ways, while Tag Climax suitably extends the experience beyond a purely solo offering in a richly rewarding way. Bayonetta 2 is game of the year material without a doubt, and a worthy purchase for any action fan.

Metro

The worst thing you can say about Bayonetta 2 is that it’s still not much of an improvement over its predecessor, but even that supposed criticism still confirms it as one of the best action games of all-time. Creating Bayonetta 2 may not make much business sense but unlike most sequels today this isn’t a game made for the love of money, but for the love of gaming itself.

TheSixthAxis

Bayonetta 2 is amongst the most refined and dynamic action games to appear on any console, taking the best parts of the original game and building upon them. It is crazy, chaotic and characterful and a genuine pleasure to play. Whether it can be a system seller for Nintendo is questionable as its delights are possibly not entirely mainstream, but for fans of the original and the genre it should certainly make a Wii U a very tempting proposition.

GamingNexus

Bayonetta 2 is a smashing success, and proves that the WiiU can be the home of some great core titles. Now if only the wait for those titles could be cut a little shorter. Savor this one though, because titles of this level of quality seem to be few and far in between right now.

Kotaku

Just thinking about how the developers at Platinum will surpass the excesses on display in this month's release is enough to rub a body raw. Bayonetta 2's combat design remains robust enough to be a very strong main attraction. But any emotions stirred up during my time with Bayonetta wound up feeling shallow. I'm glad for those times when I kicked ass in a stylish manner but still found myself bemoaning the terrible storytelling I endured to do that. If Platinum somehow manages to shore up those failings, the next encounter with Bayonetta won't just be a pantomine of lust. It might turn into love.