Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is set to bring a fresh perspective to the long-running series, incorporating contemporary metroidvania design principles alongside its own distinct mechanics. The game builds upon the established foundation of Konami's celebrated franchise, infusing it with smart elements common in recent genre titles, such as parries, dodges, and Estus flask-style healing.
The narrative places players in the role of Rose Belmont, daughter of the renowned vampire hunter Trevor. Twenty-three years after Trevor's defeat of Dracula, monstrous forces emerge in Paris, prompting Rose to investigate. The early hours of the game see Rose and her father arriving in a city overrun by supernatural horrors. Rose ventures into the city alone, encountering familiar Castlevania adversaries like zombies, gargoyles, and medusa heads.
Gameplay initially presents as a traditional side-scrolling action title. Rose begins with a sword, and combat relies on precise dodging and back-stepping to create openings for attacks. The player manages a limited supply of potions for healing, which are replenished at magic mirrors that also respawn enemies. In addition to her melee prowess, Rose utilizes a deck of arcane tarot cards to cast spells. Her starting spell is a fireball, with an initial goal to defeat 20 enemies with it to earn a point for upgrades.
This tarot system allows for spell customization through 'Blessings,' which can enhance range, damage, or introduce unique effects. Unlocking new spells is directly tied to defeating bosses. After defeating a boss, Rose absorbs its essence into her tarot cards, gaining a new spell and, often, a new traversal ability. For instance, defeating the hulking monster known as the Fallen grants Rose a spell that mimics its powerful cross projectile and provides access to the Arcana Whip. This whip can be used to grapple onto designated points, but it also functions as a traversal tool that can pull Rose towards enemies. Attacking while using the whip towards an enemy results in a high-powered melee strike.
The tarot system also plays a crucial role in the game's narrative. Absorbing a boss allows Rose to communicate with them, integrating them into the ongoing story. The Fallen, for example, reveals he was under an external influence controlling his actions. Subsequent boss encounters include a corrupted Joan of Arc, who wields a potent sword and casts fire-based magic. Defeating her yields her broadsword, a slower but more powerful melee option, and a fire column spell. Joan also grants Rose a holy light ability, usable for passing through certain obstacles or as a parry mechanic against projectiles.
The third boss encountered was Medusa, whose snake-hair abilities and petrifying gaze presented a distinct challenge. Knowledge of her attack patterns, gained from in-game clues, allowed Rose to counter her abilities, such as turning her back to avoid petrification. Medusa’s defeat provides her gaze ability, which can turn enemies to stone, and a sword and shield set.
Across three hours of gameplay, players can collect a variety of weapons and items, significantly altering combat and traversal strategies. The flexibility afforded by these combinations and the progression system, which rewards players for mastering spells and loadouts, appears to be a central design pillar. Castlevania: Belmont's Curse seeks to offer a revitalized take on the series' formula by integrating these modern mechanics and narrative-driven boss encounters.