Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse review – inspired by great ideas, but doomed by questionable execution
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse revives the series as a sprawling Metroidvania set in a ruined Paris and Dracula’s Castle in 1499. The review praises its interconnected map, hidden routes and imaginative set pieces, but says awkward controls and combat make exploration and platforming frustrating.
Players control Rose Belmont, daughter and protégé of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, who uses tarot cards to seal the souls of Dracula’s enthralled followers. The review highlights connected mirrors, a Notre-Dame music puzzle and a Clock Tower platforming section, while arguing that Rose’s rigid movement and attacks struggle against more fluid enemies and environments.
- A richly detailed map captures classic Castlevania exploration.
- Inventive puzzles and set pieces stand out.
- Awkward controls undermine combat and platforming.
New here? Start with this
Castlevania is a long-running video game series about the Belmont family, whose members fight Dracula and other supernatural enemies. Many games in the series combine exploration with action, letting players uncover new routes and return to places they could not reach before.
Belmont’s Curse is set in Paris and Dracula’s Castle in 1499, with Rose Belmont carrying on the family’s mission. She is the daughter and pupil of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, characters from earlier games. The review’s central question is how well the game’s inventive world and puzzles work alongside its movement and combat.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The game’s interconnected map, hidden routes and inventive set pieces give exploration a strong sense of discovery. Its mirrors, Notre-Dame music puzzle and Clock Tower sequence show how the setting and ideas can make this return to Castlevania feel imaginative and rewarding.
The case against
Those ambitions depend on movement and combat that feel responsive, and the review argues that Rose’s rigid controls undermine both. When fluid enemies and demanding platforming meet awkward attacks and movement, exploration can become frustrating rather than rewarding.