Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is a triumphant return from a long-neglected series, and it stands among the best modern examples of the genre the series helped inspire. Publisher KONAMI developed it in partnership with Evil Empire, the studio that spun off to manage Dead Cells updates and DLC from creator Motion Twin, which also advised on the project. It releases October 15 on XBOX Series X|S and XBOX on PC, and players can play it on console and PC at no additional cost with XBOX Play Anywhere.

The series is 40 years old, counting from the debut of legendary vampire hunter Simon Belmont, and it has gone 18 years since the last original 2D entry. This time Rose Belmont takes the whip. Set in Paris in 1499, she is the daughter of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, the protagonists of the Netflix animated Castlevania series. Trevor and Rose arrive in the city after the Bishop summons them to deal with a mysterious evil. Trevor is really there to pass the torch to his daughter, who takes over the family business of exploring a big map full of secrets, collecting special powers, and killing mythical monsters. The generational hand-off suits a game that is the first 2D Castlevania from this partnership, and it builds on Dead Cells, the 2018 run-based take on the Castlevania formula that came out of the action-roguelike boom. Dead Cells lost some sense of exploration to its procedural levels, but it made up for that with lush pixel art and fast, smooth action. Belmont's Curse keeps that foundation and places it on a fixed world that lets the game work as a cohesive whole.

Visuals and Presentation

The opening made an immediate impression. Rose and Trevor arrive to find Paris ablaze in bright magenta flames. Where Dead Cells converted rigged 3D animations into pixel art sprites, Belmont's Curse gives its 3D models a more graphic, 2D look with cel shading, and the results are gorgeous. The effect is most striking on the zombies. The reviewer saw some of the same undead they had been fighting, now rendered backlit in silhouette with a bright red rim highlight and fading into clearer view as the player gets closer. The series has always had imaginative enemy and environment design, and this game gives it a vibrant, distinct style. Returning monsters and characters appear alongside some surprising French historical figures, which suits a game set in France and made by a studio based there. The voice acting is charming throughout. Everyone commits to the material, and the performances chew an appropriate amount of scenery for a series that once gave us “What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets!”

Combat and Bosses

The action is as good as the series has ever been. Rose has seven weapon types:

• longsword
• whip
• gauntlets
• spear
• greatsword
• sword and shield
• twin swords

Each has its own move set to master. As in Dead Cells, enemy attacks are well telegraphed, which gives players a satisfying path to mastery as they learn to anticipate them. A parry adds new dynamism to fighting series-classic foes, in the same way that Metroid Dread, another excellent revival, did for its own roster.

The Belmont whip also takes on new importance as a grappling hook. Rose can swing and zip toward rings in the environment, or latch onto enemies and hurl herself at them for a devastating attack. This makes both combat and platforming more kinetic than in previous Castlevanias. Her quip “You're trapped in here with me!” at the start of regular arena fights fits her aggressive, fearless playstyle of throwing herself into danger.

The boss battles are the highlight. They are demanding tests of skill and very satisfying to master. The first boss was more punishing than the reviewer expected, and it took real focus to win, but it never felt unfair. One mid-game boss delivered about as hard-earned and exhilarating a victory as the reviewer has had in recent memory.

Arcana, Works of Mercy, and Progression

Defeating bosses feeds the game's other core system: a deck of tarot Arcana provided by Rose's late mother, Sypha. After defeating each boss, or completing certain puzzles and accomplishments, you gain a spell tied to that boss's Arcana, so every new ability has a flavorful link to the character it came from. The Arcana are tarot-style archetypes rather than cards from the traditional 22 Major Arcana, a trope the reviewer enjoys, as in Cult of the Lamb or Hades II.

Spells are upgraded through a system called Works of Mercy. Each Arcana has two or three associated achievements, tied to using its spells in particular ways or to other accomplishments in the world. Completing them unlocks upgrade points, such as the ability to throw a second cross boomerang. The approach uses achievements to encourage deeper engagement with the game and ties that engagement back to progression.

Defeated bosses also have a narrative payoff. Rose has freed their spirits from Dracula's influence, and they now speak to her from inside her head. Some are grateful and eager to help, while others mostly mock her. The result is a running peanut gallery of commentary that adds characterization throughout the game. The Arcana also serve as hubs for clues about their whereabouts. Spirits and statues offer gossip from around the castle. This gives structure and guidance to a genre that can devolve into aimless wandering, and it grounds the bosses in the world. Castlevania bosses have often felt like encounters you stumble into, so the added work to connect them here is welcome. Each Arcana ends with a short dialogue scene after its Works of Mercy are complete, which resolves its character arc.

Exploration and Build Systems

Each region of the map is clearly distinguished by its music, visual style, and unique mechanics and environmental puzzles, which connect to their settings. The reviewer is still chasing the last few percentage points of each zone's completion and its final secrets. That completionist approach works well because the game includes thoughtful, modern quality-of-life features that cut unnecessary friction without removing the genre's challenge. Examples include map pins available from the start and several ways to get around the map that unlock over time.

Like many games since Hollow Knight, Belmont's Curse lets you build around three relic slots alongside your weapon and spell choices. You can change relics, weapon, and spell at any time while paused, which encourages experimentation. The reviewer made good use of 75% trap damage reduction while grinding through tough platforming challenges. In many ways the game reminded them most of the under-appreciated Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, for its thoughtful use of accumulated genre wisdom, though Belmont's Curse has an even stronger and more fully realized creative vision.

Key Results at a Glance

• Release: October 15 on XBOX Series X|S and XBOX on PC, with XBOX Play Anywhere at no additional cost.
• Setting: Paris, 1499, with Rose Belmont as the protagonist and daughter of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades.
• Weapons: Seven types, from longsword and whip to twin swords, each with its own move set.
• Relics: Three relic slots, changeable at any time while paused.
• Arcana: Each has two or three associated Works of Mercy achievements that unlock upgrade points.
• Visual style: 3D models rendered with cel shading to look 2D, with backlit enemy silhouettes and red rim highlights.
• Lineage: 40 years since Simon Belmont's debut and 18 years since the last original 2D entry.

Verdict

Like Rose Belmont, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is an unquestionably worthy heir to a rich legacy. It brings forward the best of its predecessors and adds the style and bombastic energy of youth. It is the first 2D Castlevania from KONAMI and Evil Empire, and it deserves to stand among the best of the genre the series helped inspire.