Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Launches to Strong Reviews

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse launches October 15, 2026, and critics have largely welcomed the return of the Castlevania series. The exploration-based 2D action game from publisher Konami and Evil Empire holds an 86 on Metacritic and an 85 on OpenCritic, with perfect scores from GameSpot and Shacknews, though a handful of reviewers call it dated or slightly unresponsive. Here is what is confirmed about the launch, the story, the cast, the reviews, and how it plays.

What Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Is and Where to Play It

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is developed by Evil Empire, the studio that took over Dead Cells updates from creator Motion Twin, with Motion Twin in an advisory role. The two aforementioned developers previously teamed up on the Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania expansion in 2023. Per Wikipedia it is the 26th main entry in the franchise, entered production in 2022, and was announced in February 2026 in the series' 40th anniversary year, making it the first new console entry since Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 in 2014. The revival follows a brief period in which Konami emphasized mobile and pachislot titles, and Nintendo Life reported a rumor in 2021 that the company was reviving Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid, and Silent Hill. Xbox Wire says the goal was never to surpass landmarks like Symphony of the Night, only to add a new chapter.

The video game launches on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, and Nintendo Switch, with Xbox Play Anywhere support at no extra cost, so it is a PC game as well as a console release. Konami's official website confirmed the October 15 date and the Midnight Edition on June 8, and a free demo has been live since October 1 with progress carrying over. Notebookcheck reports Konami lists the Nintendo Switch version at 30 fps, against 60 fps elsewhere, and Konami initially said the Switch version would slip to later in the year before confirming a simultaneous launch.

How Much Does Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Cost?

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse costs $29.99 for the Standard Edition and $39.99 for the Midnight Edition, per Notebookcheck, and both editions launch on the same day. Pre-orders opened in June, and the free demo lets players try the opening areas before buying.

Is There an Official Trailer for Castlevania: Belmont's Curse?

Yes. Konami debuted the announcement trailer during PlayStation's State of Play in February 2026, then showed a second trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase in June that confirmed the October 15 date. An August cast-reveal trailer introduced the voice actors, and a Bloody Tears trailer is on Xbox's store.

Story and Setting

The story takes place in Medieval Paris in 1499, 23 years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and 20 years after Curse of Darkness. Konami's store description sets the scene as tolling bells heralding the end while monstrous creatures emerge, with Rose swept into a dark conspiracy beneath the looming castle. Players control protagonist Rose Belmont, daughter of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, who carries Dracula's curse in her right arm, the same curse that took her late mother's life. Game Informer says newcomers can jump in without trouble even though the game is technically a sequel to the Castlevania III story that Netflix's series adapted. Per Wikipedia, a local bishop requests Trevor's help, and Rose then splits from her father to scour the burning streets for clues while Trevor meets with the bishop.

Who Is in the Cast?

Konami Digital Entertainment revealed the English voice acting cast in August, with Abby Trott as Rose, JB Blanc as Trevor, Alejandra Reynoso as Sypha, and Graham McTavish as Dracula. McTavish and Reynoso reprise their roles from Netflix's Castlevania series, and Liam O'Brien returns as Isaac, the role he first voiced in Curse of Darkness. Erica Lindbeck plays Joan of Arc, one of the game's enigmatic new bosses, and Melique Berger voices Medusa.

Review Scores

Metacritic's PS5 score sits at 86 from 44 reviews, with 42 positive, two mixed, and none negative, and PureXbox reports an 88 on Xbox. OpenCritic shows a Top Critic Average of 85, with 97 percent of critics recommending the game. GameSpot and Shacknews gave perfect 10s, Game Informer's Charles Harte scored it 9.25/10, and IGN, GamesRadar+, and TechRadar all landed at 80/100.

Harte named hunting each target as his favorite mechanic, since Rose gathers clues from her surroundings as she approaches one. Shacknews praised the lore and the level design while warning that on normal settings the game is "Castlevania hard." RPGFan notes that the series' "Bloody Tears" theme plays in the game, and RPG Site compares some of the platforming puzzles to Hollow Knight, as does Gaming Bible, which calls the game a modern love letter with a dash of Hollow Knight. Xbox Wire's launch piece, published on Microsoft's own site, calls it a worthy heir to the series' legacy.

What Are the Biggest Complaints About Castlevania: Belmont's Curse?

The criticism is mostly about feel and freshness. VGC gave it 6/10, saying the core gameplay has not evolved alongside the genre and feels dated, while Push Square scored it 7/10 and found Rose a bit unresponsive. Gfinity cited a subdued soundtrack, uneven boss design, and a slow start. One roundup adds that some critics see it as a better metroidvania than a Castlevania, noting that Rose begins without the classic whip or a throwable dagger.

How Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Plays

Like Super Castlevania IV, the Belmont family whip, the legendary holy whip known as the Vampire Killer, doubles as a swing tool, and Wikipedia describes the world as open and non-linear in the Metroidvania style. Konami says players customize Rose's battle style with a variety of equipment, from weapons in seven distinct categories to Relics with powerful effects. Push Square notes the weapons play differently: the greatsword is slow and powerful, the sword and shield blocks frontal attacks, and the cross deals more damage the farther it travels from Rose. Leveling up raises her available hit points, magic points, and the associated potencies of her attacks, per Wikipedia.

Defeating bosses earns the keys that unlock new areas, and Wikipedia says further exploration of the castle is gated by large doorways that require them. The Belmont name has headlined before, as in the 1991 Game Boy game Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge, but this is a modern exploration game, and other Castlevania games, like the Lords of Shadow series, sit in a separate timeline. Xbox Wire's developer preview adds that the maps blend new features with familiar elements inspired by classic Castlevania titles.

What Is the Arcana System?

Arcana are the game's tarot-driven abilities. Wikipedia explains that defeating bosses lets Rose siphon a power that is stored as an Arcana she can equip as her own ability, and that Arcana can be strengthened by completing Works of Mercy, which require using the ability a set number of times under specific conditions. RPGFan adds that completing Works of Mercy lets you pick another buff to your magic. Shacknews says Trevor hands Rose a deck of magic-imbued tarot cards early on that react to notable figures, and CBR adds that the cards show future bosses, some of whom help Rose after she defeats them while others try to manipulate her.

What's Next

With the game launching October 15 and a demo already available, players can judge the controls for themselves before buying. Reviews broadly agree that the art, level design, and Arcana system are the highlights, and the main question is whether the responsiveness complaints bother you.