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Bayonetta is a story of good vs. evil, one of two clans at war upsetting the balance of light and darkness. The Lumen Sages, representing the god of light, gained victories over the Umbran Witches, siding with the demons of darkness, leaving only one witch, Bayonetta. Victim of amnesia, our newest heroine finds herself at the bottom of a lake. and after 500 years she is anxious to know why. While the storyline is confusing and unconnected at times, the outrageous action and spectacular combat engine combine to make this game rise to the top of its genre. Bayonetta offers many hours of excellent gameplay, suited to gamers of all skill levels.

Although this action game can be easily mastered by button mashing, on higher difficulty levels elements of skill factor into the combat sequences by preserving combo strings for higher scores. The combat system, while easy to learn and master, has an enormous variety of attacks and combos. At the heart of the game’s combat is the famous Wicked Weave Attacks. Bayonetta’s hair is another weapon and a source of power for the witch, allowing her to summon demons to aid in her quest for answers. Some of the more advanced combos and attacks are performed using the hair. And mixing in some RPG elements, you can purchase and upgrade new items at the friendly neighborhood bar, The Gates of Hell. Scattered throughout the various chapters of the game, you’ll meet Rodin, owner of The Gates of Hell, delivering, among other things, more classic quips and one liners than you can shake a stick at.

Bayonetta has some serious shortcomings with the storyline. The plot is so disconnected and confusing. Playing through to the end tends to answer some questions but also leaves many loose ends. But for all its faults in that area, it more than makes up for it in the action area. This is one fun game to play, possibly one of the best action games I’ve played. The ability use that long flowing hair to defeat the many bosses is simply awesome. And even though rumored to be rushed over to the PS3, the graphics are second to none on the xbox 360. Oh, if only the storyline was better…

Available on: Xbox 360, Playstation 3