Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Review

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is a new addition to the beloved franchise, taking players to Paris in 1499! This superb Metroidvania expands the lore of Castlevania while offering hours of engaging exploration, challenging combat and rewarding progression. Belmont’s Curse also celebrates the franchise’s 40th anniversary!

Background

Dracula is back and the Belmonts have to save the world again! This time you play Rose Belmont, the daughter of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades! Rose is an interesting character that plays as a warrior and mage hybrid. To achieve your goals, you will have to traverse through Paris streets, sewers, catacombs and other locations to reach Dracula’s Castle and defeat him.

Gameplay

The game takes place in a non linear map where you have to discover secrets and collect powers to unlock new locations. There are several types of enemies blocking your way, from mindless zombies that die easily to flying creatures that require the use of your whip and aerial attacks to defeat.

There are also countless traps and clever puzzles you have to solve to reach new locations or collect powerful items that will help you in your journey. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse puts a strong emphasis on exploration, creating a more enjoyable platforming experience. You can mark places on the map and return later when you have the ability to access those areas.

You can only save your progress when you find a Mirror Room! Those rooms are scattered around the map and will take you some time before you can reach them. Mirror Rooms work as save points and resurrect locations. Every time you save your progress you replenish your life, mana and potions but you also revive all enemies you have defeated along the way.

This adds a Souls-like element to the game and makes exploration more challenging. Luckily Rose has infinite lives available thanks to this mechanic. One of your primary goals is to find shortcuts that connect those Mirror Rooms to Boss areas, so you can return to the fight as fast as possible!

Boss Fights and Clues

Rose carries Tarot cards with her that reveal clues about Bosses in every area. While exploring, you will encounter ghosts who share their secrets with you. Those secrets are added as clues for your next Boss fight on their respective Tarot cards. You can open the menu and read those cards for hints on the next Boss fight.

Bosses are unique and require a different approach to defeat them. A combination of damage and platforming is necessary to emerge victorious. When fighting Medusa, for example, you have to deal your damage quickly but also move around and hide from her petrifying gaze when she is ready to attack you!

When you defeat a Boss you “absorb” their special power, which manifests as a spell in your arsenal. You can equip the powers of fallen bosses and use them to defeat enemies. There are also a few tools you can collect, like the iconic whip that lets you move around faster or Holy Light that lets you pass through blocks of stone and reach new areas.

Weapons, Relics and Upgrades

As you explore you also discover new weapons to wield! There are seven different types of weapons that deal similar damage but offer different special moves and effects. Relics are powerful items that you discover and collect throughout the game as well. You can equip three at a time based on your needs and personal preference. Boost your speed when you kill enemies or restore Health when you open chests!

There are also special items hidden in the map that upgrade your mana and health bars. Additionally by performing certain actions, called “Works of Mercy” you can upgrade your spells and make them more powerful!

Conclusion

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is an amazing Metroidvania and a great addition to this beloved franchise! The game features a powerful protagonist in Rose Belmont and pits you against a variety of interesting enemies.

A superb soundtrack and beautiful, vivid backgrounds come to complement great platforming gameplay that puts emphasis on exploration and rewards curiosity! There are several ways you can set up your character and many combinations of weapons, relics and spells you can utilize!

Belmont’s Curse is a must play for fans of the genre, but it is also an excellent introduction for newcomers looking to experience the best aspects of Metroidvania games.