The Holy Innocents' Cemetery, the second area in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, presents a stark contrast to the fiery streets of Paris. This walkthrough will guide you through its haunting beauty, revealing hidden paths, powerful new weapons, and the formidable boss, Medusa. Successfully navigating this area is key to obtaining the final item needed to access the Catacombs.
Entering the Cemetery and Finding Items
Begin by heading west from the Cemetery Entrance. You'll encounter Ghosts, enemies that continuously respawn, so focus on progressing. Smash the Virgin Mary Statue beneath a stairway and wall jump up a closed gate. Beyond it, a gauntlet awaits where you must destroy a glowing green coffin to stop enemy respawns. After clearing the enemies, a lever will open the arena's exit.
Continue east to find Yorick and a Zombie. Defeat them and enter the Mirror of Life room to save your progress. In the subsequent Cloister area, chandeliers will fall from the ceiling; dash away to avoid them, noting they can also crush enemies. Falling through a fake floor will lead you to the Sepulcher of the Knight, where a Spirit grants the Roman Baths Clue, hinting at the region's boss.
Descend a shaft filled with Medusa Heads, which can petrify Rose but also serve as mid-air platforms with the Arcane Whip. In the room below, you'll find a spiked area and a Virgin Mary Statue behind a gate. Use the platforms and Anchors to reach the lever that opens the gate, then use a Sharpened Anchor to exit north.
In the Memorial for the Dead, a Spirit offers the Roman Baths Clue. Be cautious of falling chandeliers and enemies. You can reach one Virgin Mary Statue by platforming, while another, encased in spikes, requires more effort. A third statue is accessible by latching onto a Gargoyle, which will attack you. After defeating it, proceed east.
You will return to the Cloister, where a previously obscured gate can now be seen and closed via a lever. Hook onto the ceiling and exit north into a long room filled with enemies and spike pits. A Wise Heart Fragment is hidden in the ceiling; slide to access it. Then, take the eastern exit.
Back overlooking the Cemetery Entrance, a lever provides access to a Chaos Shard wall. Slide through and use Anchors to swing to a chest containing the Abyssal Eye Relic, which increases damage against controlled enemies.
Reaching the Hollow Tree
Return to the Memorial for the Dead and take the left exit to the Fountain of the Innocents. Use the Arcane Whip to ascend to a platform, then exit right, returning to the Memorial for the Dead. Use Holy Light to drop down and smash the spiked Virgin Mary Statue.
Head back west to the Fountain of the Innocents. A grate here is blocked, and a door to the west is also sealed. Navigate using the Anchors to open the western door. Descend stairs, fighting various enemies, and slide into a space beneath to find a Wall Chicken.
Reach the Fountain of the Lost, a skeletal statue fountain. Swing across and slide through a gap to find a hidden path to the Roman Baths. Here, lower a barrier with a lever and use Anchors to reach the other side. A Spirit grants the Guardian's Gaze Clue, hinting at the Prophetess's abilities.
Continue west through the Roman Baths, encountering Medusa Heads and petrified victims. Two Virgin Mary Statues are present, one accessible after defeating a Skeleton Archer, and another in an enclosed upper space. This upper space also contains a Wall Chicken and a Yorick. Smash the left wall in this upper space to reveal a secret exit to the Mass Grave.
In the Mass Grave, defeat a coffin gauntlet. Swing through the northern ceiling grate to return to the Ossuary of the Innocents, or slide through a western wall opening to find the Raven's Feather Relic, which boosts aerial damage.
Return to the Roman Baths and take the western exit to the Roman Aqueduct, navigating past large saw blades. Defeat the Merman and continue through more saw blades to the Ruins Entrance. Head north through a ceiling grate, emerging in Pauper's Grave. Wall jump to the surface and break a door to reach the Hollow Tree.
Obtaining the Lance
West of the Hollow Tree's Mirror of Life is the Mausoleum of the Kings, currently inaccessible due to spikes. Instead, head right to the Chapel of the Kings for an enemy gauntlet culminating in a Giant Skeleton. After the fight, a Spirit in an enclave of Pauper's Grave provides The Roots of the Hollow Tree Clue.
Return to Pauper's Grave and proceed east. After defeating Mermen and Gargoyles, use Anchors above to reach a Virgin Mary Statue in an enclave. Take the upper right exit to the Ossuary of the Innocents (upper route). Navigate past falling chandeliers and defeat a green coffin enemy. Continue east to find a Red ATK UP Book, accessible via Sharpened Anchors over spike pits.
Proceed east to a vantage point overlooking the Fountain of the Innocents. A Spirit here gives the Cemetery Fountain Clue. Drop down, use a Sharpened Anchor and wall jump to reach a treasure chest containing the Lance, a versatile melee and ranged weapon. A gauntlet follows, featuring Ghosts and a Malphas.
Smash the Virgin Mary Statue on the other pillar of the mausoleum. Activate a lever to clear a barrier for backtracking. Now, head west to the Ossuary of the Innocents (lower route). A Brave Heart Fragment is located on the ceiling; this requires exiting and re-entering the room to reset chandeliers, then using Anchors and chandeliers to reach the fragment. Exit west afterwards.
Reaching the Serpent's Lair
Back in Pauper's Grave, head east and south through the Roman Aqueduct and Roman Baths until a gate blocks your path. Turn left into the Hot Springs. Navigate spike beds and a large, moving saw blade, using Anchors and Holy Light for cover. A hidden Wall Chicken is present on a western wall before descending to an area with three saw blades.
Return to the Roman Baths and use an Anchor to reach a platform with a Wise Heart Fragment. Proceed east, crossing a water hazard using a Medusa Head and dodging Merman fireballs. The next area is the Serpent's Lair. Smash the Virgin Mary Statue and proceed down past a Medusa head sculpture. A save room with a Mirror of Life is nearby.
Defeating Medusa
After saving, head down the stairs to Medusa's boss room. Medusa will attack from either side. Utilize the Lance for close-range attacks while avoiding her gaze and strikes. The Holy Cross weapon is effective, but Infernal Pyre is not. When Medusa slams the platform, seek cover behind the large boulders that appear to avoid her petrifying beams.
Upon defeating Medusa, you will obtain The Prophetess Tarot card, granting the Petrifying Gaze Arcana, along with The Prophetess's Key. You will also receive the Rusted Harpē and Aegis, a sword and shield weapon, which allows for blocking and a Shield Bash ability.
Return to Paris and the Catacombs
From Medusa's room, return to the Mirror of Life room and proceed west into the Ancient Sewers. This area involves tricky platforming with Medusa Heads and falling wooden platforms, followed by an encounter with a Malphas and Mermen, and a Virgin Mary Statue above them.
Smash the statue, then navigate platforming challenges to reach a lever that opens an upper barrier. Deal with Skeletons and a Biphron, then break a door to find a Blue DEF UP Book. Use Holy Light to bypass spikes on your return.
From here, use Holy Light to pass through walls and take the right exit back to the Paris Streets. Break through the wreckage blocking a previously inaccessible door and proceed east to the Fallen's boss room. With all necessary keys in hand, Rose can now enter the Catacombs.
This concludes Part 2 of the Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Holy Innocents' Cemetery walkthrough. Part 3 will focus on Rose's journey into the Catacombs to face Death.