Castlevania: Belmont's Curse marks the series' return to the spotlight, developed by Evil Empire—the studio known for Dead Cells. The title follows protagonist Rose Belmont, daughter of Castlevania III characters Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, and is available now on Nintendo Switch.

Gameplay and Design Highlights

According to recent coverage, the game's primary strength lies in its movement. The whip acts as both a combat tool and a traversal mechanic, allowing players to tether and pull themselves toward enemies. This is paired with an Arcana card system that provides spells players can enhance through side quests, offering a variety of combat options across a roughly 20-hour completion path.

Visually, the game blends gothic aesthetics with an anime-inspired style. Unlike earlier entries in the series that often relied on reused assets, Belmont's Curse features entirely new enemy models. The soundtrack also shifts away from purely remixing classic themes, favoring new compositions that reviewers noted become memorable after multiple play sessions.

Performance and Technical Caveats

While the game generally performs well, there are technical points to consider:

  • Map Screen Crashes: A recurring issue involves the game crashing when opening the map screen. While frequent autosaving prevents significant progress loss, it remains a notable frustration.
  • Performance Variance: Testing suggests that the game runs with fewer hitches on hardware with higher specs, such as the Nintendo Switch 2. On the standard Switch, performance is mostly seamless, though occasional stutters occur during sequences with high enemy counts or complex visual effects.

Player Context

The title is designed to appeal to both long-time fans and newcomers. It features numerous references to franchise history—including nods to Symphony of the NightLament of Innocenceand Portrait of Ruin—while the inclusion of characters from the Netflix animated series aims to broaden its accessibility. Players should be aware that while the game does not hold hands, its puzzles are generally fair, provided players locate the necessary in-game hints.