Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Reviews Are In: Scores, Release Time, Price and Platforms

The Castlevania: Belmont's Curse reviews landed on October 13, and the verdict is mostly warm: the game holds a Top Critic Average of 86 on OpenCritic, with 97% of critics recommending it across 40 reviews at the time of writing. Konami's new 2D entry unlocks worldwide on October 15 at 04:00 UTC, which is midnight Eastern Time and 9 p.m. Pacific on October 14.

For a series that has lived mostly on collections and remasters, that is a big deal. Belmont's Curse is a brand-new side-scrolling adventure, and its critical reception puts it in the conversation with the best-reviewed Castlevania games in years.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse reviews: what critics say

The highest praise came from GameSpot, which gave the game a 10/10 and called combat and traversal some of the best the series has offered. The review singles out a parry that blends into attacks, fast movement across Paris and the castle, and a tarot-card system that ties story and progression together. Its main complaint is that the heroine, Rose, is less interesting than the cast around her.

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Not everyone is that excited. VGC gave it 3/5, praising the hand-drawn look, the soundtrack and the generous difficulty sliders, but describing the design as safe and familiar. That review also points to tough default bosses and save rooms that can leave you walking a long way back after a death. Push Square landed in a similar middle ground, calling it a perfectly fine Metroidvania.

Put together, the picture is clear: fans of classic "Igavania" exploration should feel at home, while players hoping for a radical reinvention may find it conservative.

Release time, platforms and price

According to the official PlayStation Store listing, the game unlocks on October 15 at 04:00 UTC. That works out to:

United States: 9 p.m. PT / midnight ET (October 14 into 15). Brazil: 1 a.m. BRT on October 15. UK: 5 a.m. BST. Central Europe: 6 a.m. CEST. Japan: 1 p.m. JST.

It launches on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. Konami has not announced a separate Switch 2 edition; Switch 2 owners can play the Switch version through backward compatibility.

On Steam, the Standard Edition costs $29.99 and the Midnight Edition costs $39.99 (checked in October 2026). The Midnight Edition adds a Digital Sound & Art Gallery app, Trevor and Sypha style costumes and the Family's Grace relic. Pre-orders include an Alucard-style costume, and a free demo is available on PlayStation.

Story and gameplay: Rose Belmont in 1499 Paris

Belmont's Curse is set in Paris in 1499, 23 years after Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. You play as Rose Belmont, daughter of Trevor, who gets pulled into a conspiracy while hunting monsters with her father.

Rose fights and moves with the whip, swinging across gaps and pouncing on enemies. The headline system is the Arcana: defeating key bosses, including Death, Medusa, Carmilla and Joan of Arc, turns them into tarot cards that grant spells and special actions. GameSpot notes that each Arcana also has three optional objectives that unlock upgrades and extra dialogue.

Gear is built around weapons in seven categories plus Relics with offensive and defensive effects. For players who want a gentler ride, a Custom Mode adds options such as adjustable damage and checkpoints before boss doors.

PC requirements

The Steam page lists the following specs for Windows 11 (64-bit), both with 16 GB of RAM and 10 GB of storage:

Minimum: Intel Core i5-8400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650. Recommended: Intel Core i5-10400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060.

Those are modest numbers for a 2026 release, so most gaming PCs from the last few years should run it comfortably.

What it means for players and what comes next

Belmont's Curse is the first fully new 2D Castlevania in more than a decade, and it comes from a team with Metroidvania pedigree: Evil Empire and Motion Twin are the studios behind Dead Cells. If the reviews hold, it gives Konami a strong base to keep the series going beyond collections.

Trophy hunters should plan ahead: Push Square reports that the Platinum requires 100% completion. If you want more games in the same style while you wait for launch, see our list of the best Metroidvania games, or check our best horror games for Halloween for something spookier.