Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse pairs strong combat with uneven exploration

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse stars Rose Belmont, daughter of vampire hunter Trevor Belmont and witch Sypha Belnades.

Rose sets out to free Paris from demonic occupation before her journey takes her to Dracula’s castle.

The game is the first new entry in the series in more than a decade, and was developed by Evil Empire and Motion Twin with Konami.

Fast combat and Rose’s whip-hook are among its strengths: the whip can help her move through the world and grapple enemies.

Rose also gains weapons and magical attacks as she progresses.

Reviews praise the visuals and boss fights, but say exploration and platforming can be uneven or frustrating.

The game shifts away from some of the series’ traditional focus on secrets and puzzles toward challenging platforming rooms.

The reviews describe an inventive but inconsistent adventure that should appeal to many Castlevania players.