Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is looking like a genuine return to form for this longstanding, long-absent franchise.

Following the success of Dead Cells’ Castlevania DLC, Motion Twin and Evil Empire are collaborating yet again on what could very well be their best project to date.

Story & Presentation

The demo opens by introducing new protagonist Rose and her father—a face existing fans will instantly recognize: Trevor Belmont. The dialogue between them sets up the narrative premise and serves as a literal and symbolic passing of the torch. Conversations are supported by dramatically lit character portraits that frame each exchange with a stylised, Hades-esque flair.

Set in 15th-century Paris, the game isn’t shy about showcasing its gothic architecture and leaning heavily into the moody ambiance of the era, complemented by a painterly, anime-inspired aesthetic.  

Motion Twin and Evil Empire’s previous works have had an unmistakable impact here. The DNA of Dead Cells, The Rogue Prince of Persia, and even the Netflix animated series is clearly visible in both mechanics and presentation.

Konami’s backing shines through in what is arguably the highest production quality of any title from either studio. The most immediate upgrades are compelling voice acting, intricate character designs, and razor-sharp visual fidelity.

Gameplay & Combat

If there’s one thing Motion Twin and Evil Empire excel at, it’s character movement—both in traversal and combat.

The satisfying physical momentum perfected in Dead Cells and The Rogue Prince of Persia is on full display and further refined here. Rose’s movement feels agile and precise; running, jumping, climbing, and attacking feel natural, backed by responsive controls and graceful animations.

The real game-changer? The grappling hook. Snappy and fluid, it quickly becomes an indispensable highlight. Manually aiming with the left analog stick to swing across gaps and zip directly into enemies before launching an attack feels incredibly satisfying.

Combat feels equally responsive, empowering Rose to handle dense groups of foes with authority. The demo’s boss encounter, The Fallen, leaves a strong impression for the full release’s major fights. The battle acts as a trial-by-fire for fast-paced action, forcing you to master dodge and parry timings as he hurls flaming cross projectiles and attempts to snare you with his grapple. It demands pattern recognition and quick reflexes against well-telegraphed, surprisingly swift attacks.  

It took three or four attempts, but each failure felt like a learning experience. Defeating him rewards you with his projectile and grapple mechanics while teasing his shift into an ally. If this encounter—and the enemies leading up to it—are any indication, the full game’s combat will be as rewarding as it is challenging, providing meaningful progression with every major victory.  

Importantly, the game remains accessible. Fully customizable difficulty options allow players to tweak incoming and outgoing damage without penalising achievements or trophies. While the default setting felt comfortable for this playthrough, the inclusion of these options is a welcome touch.

Exploration & Progression

True to classic Metroidvania design, the game avoids hand-holding. You are free to explore with minimal signposting, charting your path by hitting temporary dead ends—whether blocked by locked abilities, missing equipment, or key items.

Progression is multifaceted and non-linear, with a significant portion tied directly to world exploration. Players can discover rare collectibles like hidden books for permanent stat boosts (such as attack upgrades) or harvest souls from defeated foes to raise Rose’s core stats at statues. Rose’s Arcana abilities scale naturally through gameplay milestones—such as triggering specific skills a set number of times in combat. Bosses play a crucial role in this system: defeating major encounters seals them into Arcana tarot cards, allowing Rose to equip, swap, and upgrade their unique spells and traversal traits.

Navigation is seamless thanks to a clean, highly legible map UI. Rather than merely tracking Rose’s position, the map allows players to place custom stamps to log out-of-reach resources and blocked pathways. The developers clearly respect the player’s time, transforming classic genre backtracking into a deliberate, rewarding checklist.

Sound & Visuals

Belmont’s Curse delivers the best visual presentation from either studio to date. Its stylized art direction evokes a living oil painting in motion—vibrant yet suitably grim, rendered with crisp visual fidelity. Dynamic particle effects and snappy animations add punchy, immediate feedback as you carve through enemies and navigate the world.

The soundtrack balances thematic variety, blending classic 8-bit chiptune motifs with atmospheric modern instrumentation. Lower-stakes orchestral melodies accompany general exploration before escalating into a dramatic, organ-heavy theatrical piece during the boss fight against The Fallen.

The sound design is equally immersive. Swords slash and thwack with heavy, satisfying contact, providing auditory weight that matches the visual flair of every attack and dodge.

Overall

While the demo is short—clocking in at under an hour—it is exceedingly sweet.

There is an addictive quality to the movement, the world and narrative are immediately engaging, and the experience is elevated by deep, open-ended progression systems. Even within a brief demo window, the narrative hooks land, player growth feels tangible, and the core loop satisfies.

Despite a daunting backlog, this one is a guaranteed pre-order. It’s a thrilling taste of what’s to come, leaving no doubt that the full release can’t arrive soon enough.