How Long Does It Take To Beat Bayonetta 3?

PlatinumGames' "Bayonetta 3" is almost here, arriving on October 28. Despite the original voice actor not returning to voice Bayonetta for this entry, fans of the iconic action-adventure series are ecstatic to play "Bayonetta 3" after eight long years of waiting. And, according to early reviews, their hype hasn't been in vain.

Critics say "Bayonetta 3" brings the same charm and exhilarating hack-and-slash gameplay that "Bayonetta" fans know and love while also presenting new elements. For example, now "Bayonetta" can now directly control her summoned monsters with the Demon Slave mechanic. But that's not all! "Bayonetta 3" also features massive levels, so everyone's favorite witch has lots of room to play.

With all the new content, players may wonder how long it takes to beat "Bayonetta 3." Many gamers know that a player's time in "Bayonetta" and "Bayonetta 2" can vary wildly based on playstyle, with gamers averaging 11-and-a-half hours to beat the first game's main story and 42 hours to attain a 100 percent completion (via HowLongToBeat). And "Bayonetta 2" is roughly the same, plus or minus a few hours. So how does the runtime of "Bayonetta 3" stack up to the previous entries?

According to critics, "Bayonetta 3" levels are not quite linear, but not quite wide open, either. Players are on a set track, but there is a bit of room for exploration. This means completion time can vary, depending on whether the player wants to take their time and explore or blast straight to the end. In addition, there are many hidden secrets, challenges, and collectibles for players to find, making the game a real feat to 100 percent (per Gamespot).

Chris Carter at Destructoid noted that it took him 10 hours to finish the game. Carter wrote that much of his time was spent slaying enemies and bosses, but he still indulged in some light exploring. Because of this, Carter noted that players who run straight through the campaign would probably finish the game even quicker. Meanwhile, The Guardian's Tom Regan spent 15 hours beating "Bayonetta 3." Like Carter, Regan spent a good bit of time in combat, experimenting with different weapons and builds. However, Regan noted that completing the game was just the beginning. After completing the game, Regan immediately started a second playthrough to unpack more of the game's combat possibilities.