Despite being one of the most important video game franchises of all time, creating an entire subgenre of platform games with Nintendo‘s Metroid series, KONAMI‘s Castlevania has been away from the spotlight for a long time. Following 2014’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, the series has gone into a long hiatus which was brought to an end only recently with the popular Netflix animated show and collections that brought classic entries in the franchise to modern gaming hardware.
With KONAMI finally returning to some of its core franchises like Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid, it was only a matter of time Castlevania would also return. Following the launch of the successful Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC, developer Evil Empire finally unveiled Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, the first 2D entry in the series since 2008 which will spearhead the series’ full revival and is set to become, in my opinion, one of the best entries in the series to date.
For Gamescom 2026, I was invited by KONAMI and Evil Empire to try the game out in a 60-minute-long session I wished were longer. Right from the start, I was hooked: the 2D visuals are beautiful, as are the character artwork which, alongside some very high quality voice acting, ensures the player is fully immersed into this gorgeous rendition of Paris and Rose Belmont‘s mission.
However, what really took me in is how the game feels unmistakably Castlevania. With Dead Cells, Evil Empire proved they know how to make a fast-paced, relentless 2D action game, but the KONAMI series is slower and more deliberate in everything, but the French studio proved they truly get what makes the series so iconic. Rose moves and fights with the proper weight, and as a result, combat immediately feels right and incredibly satisfying, especially after her whip becomes available. While it is mainly a traversal tool which powers many of the game’s solid traversal challenges, it also powers a unique special attack that changes depending on the equipped weapon. This Whip Attack is generally quite powerful, which is a deliberate choice from the developer, as I have been told by Bérenger Dupré (Marketing Director at Evil Empire) and Sandro Bordier (Lead Designer at Evil Empire) that it was not nerfed to ensure it is satisfying to use.
It’s not just the Whip Attack that is very satisfying to use in Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, but weapons and Arcanas as well. Although I was only able to try out sword and cestus, I could definitely appreciate how different they were. The cestus operated very differently from the straightforward sword, with a charge and an uppercut launcher that radically changes playstyle, as well as mechanics that empower attacks depending on usage. Arcanas, on the other hand, are in part inspired by the classic series’ sub-weapons, but with some twists that make the entire experience feel like a proper sequel to the latest 2D entries in the series.
What really stood out in my session is how Evil Empire has done a masterful job balancing Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. While Rose feels powerful even at the start of her adventure in Paris, the game is not an easy game at all. Regular combat encounters are made challenging by the stage’s layout and enemy configuration, while bosses are very challenging in an almost “Soulslike” way, thanks to their varied movesets that relentlessly hit Rose very hard.
And Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse isn’t challenging just during combat. Traversal promises to be quite a challenge as well, as developer Evil Empire has not only created a beautifully intricate world filled with secrets, but has also done away with excessive waypoint markers on the map to guide players, preserving the essence of the series’ experience without being afraid to potentially turn off newcomers. The marker system that lets players pin locations on the map is a nice, player-driven touch that addresses potential concerns, but hardcore Metroidvania fans won’t be told where to go to progress through the story.
Despite having tested well over 20 games during this year’s Gamescom, I have little doubt that Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse was among the best I played. Looking at how the game’s first hour plays and feels, I really cannot wait for October 15 to come around to fully delve into what I feel will end up being one of the best entries in the series, and one that could rival the monster that is still Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack.
After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi “Suda51” Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA’s president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3.
When he’s not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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