It is finally here. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse launches today, October 15, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC — the first brand-new console entry in the series since Lords of Shadow 2 in 2014, and the first traditional 2D installment in the original timeline since Order of Ecclesia in 2008.
Developed by Evil Empire with Motion Twin advising and Konami publishing, the game arrives as the flagship release of Castlevania’s 40th anniversary. By the look of the review scores, the wait was worth it.
What the Critics Are Saying
Aggregates are strong across the board:
| Platform | Metacritic |
|---|---|
| PC | 85 |
| PlayStation 5 | 86 |
| Xbox Series X|S | 88 |
OpenCritic reports that 97% of critics recommend the game. Individual outlets were warm: GameSpot called it “the series at its best,” Game Informer went with “Worthy of the Whip,” and IGN highlighted a “fast-paced focus on action first.”
That is a notable recovery for a franchise whose last mainline entry landed over a decade ago to a much cooler reception.
A New Belmont Takes the Whip
The story is set in 1499, twenty-three years after Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. You play as Rose Belmont (voiced by Abby Trott), daughter of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, who has inherited Dracula’s curse in her right arm. Trevor — voiced by JB Blanc, reprising the role from the Netflix animated series — enlists her help when demons overrun medieval Paris.
Several animated-series cast members return, including Graham McTavish as Dracula and Alejandra Reynoso as Sypha, alongside Liam O’Brien as Isaac.
Not a Roguelike — Despite the Pedigree
The obvious question going in: Evil Empire and Motion Twin made Dead Cells and its Return to Castlevania expansion, so surely this is a roguelite?
It is not. Konami shut that down back in March, and the design backs it up. Belmont’s Curse is a freeform action-exploration game in the Symphony of the Night tradition — a large, auto-filling map spanning both Dracula’s castle and the city of Paris, with RPG levelling, gear and ability unlocks.
Rose trades classic sub-weapons for tarot cards. Mana abilities sit under Arcana; equippable weapons live in the Armoury, covering short swords, long-reach spears and melee gauntlets. Progression is gated by boss defeats: each boss you beat hands over an attribute that becomes an equippable Arcana, and you strengthen those by performing “Works of Mercy” — using the ability under specific conditions until it upgrades. The Vampire Killer whip doubles as a traversal tool for crossing chasms and reaching heights.
Try Before You Buy
A demo went live across all platforms on October 1, covering the opening areas and the first boss fight against The Fallen — and progress carries over into the full game. If you are on the fence, that is the cleanest way to test whether this is your kind of Castlevania.
For release dates across the rest of the year, see our fall 2026 calendar.
Eighteen years is a long wait and Evil Empire actually delivered. Rose Belmont's whip feels weightier than anything in the Lords of Shadow era.
Metacritic in the mid-80s is about right. Not perfect, but a proper 2D Castlevania again, and the Switch version runs surprisingly well.