Bayonetta isn't a button masher. Learn what the combo chains do and what situations they are good for. It's all about getting to the Wicked Weave combo finishers. PKP is great, it's fast does decent damage and the finisher knocks back enemies. When you have a big opening like on a downed or stunned enemy, you can do PPKKK for its two weaves on the last two kicks. The sweeps in the PPPKKK combo trip most basic enemies, good when surrounded. PPPPK has rapid kicks which will extend the length of Witch Time (slow-mo). Bigger enemies can't be launched into the air with the normal launchers, so use PPKP or PP(pause)P for the Wicked Weave uppercut. I didn't even touch on air combos. Or angel weapons. Or weapon switching. Or torture attacks. There's a lot of stuff. Learn the enemies, learn their attacks and how to dodge them, learn what combo to do in each situation. That's the fun part.
Use dodge offset. After attacking keep the button held, then dodge. You did it right if the guns are still firing while you dodge. This keeps your place in the combo string on your next attack. This way you can always be working to your next combo ender even while there are enemies all over the place, and also cancel out the recovery time of slow moves.
Buy the Moon of Man Kahlaa accessory. It lets you parry just about every enemy attack in the game by flicking the stick in the direction of the attacker, a lot like Metal Gear Rising parries. Do it at the last instant and it will activate an extra long Witch Time and can get Witch Time on attacks that normally won't trigger it like most of Jeanne's attacks. Also great for sending back enemy projectiles.
Hope this helps if you decide to give it another shot. Bayonetta is one of my favorite games of all time. It's really that good.
