Sega’s upcoming Bayonetta was on show at the MCM London Expo and we were on hand to give it a short play through.

From the short time we spent with the game we were impressed by the smooth, fluid animation, especially in combat. The cutscenes likewise were well animated and fleshed out. Of course we’re not talking Metal Gear Solid 4 here, but good none the less. Controls were good too and will suit button bashers and combo kings alike.

We also liked the dynamics of both projectile and hand-to-hand based weapons, which seemed particularly well balanced from our initial encounter. Once you’d got past the initial story telling via some cutscenes interlaced with exploration, the action kicked off fast and fluid whilst being pretty levelled from the start, not too hard, not too easily brushed off. The combat was easily some of the best we’ve seen, flowing from one opponent to the next and had that satisfying weight to it whilst being fast paced and not too repetitive. The actual combat itself was full of over-the-top moves but had a grace and elegance to it that’s rarely seen in games of this genera.

Verdict? We think Bayonetta will be one to watch for action game fans. Will it challenge something like Dynasty Warriors or God of War? Well the game dynamics are good, a longer play will be required to really tell, but it might. Watch this space.

Look out for Bayonetta landing in your local game store on January 5th in the US and 29th in the UK.

[Photo credits to Ben Smith]