[[2026 Games]]  ## 2026-10-18 **Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse** is easily one of the best games I’ve played this year. Which makes it all the funnier that so many people are so mad about it. I’m actually baffled at the people who are saying this isn’t “a real **Castlevania** game.” So you don’t, in fact, like to play **Castlevania** from what I can tell. Or rather, it would seem that people are content with wanting to play a rehash of **Symphony of the Night** for the rest of their lives. If [[Konami]] did that, they’d certainly be make a competent game, but not the incredible one that I’ve gotten to experience. **Belmont’s Curse** feels like a modern evolution of the series, and a game that recognizes how the genre has changed in the years that it’s been dormant. But that doesn’t make it any less of a [[Metroidvania]]. As a certain [[Ghost]] said, “if you’re looking at your map every 5 seconds wondering where the fuck you’re supposed to go, then you’re playing a Metroidvania.” And you do just that in **Belmont’s Curse**, whilst also swinging, dashing, wall-jumping, and other Metroidvania-like verbs through a gigantic map. The platforming can be tough as nails, which is possibly the only negative I can think of for this game, but even that’s undercut by the very well thought-out accessibility options to help you power through. The combat is possibly the most different from the usual **Castlevania**-fare, playing more like **Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown**, aka the greatest Metroidvania ever made and it’s not even close. So not bad inspiration to pull from. There are 6 different weapon types, a parry, gap-closers, and so on. Each weapon has optimal conditions to be used — the whip does the most damage when hitting an enemy with the tip, for example, whereas the dual blades require you to time your button presses — and they get new bonuses as you find upgraded versions of them. Exploring Dracula’s castle in this game is a blast, satisfying without being a slog to backtrack through. I love how well interconnected it is, and how some of the puzzles are real head-scratchers that had me pulling out a pen & paper at points. Every environment is beautifully rendered and unique, so traveling never feels monotonous. You can leave markers all over your map, which makes it easier to keep track of your progress — although I'm baffled no one’s taken **The Lost Crown**’s photography idea yet. The plot is likely the most surprising part of **Belmont’s Curse**. I won’t spoil anything, but it’s pretty ingenious how Evil Empire uses the Tarot system to allow for more dialogue and character interaction. Every time Rose Belmont beats a boss, they become trapped in her Tarot deck, and are able to talk to her as she moves about the castle. Some bosses were mind-controlled and seek redemption, some are willing servants to Dracula, and some are just insane, but they very frequently have something to say, meaning cutscenes aren’t restricted to one-off rooms. It’s a bummer a lot of bosses get pretty quiet after they’re defeated though, because the nonlinear nature of the game means that the devs can’t account for who’s in your deck when without a lot of extra work. Regardless, all this means that there’s a higher level of characterization overall, and more time for the plot to shine through. It’s no [[Nine Sols is a Masterpiece|Nine Sols]] on the narrative front, but it’s better than most **Castlevanias** I’ve played. Easily one of the best games I’ve played in 2026, and highly recommended.