Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Hands-On Preview – This Rose Has Thorns
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is possibly one of the most influential 2D side-scrolling action games of all-time. It was so good that it even created its own genre (along with Metroid), “Metroidvania,” which spawned countless titles such as Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, Bloodstained, and more.
Konami aims to take back the throne, or at least be in the conversation again, with Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse.
MP1st was fortunate to try the game at Tokyo Game Show 2026, and so far things look promising.
Dracula’s Curse Is Cast Again
In development by Konami and Evil Empire (Dead Cells), Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse stars Rose Belmont, the daughter of vampire hunter Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades.
The 2D action-platformer is set in Paris, 1499. Rose is swept up in a dark tale that necessitates her need to clean the streets of Paris of monsters and to solve the mystery of why they’re there.
Rose will lay waste to enemies with a sword for starters, though you’ll gain access to the series’ iconic whip. However, instead of a weapon, it’ll serve as a traversal tool. She just won’t rely on her whip, as Evil Empire looks to shake things up by introducing the Arcana System, which traps defeated bosses in tarot cards that give Rose the ability to use their skills. Each tarot card skill can even be upgraded, offering more customization and combat depth, though, understandably, we weren’t able to do that in the timed-demo.
These skills range from spells to special moves that let Rose reach previously inaccessible areas.
During our 20-minute play time, we learned the basics, and if you’ve played a Castlevania game, you know what to expect. Rose will dispatch any enemy she sees on-screen, and right from the start, you’ll see areas you won’t be able to access until much later on.
Konami said there would be seven weapon categories, each having its own pros and cons. Unfortunately, we weren’t given a chance to try them ourselves. Rose also has Relics to help her in battle, and these are special items that given permanent or passive bonuses/abilities.
Instead of collecting hearts to recharge these skills, players can inflict damage to refill the meter. It’s a good dance of using your primary attack, then switching to Relics when the situation calls for it, and so on.
The short runtime gave a brief glimpse of what Rose can do, culminating in a boss fight. Upon beating this boss, Rose will be able to trap them in tarot cards, and in doing so, you’ll not only be able to use their skill, but also communicate with said boss.
Castlevania Is Ready to Seize Back Its Throne
Belmont’s Curse is said to feature a fresh take on the world of Castlevania, and it remains to be seen how fresh this could be. Thankfully, the combat seems tight, and it’s not lacking in the visuals department, either.
Complementing the tried-and-true Metroidvania gameplay is gorgeous 2D animated sprites and backgrounds. You won’t have time to marvel at the decor, as each corridor houses a vast assortment of ghouls and other creatures ready to chomp a piece of Rose.
Until we’ve experienced how Belmont’s Curse handles the Metroidvania formula with its skills and item unlocks, labyrinthine maps, it’s hard to say whether Konami can reclaim its throne from such worthy opponents.
That said, based on what we’ve played so far, Belmont’s Curse is on the right track. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long, as Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse will be released on October 15 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 and PC.
