Bayonetta: Climax Edition (Play.com UK Exclusive) (Limited Collector's Edition)

Bayonetta. The last survivor of an ancient witch clan who keep the balance between light, dark and chaos.

Entombed to protect herself - and the world as we know it - Bayonetta is discovered and revived after 500 years, sparking a chain of events with cataclysmic repercussions.

Thrust straight into battle, with only one clue to her past, Bayonetta must discover the truth and fight for the future. Her daunting conquest sees her face off against countless angelic enemies and giant foes in a game of 100% pure action.

Being bad never felt so good...

Play.com Review

Before we get into the nitty gritty, yes, Bayonetta is just as good as the critics are saying. Celebrated Japanese rag Famitsu game it 40/40, and the UK's most revered gaming magazine, Edge, scored it 10/10 - only the eleventh title to receive such an honour at the time of writing.

The renegade ex-Capcom staff, formerly of Clover Studio (Okami and God Hand) at Platinum Games (Madworld on Wii) have really outdone themselves with this SEGA-published beauty. Directed by Hideki Kamiya (Viewtiful Joe and Resident Evil 2), this ludicrously pervy and deliriously stylish 3D beat 'em-up takes the best bits from the original Devil May Cry (also a Kamiya game) and makes them its own. If the thought of a incredibly curvaceous witch with the look of a sexy '50s pin-up secretary shooting, slashing, conjuring and torturing her way through swathes of baddies appeals then you're in luck!

With legions of enemies to plough through, plus gigantic boss characters, you'd be forgiven for wondering how the spellbinding heroine could possibly win out. The good news is that she's one of the most powerful and stylish fighters ever to grace videogames. The more casual player will be glad to discover that there are 5 difficult levels, meaning that gamers of all abilities can enjoy thrashing the enemy with magic, guns, swords and other death-dealing weapons. Oh, yeah, did we mention this game is also incredibly saucy?

Bayonetta encourages flair by rewarding players with tantalising glimpses of the shape-shifting witch in various stages of undress. Her hair, you see, also doubles as a costume, and departs her body to add attacks as the combo count rises, peaking with some incredibly gory and over-the-top torture fatalities such as guillotine and iron maiden executions. Never has a head of hair been so deadly!

With 10-12 hours of initial gameplay on first play alone, this rollicking action game even has the audacity to throw in vehicle sections that actually add something to the experience - tributes to SEGA classicsSpace Harrier and Super Hang-On will massively appeal to retro gamers. Not only that, but the Play.com Exclusive Climax Edition also comes complete with special slipcase packaging, the soundtrack and an artbook, too! Dante, Cratos, and Ryu Hayabusa had better watch out because Bayonetta has the moves, the brutality, the speed and the style to match any of her rivals in the 3D beat `em-up stakes - it's witching time!