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How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 91 | 20 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 99 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 94 | 750 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 89 | 750 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 90.6, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 68,322.204 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (76)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“The campy hypersexuality feels joyful, rather than oppressive, because the character's overdetermined gender presentation is an expression of her power rather than a contrast to it.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Bayonetta is is a must buy for any action gaming fans. It's fast, intense and ridiculous, all with an entertaining story and a protagonist that is forever subverting and playing with her audience. It's pure Platinum Games, too, which means it'll likely be adored by its converts and ignored by too many...Brilliant, brash and impossible to ignore.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Bayonetta 2 is the perfect action game. It oozes style and boasts gameplay that's both refined and lacking in excess. The combat is so purely entertaining that it's easy to lose yourself in the almost-zen flow of dodging, countering and kicking enemies to death.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Bayonetta 2 is a Game of the Year contender, which comes extremely recommended.”
read full review ↗ - 96
“The glorious return of Kamiya's beloved brainchild, Bayonetta 2 is a master lesson in arcade action, flow, design and skill, even if it doesn't burn with the same passion of its predecessor.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“One of the best games to ever grace the Wii U. The sequel feels tighter, less obnoxious, and is a blast to play through. While the Wii U GamePad is not used in any significant way, and Tag Climax could have benefited from local co-op, this is the action-packed Bayonetta follow–up that I wanted.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Bayonetta 2 is more than just a good action game, it is a fantastic addition to the already stellar Wii U lineup, and yet another reason to own the console.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Bayonetta 2 doesn’t do anything particularly new, but it does serve as an improvement of an already excellent action title, perfecting the formula even further. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Bayonetta 2 may be nonsensical, tacky, and visually anarchic, but its got some of the finest combat an action game could offer. It's packed with style, looks magnificent, and is as elegant as spectacle fighter as you could hope for.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Bayonetta 2's biggest disappointment may be that it's an iterative sequel, but it's not such a problem when it's iterating on genius. ”
read full review ↗ - 100
“It is a masterclass in pure, unadulterated action-game design, where its insane eye-popping visuals meld effortlessly with some of the sharpest, most joyful combat to have ever graced a video game.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Quite possibly the best action game ever made, Bayonetta 2 is a pure gem of wonder, filled with epic fights, perfect gameplay, a magnificent visual and sound environment and even a multiplayer mode which fits perfectly within the format. A diabolical masterpiece that no Wii U should go without.”
read full review ↗
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
Cubed3
LevelUp
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD
Nintendojo
The Escapist
Eurogamer
GameSpot
FNintendo…and 64 more tracked reviews.