Bayonetta

Just as gamers had settled into their biases about the best hack and slash games, Bayonetta came along and changed everything. If it's not the greatest in the sub-genre, it's at least up there with all the rest. The game is Hideki Kamiya's ode to his Devil May Cry series, and though it seems impossible, the quality here is even higher. The inventiveness of Bayonettais present right there in its titular character. A gun-toting, shapeshifting lady who has no problem kicking ass. Thankfully, and crucially, there are few things more enjoyable than beating people up in this game. Regular punch and kick attacks can be combined with combos and finishers, all changing depending on the weapon you have equipped. There's a feeling of rhythm to it, an intense satisfaction when you pull off a combo or dodge at the last second and freeze time around the character. There's a flow and style to it that you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Yet Bayonetta isn't just some faceless hero that only serves as a conduit to action. Her story from amnesiac to badass results in her exuding confidence in a way that doesn't make you hate her. She breaks the fourth wall consistently with humor and sexuality that acts almost as a parody to earlier games. In its entirety, there's a feeling of polish and wonder that lends itself perfectly to the genre.