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At the series’ 40th anniversary, Dracula returns to terrorize the world and a Belmont stands in his way once again.
After more than a decade of waiting, the pillar of the action-platformer genre is back with Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse and we can’t wait for its release. This latest entry looks like a return to form for the beloved videogame series but it’s more than just a blast from the past.
For the casual observer, the Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse announcement in the February State of Play might seem like a novelty. They might have a passing familiarity with it or even recognize it as that animated series that aired on Netflix. Understandable as the IP has been dormant for 12 years save for a few collaborations and classic collections.
But for many gamers, Castlevania will forever remain iconic as it helped shape an entire genre. After all, it’s one half of the Metroidvania moniker. But now that we have a full blown series revival in our hands, there’s a lot to be excited about.
The Belmont Saga Continues
The thing that immediately comes to mind is we’re getting more to the eternal struggle between Dracula and the Belmont family. It’s been confirmed that the game will be taking place 23 years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. Once again it’s up to a Belmont, wielding the legendary “Vampire Killer” whip, to stop Dracula’s monstrous horde from rampaging across Paris.
Considering the naming convention between the two games, we’ll likely learn more about the connection between the Belmonts and Dracula. Are they really destined to fight each other for all eternity or is there something more behind their fates? Castlevania lore is surprisingly dense so it’ll be interesting to see where they take it.
A Modern Take on a Classic
Even though we only get a few seconds of gameplay, it’s clear that Belmont’s Curse will play differently than previous Castlevania games. This new Belmont moves through obstacles and dispatches enemies with more agility than previous protagonists and that’s getting us hyped.
While Castlevania is a timeless series, its gameplay has surely aged. Their last true sidescroller was Order of Ecclesia back in 2008. A lot of Metroidvanias have been released since then, each one adding their own twists and improvements to the formula. We’re not saying that the series should drop what made it unique but if they really want to make an impact, they need to learn from how the genre has evolved in the past 20 years. So far, it looks like we have nothing to worry about in that department..
Returning to a Dark World
At the end of the day, what we’re most excited about is being able to dive back into the dark, twisted, and often bizarre world of Castlevania. Many have tried to emulate it, but we all know that nothing can ever replace the original.
Granted, the trailer shows that Belmont’s Curse will have a more colorful and painted style. It takes some of the edge off from the environment and enemies but it’s undeniably very nice to look at. There’s still more to discover in a monster infested Paris of course, and there’ll undoubtedly be plenty of chances for them to show off some horrible beasts that you’ll need to slay.
Banner image credit: Playstation.