Six Things I'm Hoping to See in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse

I am, in my humble opinion, a big fan of the Castlevania franchise. Having played almost all of the titles to date (sans the Nintendo 64 additions), I’m always eager to see something being added to the series that isn’t another pachinko machine or mobile game.

With the fiasco that was Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and Konami’s seeming indifference to the IP, I was honestly surprised to see that we’re not only getting a new mainline 2D sidescroller, but it is being helmed by Evil Empire, of Dead Cells fame. As such, I’m apprehensively excited to see if Castlevania: Belmont's Curse can fill the monolithic expectations the fans have.

Being one such fan, as previously stated, I wanted to write down some of the concepts and mechanics I’d love to see make a return. Having avoided trailers and any information like the plague, some points on this list may already be confirmed to be in the game or only in my dreams, but a guy can hope!

1. Don’t Make It a Roguelike

When I heard the game was being developed by Evil Empire, my first thought (to my shame) was “I hope it isn’t a roguelike”. Now, before you brandish your procedurally generated pitchforks at me, I don’t have anything against the genre… but I am feeling a bit of fatigue due to its prevalence.

Roguelikes are pretty common these days, and it’s easy to see why: the endless replayability, fun builds, and quick sessions seem to fit the gaming style of today, in addition to possibly being a bit easier to develop. However, I feel that Castlevania would suffer a bit from deviating from its explorative and more slow-paced roots.

A big part of the joy in these games is how the map slowly opens up and expands as the player gains power. Additionally, there is something satisfying about going back to early areas that were difficult, now being able to walk through with ease. Let me take my time and enjoy the castle, not worry about having to start from the beginning after being bonked on the head by an errant skeleton.

2. Have Some Fun Movement

Something that has improved in almost every new addition to the game, movement is a crucial factor in making Castlevania such a joy to play. Even in the earlier arcadey games, having the ability to whip around was groundbreaking!

Now, I am referring to more than a double jump and backdash here. My favourite entries in the series have introduced something new and fun in terms of movement, be it the many forms of Alucard in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Julius teleporting with the power of martial arts in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, or the many techniques of fan favourite Richter.

There’s just something so enjoyable in both learning and mastering these moves and then implementing them to get around and be untouchable in combat. Or simply getting past that one long corridor in record time. From the little I have seen, it would appear Belmont’s Curse is on top of this idea, as main character Rose seems to have the ability to swing around quite acrobatically with the family whip. I hope this is used in interesting ways both in and out of combat.

3. Weapons and Abilities Galore

Since we are playing as a Belmont again after quite a long pause, I assume the main weapon will be the Vampire Killer whip. While I love the family heirloom as a concept, I do prefer the games where the main character can switch between a large repertoire of weapons. Having the ability to switch attack styles at any time keeps things fresh and makes finding new and powerful gear that much more impactful.

If weapons are out of the picture, then I hope they implement something akin to the Power of Dominance from Aria of Sorrow and its sequel, or even Order of Ecclesia’s Glyphs. Gathering weapons and abilities is half the fun in a metroidvania; why else would I slay the same enemy for hours on end, if not for a cool sword?

4. Many Monstrous Menageries

Speaking of slaying beasts, another thing I have come to adore in the Castlevania series is the absolutely massive repertoire of enemies to be defeated. Drawing inspiration from classic monsters, cryptids, and myth, it’s always a joy to see how a specific creature is interpreted. It is also fun to see which series staples make a return and what new horrors have been added.

As it’s been a while since the last release, maybe we’ll see some beasties based on more modern horror. Perchance Slenderman will creep around a forest, maybe an SCP-esque anomaly will show up, or we could even come face to face with Herobrine. The sky’s the limit! If nothing else, I look forward to seeing my favourite pixelated ghouls reimagined in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse’s unique style.

5. Serenade Us With the Soundtrack

One of the biggest issues I had with the Lords of Shadow games was how it seemed to throw away decades of musical tradition. Sure, it’s understandable that the games were trying to pave the way for a new narrative, but the score is such an integral part of the whole that eschewing it just felt out of place.

During the long history of Castlevania, we’ve seen many a track be played and re-imagined, from character-based leitmotifs, such as Richter's Divine Bloodline, to the ever-classic Bloody Tears and Vampire Killer. There’s just something special about music that has lived and evolved along with the series for so long that it seems a shame not to use them in some fashion! There’s a reason one can find hour-long videos documenting the evolution of a single theme, after all.

6. Add to the Lore

As this is a new addition to the mainline series, I, for one, am eager to see what will be added to the grand story of the battle between the Belmonts and Dracula. Since it’s set pretty soon after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, it’s pretty early days in the lore. Series staple, Simon Belmont, hasn’t even been born yet!

The beauty of the Castlevania series is that there are a lot of long periods between Dracula popping up, so there’s ample room for exploration and stories to be told. I’m hoping to see some nods to the continuity as well as maybe getting some more insight into Trevor Belmont, as he’s gotten quite the following after his Netflix animation exploits. Considering the timeline, we may even see the origins of the lesser-known Christopher Belmont!

As a side note, I won’t be too heartbroken if the devs decide to retcon a bit of the massive Castlevania mythos. It spans literal centuries and can be a bit of a mess. Just remember to add Leon Belmont in there somewhere because Konami really should…

BONUS: Remake Castlevania: Curse of Darkness!

This is solely for me and my undying hope for the return of my absolute favourite Castlevania title, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness. Ever since Hector showed up in the animation, I’ve been convinced someone is working on this remaster behind the scenes! Now, Konami has the perfect chance to unveil it. Yes, this copium is delicious, thank you very much.

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And there you have my little list of what I hope to see in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, once it releases in October. Did I miss something you’d love to see, or am I completely foolish and should be hoping for more Super Castlevania 4? Let us know in the comments!