Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Review
I was excited for the return of Castlevania. I have a long history with the franchise, and the lengthy delay leading up to this release left me longing for its resurrection. That it was made by highly capable dev teams only added to the anticipation. Let’s look at the good and the bad before deciding its ultimate place in the library of titles
What I Disliked:
- The Hall Of Mirrors was frustrating and annoying test of patience.
- The fast-travel mirrors were cumbersome and obtuse.
- Limited enemy design resulted in a lot of repetition.
- Sub weapons: felt like too many.
- Not enough powerful upgrades. Progression didn’t scale enough.
What I Liked
- Map completion tracking: gold outlines helped greatly.
- Storyline. It was fun with a good mix of fan service and novelty.
- Platforming sections. Not as complex as Prince Of Persia, but fun!
- Side content. I didn’t mind looking things up to guide me.
What I Loved
- The visuals. Simply phenomenal. Art design, animations, colors – all incredible.
- Bosses. Designs and challenge. Some were frustrating.
- Movement. Fluid, fun, and easy to traverse. Feels modern and swift.
- Voice acting. All were high quality and done very well.
It’s a modern take on the franchise and one that sits well alongside its heritage. It’s not better than Rondo, Dracula’s Curse, or Symphony Of The Night. But that’s ok! It’s better than the 3D games, several of the GBA/NDS ones, Simon’s Quest, etc. It was fun!
Ideally, Konami would release a follow-up within two years, using this engine as a basis, and exploring Alucard’s storyline. He was mentioned in this game, after all. The company hinted at a 3D collection. The two PS2-era games and Lords Of Shadow? Let’s ride Konami’s newfound appreciation for its franchises and enjoy another entry soon, no?
