{
  "id": 17270999,
  "title": "Castlevania: Belmont's Curse review – a comeback worth waiting for",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/castlevania-belmonts-curse-review-a-comeback-worth-waiting-for-17270999",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T18:03:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/pop-culture/2026/10/30/castlevania-belmonts-curse-review-konami/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Castlevania: Belmont's Curse marks Konami's revival of the beloved franchise, delivering a captivating Metroidvania-style experience set in 1499 Paris. As Rose Belmont, daughter of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, players investigate evil forces while grappling with an inherited curse. The game introduces a variety of weapons, including swords, spears, gauntlets, and, of course, the iconic whip, enabling players to wield up to six healing potions and adjust difficulty settings. With improved traversal abilities, such as sliding, double-jumping, and dashing, players can explore previously inaccessible areas and uncover secrets hidden within mirrors, traps, and dead ends. The inclusion of tarot cards allows Rose to absorb powers from defeated bosses, which can be upgraded through Works of Mercy and lead to the powerful Absolution spell. The game features a compelling narrative with returning characters like Brauner, Carmilla, Medusa, Joan of Arc, Isaac, Dracula, and Sypha, as well as new elements like historical figures and a unique boss character. While Belmont's Curse is a triumph, some drawbacks include the absence of familiar sub-weapons, an overzealous hitbox, and slow recovery. The game offers three endings depending on the choices made and hints at potential future DLCs and remakes as part of Konami's 40th-anniversary celebration.",
  "summary": "I finally got to crack that whip after more than a decade, and it felt good. The weapon, wielded by generations of vampire hunters in the Castlevania series, makes its return in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse . The game marks Konami's revival of the franchise with its 26th mainline entry and the first standalone title since 2014's Lords of Shadow 2 , arriving just in time for the series' 40th…",
  "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."
}