Destructoid journalist Andrej Barovic previewed Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, the first mainline entry in the series in 12 years, published by Konami after travelling to Paris for a three-hour hands-on session held in Chapelle Reille, a deconsecrated Neo-Gothic church. The game follows Rose Belmont, daughter of series regular Trevor Belmont, as she investigates a mystery engulfing medieval Paris in infernal flames following Dracula's demise. The preview left Barovic highly enthusiastic, suggesting the revival successfully modernises the classic Castlevania formula while remaining accessible to newcomers, which will matter to long-time fans who have waited over a decade for a proper mainline sequel.

Structurally, the game retains the traditional Castlevania approach as an interconnected 2D side-scrolling metroidvania, balancing open exploration with systems that preserve the story's pacing. Rose uses Tarot Cards, a keepsake from her late mother, to identify enemies and points of interest, while a Whip provides fast, vertical traversal that rewards players for revisiting earlier areas once new tools are found. Boss fights are described as intricately choreographed encounters with telegraphed attacks and strong soundtracks, drawing comparisons to the Soulslike genre, with the historical figure Joan of Arc reportedly appearing as one such boss.