{
  "id": 14699501,
  "title": "Castlevania: Belmont's Curse review - inspired by great ideas, but doomed by questionable execution",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/castlevania-belmonts-curse-review-inspired-by-great-ideas-but-doomed",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-15T13:06:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Eurogamer",
    "slug": "eurogamer",
    "url": "https://www.eurogamer.net/castlevania-belmonts-curse-review"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Metroidvanias have long held a fascination for me, with their maps serving as both a testament to the paths traversed and the ones yet to be explored. Castlevania: Belmont's Curse embraces this concept wholeheartedly, offering a labyrinthine environment ripe with hidden paths and secrets to uncover. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Dead Cells, Evil Empire's rendition of the series does justice to the legacy of the Belmont family, beginning with the fearless Rose Belmont who embarks on a quest to vanquish Dracula in a Paris ravaged by time.\n\nRose's journey begins with a lengthy tutorial introducing her central gimmick - a set of tarot cards capable of ensnaring the souls of those under Dracula's spell. As she navigates the cursed cityscape, she must uncover clues to the whereabouts of the main antagonists, slowly piecing together a narrative that spans over five centuries. The game's design is undeniably inspired - the way mirrors connect, the music-based puzzles within Notre-Dame cathedral, and the platforming gauntlet that takes you up the Clock Tower are all truly remarkable. However, despite its innovative design and clever mechanics, the execution of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse falters at times.\n\nThe protagonist's awkward movements and controls, designed around the classic eight-direction D-pad, often clash with the more fluid movements of enemies and environmental elements. This discrepancy leads to frustrating moments where Rose gets stuck between enemies and their shields, resulting in unnecessary damage and frustration. The controls and framerate issues, even on PS5 Pro, further exacerbate these problems and contribute to an overall feeling of irritation.\n\nWhile the game's design choices, particularly its sadistic nature, are not without merit, there are moments where Belmont's Curse leans too far into unnecessary punishment. Some checkpointing is overly punishing, and the fast travel system, although initially introduced to aid in backtracking, can be unnecessarily convoluted and frustrating. The boss fights are an example of where the tension between design and execution is most apparent. Some are intelligent and challenging, testing reflexes and stamina, while others are overcomplicated, leading to unbalanced encounters that can easily result in defeat, regardless of the character's abilities or weapon types.\n\nDespite these shortcomings, the pacing of the game is commendable, and the moments of brilliance shine through when the developers have successfully combined design and execution. Overall, while Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is inspired by great ideas, it is ultimately doomed by questionable execution, leaving the reader to wish for a smoother implementation of the game's genius mechanics.",
  "summary": "In my office, I have a collage of Ordnance Survey maps plastered across my wall. They're from places I've lived - Derbyshire, East London, Bournemouth, Bristol - with cycle routes, country roads, and parks highlighted and circled. It's an atlas of my experiences, a living memoir of the places I've been and the things I've seen. There's magic in a map, its ability to remind you of the paths you've…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}