IGN UK's Martin Robinson said "it's not Devil May Cry

In contrast to Irvine, IGN UK's Martin Robinson said "it's not Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden or God of War that's the best point of reference but Super Mario Galaxy": he felt Bayonetta, like the Nintendo game, "loves to tinker with the player's sense of perspective, and fights that begin on street surface often wind their way up the surrounding walls." Ryan Clements of IGN called the game "stylish, entertaining", and "unique", and its voice work "a bit campy but still extremely enjoyable" Anime Sverige
, but said its "plot is all over the place" and "isn't as skillfully told as game stories like Mass Effect and Uncharted. In his 360 version review, Clements called the game an "incredible work" with "final moments ... alone worth the price of admission", but said it sometimes exhibited minor "screen tearing and slowdown, which happen during explorative sections and intense action sequences, respectively." He said the PS3 version was "still a fun game" but had "a lot of problems, primary among them being the excessive slowdown and loading".Eurogamer commented that "the result is a game that exemplifies so much of what commentators claim has died in the Japanese game industry. A blast of creative brilliance, both technically accomplished, strategically deep and infused with rare imagination, Bayonetta represents the pinnacle of its chosen niche."

However, Gamearena criticized the depiction of the heroine and the game's lack of mass-market appeal: "Many people found DMC too campy and over-the-top, and Bayonetta makes it look monochrome in comparison. If you don't like the genre, Bayonetta will not change your mind Devil King Sanguko Basara II Kostymer
." GameSpot's video review lamented duller graphics and inconsistent frame rates for its PS3 port. The Associated Press review opined that "Bayonetta feels like a game that would have blown me away 15 years ago. (It even pays tribute to Sega arcade classics like Space Harrier and Hang-On.) While it introduces an exotic new vision, it doesn't give us anything to do except fight, and its strictly linear story prevents you from exploring its distinctive universe Devil May Cry Kostymer
. It's high on style, but less than satisfying."

IGN UK announced that Bayonetta was their pick for the 2010 Game of the Year (GOTY). Cliff Bleszinski, former design director of Epic Games, has stated that he is a fan of the game's "crunchy" game design. Later on, when asked what game in history he would liked to have worked on, he said Bayonetta.

Daan Koopman at Nintendo World Report, reviewing the Wii U version, rated the game an 8/10. Koopman stated "The original Bayonetta is still a glorious action game and time has not really changed that one bit." He also praised the addition of the Nintendo-themed costumes, for their humor and functions.[