Within the first few minutes of picking up these explosive action games, you know exactly the type of experience you’re in for.
A madcap mix of pitch perfect combat, over the top cutscenes and a provocative sense of humour.
And it’s all topped off with a badass heroine who makes no apologies for whether you get offended or not.
You take control of Bayonetta – a shapeshifting witch that fights ‘angelic’ enemies in a centuries old war between light and dark.
She’s a strong, empowered character who can make men eat from the palm of her hand.
And on the battlefield she’s a force of a nature.
Anyone who has played a Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden game will be familiar with the type of combat that Bayonetta 1 and 2 boasts.
Battles move at a fast and furious pace, with Bayonetta delivering flurries of gun and sword attacks as she takes on tonnes of enemies at once.
The speed at which Bayonetta moves, along with the need to perform combos to deal the most damage, mean fights zip along at a frantic, quick-fire pace.
Extra mechanics added on top of this by Platinum Games ensure fights are never boring.
Witch Time helps you go into a slow-mo mode if you dodge an attack at the last moment, giving you an opening to deal heavy damage to enemies.
While Torture Attacks provide a stylish, quick-time event once Bayonetta’s magic gauge is built up and can take off huge chunks of enemy health.
All of these things add up to a very deep, stylish combat system that is a joy to play.
And these pieces fit together perfectly in the memorable boss battles that, especially in Bayonetta 2, are ridiculously plentiful.
City levelling battles you’d expect to see at the end of a Marvel movie (if it was directed by HP Lovecraft) are never far off.
Despite all of this, there are a few things that mean Bayonetta 1 and 2 won’t be for everyone.
Some may see Bayonetta as an oversexualised character, and be put off by how regularly the game riffs on this – often in ridiculously over-the-top ways.
The flip side to this is, Bayonetta knows it’s a ridiculous game.
And scenes that may cause offence are presented in such an OTT manner that it’s difficult to take them seriously.
It’s undeniable that Bayonetta is a character fully in touch with her sexual side, but if anything she’s empowered by it.
Some gamers may see that as justification for the tone Bayonetta 1 and 2 takes, others may not.
Elsewhere, the original Bayonetta has more issues than the sequel.
Camera angles in the first game can become awkward, while the quick-time events in Bayonetta 1 are extremely unforgiving.
If you have to pick one game, Bayonetta 2 is undoubtedly the better experience.
It has an easier learning curve, better graphics and great character development.
It’s worth noting though, if you purchase the physical edition of Bayonetta 2 you won’t have to choose, as it comes with a download code for the original.
Overall, Bayonetta 1 and 2 on the Nintendo Switch are absolute must-haves, and mark another essential purchase for the hit hybrid console.
They work perfectly on the go, offering plenty of checkpoints which means they’re ideal for handheld play.
And, both Bayonetta 1 and Bayonetta 2 look great on the Nintendo Switch in undocked mode.
The Platinum Games’ classics are two of the finest action games ever made, and if you missed it first time round then now is the perfect time to pick it up.
VERDICT: 5/5