Many games require players to master a variety of mechanics to succeed, but Belmont's Curse recently taught a player the importance of a specific skill they usually neglect: parrying.
In Belmont's Curse, players must contend with a constant barrage of projectiles and hazards, including arrows, laser beams, axes, icicles, boulders, and birds. While protagonist Rose Belmont possesses an arsenal of tools, the sheer volume of threats can be overwhelming, leading to reliance on a few favored abilities. The player initially favored a ranged playstyle, using the spear and whip, complemented by defensive movement tools like the air dash and slide to maintain distance from danger. This strategy proved effective until encountering the boss Mammon.
Mammon, described as a biblical angel-type creature resembling a wheel with an eye, proved a significant challenge. Its erratic movements, varied fire attacks, and ground slams made evading its assaults difficult. The player found that running from one attack often placed them in the path of another, and their movement speed was insufficient to escape.
Seeking a solution, the player watched a speedrun of the game and discovered that professional players frequently employed parrying. While acknowledging the difficulty of parrying on the fly, especially amidst the chaos of Belmont's Curse, the player decided to attempt it. This contrasted with their preference for parrying in games like Expedition 33, where the player remains stationary.
To their surprise, parrying proved highly effective. After re-engaging Mammon with this new approach, the player defeated the boss within a few attempts. This experience mirrored how some Zelda games introduce new items and then feature bosses designed to test their use, even though the parry mechanic had been available for several bosses prior. Belmont's Curse, the player noted, offers players the freedom to develop their own playstyle but periodically introduces challenges that test mastery of its mechanics, preventing the gameplay from becoming monotonous. Although parrying may not become a regular part of their rotation, the player now knows to incorporate it when facing future obstacles.