Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse review
Evil Empire/Konami; PC, PS5, Switch, XboxThere are buzzsaws and blood pits, bats burst into blood and demons burn to cinders. The series’ new emphasis on twitch-based action may annoy purists but you can’t call it dull
TL;DR
- Players control Rose Belmont on a quest to free Paris from demonic occupation.
- Combat is frenetic and requires skill, with boss fights demanding focus.
- The game emphasizes twitch-based action over traditional RPG elements.
- Exploration involves mastering challenge rooms with hazards like buzzsaws and blood pits.
- Platforming challenges require acrobatics, air dashes, and death-defying leaps.
- Rose gains new magical attacks via tarot cards and tools for reaching new areas.
- The game world is inconsistent, featuring inventive puzzles alongside uninspired combat.
- The game improves significantly after an early twist involving Rose's legacy and anger.
- Despite shortcomings, the game shows cleverness but doesn't match contemporary peers like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown or Hollow Knight: Silksong.