Castlevania: Belmont's Curse reviews praise its Paris setting and fast combat
Reviewers call Evil Empire and Konami's new 2D entry a strong return for the series, though several flag uneven pacing and demanding platforming.
A return after nearly two decades
Konami and developer Evil Empire bring the long-running series back to the front line of 2D action with Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. The Guardian lists PC, PS5, Switch and Xbox as the platforms. Der Standard notes that nearly two decades have passed since the series' last classic 2D adventure, and it presents the game as a direct sequel to the NES title Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. TechRadar describes it as the first entry in the horror platformer in more than a decade, made by the team behind Dead Cells. All six reviews in this cluster were published on 13 October 2026.
Story and setting
Players control Rose Belmont, the daughter of Trevor Belmont and the witch Sypha Belnades, who travels to a Paris overrun by demons. Open places the story 23 years after the events of Dracula's Curse, with the city engulfed in flames. La Razón says Dracula's castle has appeared in the heart of the city, while Le Figaro frames the adventure in the shadow of Notre-Dame. Open adds that Rose carries a cursed mark on her arm, inherited from her late mother, which links her to the vampire lord's schemes. The tarot deck her mother left her is central to the game, since each card represents a boss whose powers can be turned into spells. Reviews disagree on how well the narrative lands: TechRadar finds it sparse at times, and The Guardian says the most imaginative elements arrive too late.
Combat and level design
The Guardian calls combat frenetic, sometimes overwhelming, and says boss fights demand focus and skill, making combat the game's strongest component. Its reviewer describes challenge rooms full of buzzsaws and blood pits, some of which resemble Super Meat Boy more than Symphony of the Night, and says they require acrobatics, air dashes and leaps. Open describes levels that run from the streets of Paris to the catacombs, with upgrades to find, puzzles to solve and a secret boss at the end. The Guardian also says the game world is inconsistent and that minimising the role-playing elements may annoy purists. TechRadar's reviewer logged 16 hours and found the combat and dashing provide most of the fun, though the cinematic sections can feel uneven.
Verdict
Open judges the game a worthy continuation of a journey begun 40 years ago, while admitting some missteps along the way. La Razón says the game is not perfect but can compete with the top titles in the genre, and Der Standard promises a rewarding challenge for players who want demanding metroidvania gameplay, while warning that it is not for beginners. The Guardian is more divided: it praises the look and the combat but says the game does not always deliver an enjoyable experience. Le Figaro's headline calls it one of the series' best entries, saying it renews an old recipe without discarding all of its ingredients. TechRadar concludes the game is worthy of the Belmont name.
