You know when I’m playing Devil May Cry – I can’t help but think that something is missing. Now, thanks to Sega’s Bayonetta, I finally know what – boobs.

In all fairness, the truth is that Bayonetta isn’t just a rehash with a fresh coat of spandex and backside colored paint. It’s a surprisingly fun, quirky deep and addictive title that not only builds upon a proven formula – it damn near perfects it.

Bayonetta’s story is so odd, it borders on ridiculous. Try and stay with me on this – you play as the game’s title character – a member of an ancient witch clan possessing a wide array of abilities including shape-shifting and some kick ass guns. With me so far? Keep in mind that Miss Bayonetta is a vampy S&M Sarah Palin lookalike that has no real problem with shedding her clothing in the name of battle. If you dig down deep enough, Bayonetta’s story is a pretty interesting one filled with betrayal and even a few religious arguments.

"... it’s entirely possible to get lost in the action."

Is Bayonetta weird? Yes, but it’s also surprisingly solid. The game is from some of the same people that brought us the Devil May Cry series including director Hideki Kamiya, and while the game does rest on its laurels a bit – it feels remarkably new.  That’s thanks in part to the game’s intuitive mechanics and spot on control schemes. The controller’s face buttons are used for your basic attacks, but where the game really excels is in the use of what it calls “Witch time.” Now I know what you’re thinking – and yes, it is a bit like bullet time, but it’s also so much more. Bayonetta is a fast paced game and it’s entirely possible to get lost in the action. Deploying Witch Time allows the player a bit of time to catch their breath -- and their place in the game. It’s also not a bad way to showcase some of the game’s incredible effects.

Make no mistake though – Bayonetta is an action game, and it shows it throughout. Mixing the finest elements of hack and slash and beat-em up, Bayonetta pulls no punches in the fact that it wants you to mash buttons in the name of a good time.  The majority of Bayonetta’s combat forces players to rely on timing to be successful. You’ll be using a lot of the right trigger to dodge attacks, setting up some pretty bad ass combos and sequences. Seriously – you can turn your appendages into weapons like knives and guns – how cool is that?

Quite possibly the game’s most entertaining feature is the throwback boss battles.  These battles are grand spectacles of unabashed gaming gluttony – and some of the most fun sequences I’ve seen in quite some time. The best moments are when you pull off a finishing move (where Bayonetta actually summons demons from the underworld to aid her cause) on one of the game’s larger enemies; it’s satisfying, rewarding and gorgeous to watch all at the same time.

"Surprisingly, Bayonetta is also a blast to play through multiple times."

Surprisingly, Bayonetta is also a blast to play through multiple times. Throughout the game you’ll earn Halos – the game’s form of currency. Halo’s can be used to purchase weapons and items from Rodin; an arms dealer and bartender at the slummy Gates of Hell. The game feels remarkably different when approached with new weapons and maneuvers (and trust me – stopping short of spoiling some of the game’s key moments – there’s a few you’re really going to want to unlock).

With amazing set pieces and locations, Bayonetta is no slouch in the visuals department, but it  can suffer from some horrid lag, especially when the action is hectic – and that’s quite often.  There were also a few instances where the game’s polish seemed to wear off and items seemed less detailed than in other areas of the game. And while we’re at it – what’s with the Filmstrip-like cutscenes? Every time I got into the game’s action and pacing, I was treated to a still cutscene. Isn’t Bayonetta one of the most hotly anticipated games of the year? Couldn’t the developer cut into the budget a bit for animations?

It may be early, but Bayonetta is sure to a contender for 2010’s Game of the Year. Due to its graphic nature and quirky vibe, it may not be a game you’ll show off to family members, but it’s fast, fun, novel and extremely addicting. Bayonetta is a sure bet, and simply should not be passed up.