Review: Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Fulfills Every Fantastic Wish for Vampire Hunting

Devil's Empire / Konami; PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox. Buzzsaws and blood pits are everywhere, bats burst into blood, and demons burn to ash. The series' new emphasis on tension-based action may irk purists, but it can't be called boring. A beautifully gothic Paris swarming with demons should be an excellent setting for Konami's long-running vampire adventure series. Unfortunately

A fantastically gothic Paris swarming with demons should be the perfect setting for Konami's long-running vampire adventure series. Unfortunately, while the sights and sounds of this vivid and haunting world leave a bold impression, developer Evil Empire doesn't always deliver an enjoyable experience to go along with them. It takes a long time for the most imaginative elements of the game to unfold.

Players take on the role of Rose Belmont, daughter of vampire hunter (and regular Castlevanian) Trevor Belmont and witch Sypha Belnades, as she attempts to free Paris from an evil occupation. This deadly night journey feels best when you are fighting monsters. Combat is frantic, sometimes to the point of being overwhelming, while boss fights require considerable concentration and skill. Combat is the strongest component of the game and what sets it apart from previous entries. The minimization of the series' role-playing elements (leveling never felt like this) in favor of twitch-based action will annoy purists, but the battles can hardly be called dull.

In its favor, Belmont's Curse pulls no punches. Literally. The smallest minion can pack a heavy punch and even dodge basic attacks, although it's sometimes incomprehensible, forcing the player to learn the enemy's habits firsthand. Every fantastic vampire-hunting dream comes true: bats grow in blood, demons burn to ashes. Each battle has new twists and tricks.

Exploration is less about reminiscing about the past, paths that were previously inaccessible and then turning back, so much as mastering challenging rooms full of whistling saws and puddles of blood. Learning how to use multiple tools at the same time becomes crucial, as some rooms feel more like the stubborn platforming of Super Meat Boy than Symphony of the Night. Navigating these challenges requires acrobatics, air strikes and deadly jumps. And while Castlevania veterans might expect something more nuanced (mystery hunting and puzzle solving are classics of the series), a significant portion of the maps are devoted to platforming challenges.

As Rose progresses, she gains new magical attacks through tarot cards and tools to reach new areas. However, this is an inconsistent game world. The castle library offers a notebook's worth of puzzles, including a cathedral hidden in a cursed portrait that obliges you to play music with a magical organ. However, after that, you may have to explore underground waterways full of uninspired combat challenges. It might actually be the most impressive Castlevania since 2002's Harmony of Dissonance, and at times the most inventive and disturbing. In other moments, you will be bored with tears of blood.

After an initial twist that forces Rose to grapple with the legacy of the Belmont family and her own anger, The Curse of Belmont improves significantly. Once you leave the streets of Paris and enter Dracula's Castle, there's more to love.

The result is a serious and lovely game. There are undeniably Curse-worthy shortcomings and moments of frustration, but every now and then, real ingenuity is on display, even if The Curse of Belmont can't quite match up to contemporary peers like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown or Hollow Knight: Silksong - Trending now feels like something of a trend-follower. For most Castlevania players, this will be more than enough. You have a whip, a castle and a dark lord. Do you really need anything else?