I played this on Switch years after release, and it holds up incredibly well. The combat is kinetic and flashy but inputs are tight enough that you stay in control, which is crucial for a character-action game.
Witch Time is awesome. Perfect dodge slows everything down and lets you sculpt combos in slow-mo. Mixing weapon sets between hands and feet keeps it fresh - Scarborough Fair pistols, Shuraba katana, Kilgore rockets. The level design is a fever dream. One minute you’re on a clock tower, the next you’re surfing a missile through a cathedral.
So much depth in how you can combine weapons and abilities. The game rewards experimentation. The ranking system pushes you to get better without feeling punitive.
The story is just crazy. Bayonetta is just the right character for this story. It’s over-the-top spectacle without sacrificing combat depth. It’s not trying to be serious and that works perfectly. The game knows what it is and commits to it completely.
The game runs steady on Switch with no framerate dips. It’s stylish and flamboyant, and the soundtrack is great.
I couldn’t believe this launched in 2009. It’s aged better than most games from that era for sure.