Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Is a Near-Perfect Metroidvania

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, the first mainline installment in over a decade, stabs this hypothetical through the heart, proving that Castlevania still has a lot more to give. By combining throwback appeal with razor-sharp gameplay built on the brilliant Dead Cells, Evil Empire’s latest lives up to Castlevania’s legendary status. From its bold use of color that makes the gothic visuals pop, to a new card-based Arcana system, Belmont’s Curse breathes new life into these games while honing in on what makes this series special. As good as many of Castlevania’s spiritual follow-ups have been, there’s something singular about facing the Lord of Darkness under a full moon to the tune of “Bloody Tears,” a reunion that feels like fate.