Castlevania: Belmont's Curse review: "Gothic brilliance and compellingly cryptic clues mark a triumphant return for the iconic series"

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse forced me to do something I have not done since playing my very first video game ever on the Sega Master System 2 in the early '90s. And that is: grabbing a pen and paper and writing down notes. Usually a method I reserved exclusively for Jankin matches in Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Belmont's Curse gave me so many cryptic clues, so many patterns to remember, so many intriguing characters or key items hidden away in places, that placing markers upon the map was simply not enough.

No, a game this complex warrants detailed manual transcription. Its recall challenges are a workout for the brain as much as its tricky traversals are a workout for the fingers and thumbs.

The Seine of the Crime

Like all great Metroidvanias, I spend half my time soaring through the air and the other half staring at the map – a sprawling puzzle of tunnels and halls that spans iconic Parisian locations such as Notre Dame and the Catacombs. And, of course, Dracula's Castle. An imposing, intricate structure full of brutal traps, ambush rooms, and the occasional roast chicken tucked away behind a wall.

Dracula's Castle reveals itself unexpectedly, following a series of clues and exploration that misleadingly appears to be guiding you to the next big boss fight. Under any other circumstances, the pursuit and anticipation of a boss being met with simply a cutscene could severely hamper motivation to continue playing.

However, the cutscene in which Dracula's Castle emerges is gripping and rewarding to watch, with striking animation that matches the dark, exquisite cinematography of the Netflix series. My disappointment at the lack of a boss quickly shifts into a deeper appreciation for Castlevania's ability to subvert expectations midgame.

Visually, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is a feast for the eyes. Lightning flashes through Gothic window arches, illuminating painterly backgrounds of a city in flames. Detailed depictions of buildings such as Notre Dame are so beautiful that it's easy to forget they're filled with hostile enemies.

None of which are too much trouble though. Belmont's Curse is generous in its weapon offering – with 7 weapon families, each with 4 weapons, plus a flexible Arcana System that lets you seamlessly swap between a variety of abilities and spells depending on enemy type. My personal favorite is a sword and shield combo that lets you charge dash through enemies, obliterating everything in your path. Needless to say, this weapon is excellent for runbacks.

This Metroidvania's rooms are packed full of a variety of monsters, but there are always plenty of effective ways to deal with the crowds via magic, weapons, and relics. Unlike previous Castlevania games, these items are obtained through exploration – you don't get them from enemy drops. Weapons are hidden in chests that await as a reward at the end of tricky traversal sections.

Whipped into shape

Of course, airborne traversal requires teeth-gritting precision and patience as you close-in on secrets; but the challenge is always followed by the relief of unlocking a shortcut and exclaiming, "I'll never have to do that again!" It's challenging but never torturous, made fluid and fun as you use the legendary Holy Whip to swing between hooks, grapple enemies, and yank yourself away from spikes.

Controlling Rose Belmont feels a tad heavy but intentional. Clearing out ambush rooms by grappling aerial enemies with the whip then falling to smash those below in, literally, one fell swoop is immensely satisfying. The pace of movement, slide dodges, and traversal tools borrow the best parts of Dead Cells, but the unique Castlevania essence shines through in the form of the whip.

Progression relies on deciphering cryptic clues to hunt down Tarot card bosses. The guidance buried within these clues is often not particularly obvious. After pacing back and forth library halls for hours, hitting every wall in sight, sometimes it's admittedly far more difficult to find the bosses than it is to actually fight them.

Talos is a particular highlight boss, featuring mid-stage traversal sections timed against a countdown clock. Avoiding his powerful attacks then racing through the traps of the next room to relocate him provides that quintessential enjoyable stress only a Metroidvania can give.

Heart pounding? Yes. Palms sweating? Yes. Shouts of joy when Talos is defeated? Absolutely.

Although the wayfinding can be baffling and the fast-travel is surprisingly limited for a map so large, Belmont's Curse is a super accessible entry point for the Castlevania series. Accessibility options include toggles to increase health potion capacity, retry bosses without runbacks, and boost attack damage. The game also offers plenty of Mirror of Life save points, reducing the pressure of getting trap rooms and traversal sequences right the first time. Plus, enemies only respawn after you die, so you can thankfully re-enter a cleared room and it will still be cleared.

It was always going to be a tall order to follow up on the iconic Castlevania series music crafted by Michiru Yamane, and this is sadly where Belmont's Curse falls a bit short. The main motif is gothic and brooding, but the majority of the in-game music doesn't quite match the atmosphere of the visuals and the story.

Fortunately, the narrative more than makes up for the weaker soundtrack. The game delivers an intense dose of Belmont family drama that continues on from Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse. The stakes are higher than ever as Leon Belmont reappears, and the mystery of Rose's curse brings an impending sense of doom.

Longtime Castlevania fans will delight in the array of nods and references throughout the game. Haunting paintings of Alucard literally lead the way via directional sword points through the labyrinthine corridors of Dracula's Castle; and we also get to face off against legendary Castlevania foes Death, Medusa, and Carmilla once more.

Often colourful and flashy, Belmont's Curse doesn't necessarily look like a Castlevania game. But it sure does feel like one. With enigmatic puzzles, gothic atmosphere, a dramatic anime-esque storyline, and well-paced action, this is a hugely compelling Metroidvania and a triumphant return for the iconic franchise.

It's not a terrible night for every curse, as if you've been saddled with an overwhelming desire to play more like this we have a handy best Metroidvania games ranking just for you!