Bayonetta 2 Switch review - The best action game ever?

If you're here, I'm going to assume you've either already played Bayonetta, or read my review of Bayonettta for Nintendo Switch.

The only issue I had with Bayonetta is that it feels like it takes a bit too long to get into the action. There are some high octane scenes early on, sure, but it isn't quite mind blowing.

Bayonetta 2, on the other hand, is mind blowing all the way through. Somehow PlatinumGames managed to outdo themselves and craft an even better game than the first, one that truly feels like a non stop rollercoaster from start to finish.

It all kicks off with some simple Christmas shopping, before fighter jets start falling from the sky and angels force Bayonetta to get dirty in her Sunday best. Suddenly you're doing battle atop jets as they barely avoid buildings.

But that's not enough, and the game never lets up. Soon you'll be battling a giant creature on the back of a speeding train, before a giant sword cuts the bridge the train is on into pieces. Then you'll be doing battle on floating bit of debris.

Sometimes it can honestly be overwhelming, but somehow, just when you think the game has peaked, it does more to stun you, both in terms of visuals and gameplay.

And this keeps happening. Bayonetta 2 just keeps upping the stakes, to a point where it's dizzying. My thumb couldn't stop reaching for the Switch's capture button.

Even though I've played through the game before on Wii U, it still somehow felt like a completely fresh gameplay experience.

Anyone that's ever played PlatinumGames' other recent action blockbuster, NieR: Automata had probably also heard complaints about the game's pacing and open world.

Bayonetta 2 is all of the gameplay and action of NieR: Automata put into a more linear, more streamlined form. Stage transitions happen as monsters smash through buildings or create giant whirlpools.

Even in the small moments the game manages to surprise you, like when you kick a door, only for the entire building its attached to to collapse from the weight of your boot.

Bayonetta 2 is still empowering and powerful, as Bayonetta reaches into the depths of hell to save her sister, Jeanne, from a fiery fate in Inferno.

All of them men in Bayonetta's universe are either antagonists, or bumbling annoyances, with the sole exception of Rodin, who prefers to take a back seat and watch the action unfold.

While the last game had you solely fighting against angels, in Bayonetta 2 you'll have to juggle with those holy fools in addition to the armies of Inferno, which take the form of a horde of demonic-looking creatures.

Although their style might be different, many of the enemy types are fairly similar to their angelic equivalents. Still, it certainly helps mix things up.

Bayonetta 2 also assumes the player isn't new to the series, and starts you off with a variety of moves that you need to unlock in the original.

You can still earn new techniques and weapons of course, and there's an even bigger selection than before.

One thing that players returning to the game will appreciate is amiibo support. Well, assuming they have amiibo.

You can use up to 32 a day, and each will unlock costumes and cash, which will greatly speed up the rate you can unlock new techniques, costumes, and more.

That means you can quickly upgrade during your first playthrough, rather than having to complete the game multiple times to unlock the best moves.

There's a lot of content to get into, so there'll be plenty of players who appreciate this.

The original Bayonetta is one of the best character action games of all time, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say Bayonetta 2 surpasses it.

The action feels bigger and more intense, large fights are more frequent, and you spend less time in corridors or walking to your next scene. The original somehow feels slow in comparison. Bayonetta 2 just might be the best thing Platinum has made.

So here's hoping that Bayonetta 3 is even better.