About Castlevania: Belmont's CurseReleased recently after nearly two decades without a completely original 2D entry in the main series, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse marks the legendary Konami franchise's triumphant return to the genre it helped create.Developed by Evil Empire, the studio known for its work on Dead Cells and The Rogue Prince of Persia, the game combines classic "Igavania"-style exploration with modern mechanics for dynamic combat, acrobatic platforming and an innovative tarot-card investigation system.Game DetailsRelease Date: October 15, 2026Developer: Evil Empire and Motion TwinPublisher: KonamiPlatforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo SwitchOfficial TrailerCastlevania: Belmont's Curse ReviewStory, Atmosphere and ProtagonistBelmont's Curse takes place in 1499, 23 years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (and 20 years after Curse of Darkness). Paris is beset by an eternal night and hordes of demons. Summoned to investigate the chaos, legendary vampire hunter Trevor Belmont arrives in the city with his daughter, Rose Belmont, born from his marriage to the mage Sypha Belnades.This time, however, Trevor passes the torch (or, rather, the whip) to young Rose, who takes center stage as the protagonist. As she tries to rid Paris of evil and prove herself worthy of her family's legacy, Rose must also contend with the Crimson Curse manifested in her arm—a darkness tied to Dracula himself that threatens to consume her if she loses control of her emotions.One of the story's biggest strengths, and one of the most notable changes from earlier games in the series, is the introduction of the tarot deck Sypha left behind before her death. When Rose defeats Dracula's bosses and servants, she traps their souls in cards called Arcana. She can then use their powers in combat and interact with the captured villains, such as Joan of Arc and Medusa. They act as "traveling companions" in Rose's mind, commenting on events and expanding the series' lore through dialogue, making the story richer and more engaging.The story unfolds in layers and offers multiple endings (Bad, Normal and True), with playtime ranging from four to 27 hours depending on how dedicated players are to solving the castle's mysteries and whether they use assist options.Getting 100% completion can take even longer, but the game helps by showing the completion percentage for each area.Art, Animation and Visual DirectionThe visuals may divide fans of the series' classic style and enthusiasts of modern indie games, but either way, the game has plenty of personality.Evil Empire opted for hand-painted 2D environments and a stylized art direction, with detailed backgrounds ranging from Parisian landmarks engulfed in flames to the elegant halls of Dracula's castle.The protagonist and bosses are animated smoothly and expressively. Classic enemies from the series, such as the Axe Knights and the Grim Reaper himself, have received beautiful visual reinterpretations.However, the game relies heavily on recolors of regular enemies in later biomes, which feels a little lazy. Performance can also drop to 30 FPS in zoomed-in scenes, with some minor jagged edges that break the spell at times.Sound and SoundtrackThe soundtrack takes a different approach from previous games, blending the franchise's traditional gothic sound with modern arrangements, electronic percussion and lo-fi beats. While classic tracks such as Bloody Tears feature as you enter the castle, the overall score moves somewhat away from the orchestral, ecclesiastical tone (in other words, one with a certain religious quality) that defined the series' golden age.Even so, the music for boss fights and key areas is compelling. Just… different.The game also features excellent English voice acting and a great Brazilian Portuguese localization.Gameplay, Combat and AccessibilityThe combat in Belmont's Curse showcases Evil Empire's knack for creating dynamic gameplay. Moving away somewhat from the series' classic pacing, Belmont's Curse is far more acrobatic, focusing on control of space and movement and demanding skill from players.One interesting feature is the Arcana Traversal Whip: Rose can wield it in up to eight directions to reach structures, floating points or even enemies. This creates a mobility mechanic that lets you "fly" across the screen.The offensive arsenal includes seven weapon families, each with four rarity variants:- Short Swords: Built for quick combos and dodging.- Heavy / Two-Handed Swords: Deliver high-damage charged attacks.- Dual Swords: Require precise timing between button presses to extend combos.- Spears: Ideal for maintaining range and throwing.- Gauntlets / Fists: Ultra-fast melee attacks that launch enemies into the air.- Sword & Shield: Provide frontal defense against projectiles and attacks.- Combat Whips: Deal massive damage when the tip hits a target at maximum range.Active spells, such as throwing the classic Boomerang Cross or raising walls of fire, are granted by Arcana cards. To balance things out, the game does away with the traditional hearts that drop from candelabras and removes the standard invincibility frames from dodges, requiring players to position themselves carefully to avoid damage. Healing also takes a more Soulslike approach, with flasks that refill in save rooms.To accommodate newcomers and veterans alike, the menu includes a "Custom Mode" with accessibility options that let players adjust damage dealt or received, turn on invincibility, or simply respawn at the boss room door after dying to save time. Best of all, using this mode doesn't disable achievements.Exploration, Investigation System and Level DesignBelmont's Curse is divided into two distinct sections: the prologue on the streets of Paris (around three hours) is fairly linear and serves as a "big tutorial" for the advanced mechanics. But once Dracula's castle appears, the game opens up into a more expansive Metroidvania, full of secrets and opportunities to explore.Exploration also ties into the Tarot Card Investigation System. The cards contain written clues and illustrations found in the environment that reveal the locations of hidden bosses and secret passages. The game delivers some fascinating moments of discovery, as clues change how you interpret the environment and open up new paths without immediately requiring a new physical ability (though sometimes you do need to acquire a new ability and return later, of course).The level design features Challenge Rooms, where valuable items such as relics, HP/Mana upgrades and legendary weapons are tucked away behind tough challenges and hard-to-reach platforming sections. This is a hallmark of Evil Empire, and the studio has done a great job with it.What bothered me, however, was the lack of fast-travel points. The few mirror rooms and Ferrymen are far from the main routes, making backtracking tedious at times.Pros- Dynamic, varied combat system;- The Arcana Whip is agile and brings new ideas to exploration;- The tarot card investigation system makes the story more engaging;- Beautiful art;- Useful accessibility options.Cons- The first three hours in Paris are very linear and slow;- Fast-travel points are poorly distributed;- The art and soundtrack lack the more "gothic" atmosphere of previous games;- FPS drops during dialogue transitions.ConclusionCastlevania: Belmont's Curse is a bold return that brings plenty of changes. While its acrobatic pace, reminiscent of Dead Cells and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and departure from the series' more gothic soundtracks and art may take some getting used to, the end result is a fun, well-crafted Metroidvania.Changes were to be expected, especially given Evil Empire's distinctive approach to game development. Still, the studio has done a great job and tried to strike a balance between Castlevania and its new mechanics and art style.With a main campaign lasting around 15 to 20 hours, the game delivers excellent combat, an engaging investigation system and fresh mechanics, showing that the Castlevania franchise can change things up and win over new generations who may never have played the series before.Score: 9 out of 10.Until next time!
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