It's been eight long years since Bayonetta 2, with merely Switch re-releases of the first two games to tide us over since the last outing for PlatinumGames' now-iconic bullet witch.

After an endless wait, though, Bayonetta 3 is finally around the corner, and we've played through its absolutely crazy campaign to check it out. Here's how the bombastic title is shaping up.

She's back, baby

The plots of the first two Bayonetta games were pretty close to bedlam, with heavenly forces clashing with Umbra Witches, hellish demons on the loose and a time-travel wrinkle that got things more than a little complicated at times.

In short, while we don't want to spoil any of its many fun twists, Bayonetta 3 picks up that mantle and runs with it, opening up a new plot full of weird quirks and returning characters, with an amusingly straightforward approach to everything.

Things don't always make sense, per se, but they do flow absolutely relentlessly, and after a short cinematic introduction you'll be back in the groove of exploring levels, periodically fighting groups of enemies and collecting a score based on how well you do in that fight, before moving on.

The plot sees Bayonetta and pals jumping through a newly-established metaverse and meeting other versions of themselves, which provides visual variety and some really fun moments with reimagined characters.

As always, the joy is in how PlatinumGames one-ups itself, with ever more massive and intricate enemy designs popping up out of the woodwork to oppose you, often with a glaring weakness in the form of a new power or demon summon that you've just unlocked.

It's a great template, things get truly, stratospherically silly as the game hits its second half. Even early levels in Bayonetta 3 would suit the final moments of most other action games, with how deranged they get.

Amp it up

That maxim of "more is better" applies to Bayonetta 3's combat, too - very much the heart of the game despite a dalliance with platforming between fights.

You start off with a familiar arsenal and access to Bayonetta's signature guns - two in her hands, two attached to her (very) high heels - resulting in some outrageous contortionist combos that see you swapping between punches, kicks, gunshots and more.

Throughout, you have access to demonic summons, from the huge dragon-like Gomorrah to the svelte (but also huge) Madama Butterfly, each augmenting your attacks with final flourishes and moves.

You can also choose to summon these beasties for longer stretches, leaving Bayonetta herself vulnerable to attack. The juggling act between offence and defence that this offers up is a welcome new twist on an already accomplished combat system.

Once you start unlocking new weapons, things start to really get involved, with move lists that are frighteningly huge to a casual player.

For enthusiasts, this will mean the battle for top scores on individual fights (called Verses) will be feisty, but Bayonetta 3 once again manages the clever trick of being great fun to play even if you're just relying on a few satisfying combos most of the time.

It shares that trait with historic greats like Devil May Cry, and also takes a leaf from that series' book by again adding a new playable character. Viola, a short-haired sword-wielding punk, is a bigger departure than Bayonetta 2's Jeanne.

Playing as her means timing blocks and parries, something that's weirdly fiddly compared to the elegant and satisfying dodges that are so key to controlling Bayonetta herself. While it's a change of pace, we honestly just wanted Bayonetta back whenever we hit a Viola level - which is no great failure, given how long Bayonetta's own combat has been being honed for.

It's also fine since you control Bayonetta for by far the most part of the story and levels, gaining powers and weapons at intervals and figuring out how to spend your plentiful upgrade points on new moves and combo options that you'll have to remember to actually use.

Eclectic's the word

If the combat and the story are peak Bayonetta, then, the visual and audio side of things match that capably, with a look and feel that's very familiar to those who've played the previous two games.

The big benefit comes in the form of way more sharpness than in previous titles (even the Switch versions of Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2, to our eyes), and a sense of scale that is improved, too.

Those games both had big fights, after all, so it's not as if Platinum is only now being able to explore the limits of what it can fit onscreen, but things do feel like they've been stepped up.

All the returning characters have had some redesigns, too, to varying degrees, with Bayonetta herself getting a particularly detailed makeover. Her proportions are still completely fictitious, but she's got a new braided hairdo and a slightly more laid-back look.

She's also now voiced by Mass Effect alum Jennifer Hale, who's having fun with the saucy innuendo that defines basically every line delivery, and the scenery-chewing camp of it all is very much maintained. The controversy over exactly why Hale was hired over former Bayonetta actress Hellena Taylor is a mess that we'll steer clear of here.

All of this is topped off by a fun and funky soundtrack (never better than when chorals announce a new enemy type) that can get high octane but also slow down for some smooth jazz when things are calmer and you've got upgrades to unlock.

Verdict

Bayonetta 3 is the definition of a good time, with some interesting additions and twists on its polished combat system making for a more expansive arsenal than ever. You've got a heap of weapons and summons to master, loads of challenging encounters to get through, and a story that's absolutely unhinged in a good way.

It's camp to an extreme that few series could even try to match, and if you get on board with that zany tone then its twists and turns scale new heights. This is a must-play for anyone who's enjoyed the series so far, and well worth a try for anyone looking for some over-the-top action.