Topic: Castlevania: Belmont's Curse!!!

[Solomon]

About 18 hours into the game. The music is probably its weakest point (disappointing for a Castlevania,frankly) and the story its strongest.

Speaking of story, I have just two gripes:

1. Why don't

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Leon and Medusa recognize each other? You'd think they'd have remembered clashing back in 1094.

2. Instead of

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Brauner, could they not have used Olrox instead? I hear this Brauner's an identical ancestor who just so happened to be a vampire too but that's so roundabout and forced and it takes away from the OG Brauner's one-and-done uniqueness.

Otherwise I'm having quite the blast. Belmont's Curse isn't perfect by any means but it's absolutely above average and a worthy welcome back to our favorite franchise.

Now uh.... can we please make sure a Japanese studio does the next game?

[K.G. Morder]

  feels like an indie title.

Because it is an indie title. They just outsourced the game to a small studio to do.

What a sorry showing for the series 40th anniversary.

[DarkLavos]

Poor Grant gets left out again with no mention or easter egg.

[Lumi Kløvstad]

Poor Grant gets left out again with no mention or easter egg.

Aside from Judgment (which warped and distorted most of the characterizations therein beyond recognition and into wholly new characters so I really don't feel it counts here), was the last time Grant was recognized by ANY Castlevania media was at least 20 years ago, depending on which Curse of Darkness manga had his fucking SILHOUETTE show up as one of the heroes who defeated Dracula (I think it was Prelude to Revenge but don't quote me on that), and Portrait of Ruin which reused the Fake Grant enemy and came out around the same time.

[Abnormal Freak]

Just a few of my own (premature) thoughts, having gotten through the catacombs and embarking on the castle proper:

I'm enjoying the game. There's stuff about it I don't care for, but it's pretty well made, and is fairly Castlevania-ish. Though it plays more like Ori meets Meat Boy than an IGAvania, but that's OK: it can be its own thing, as long as that diversion doesn't piss me off; and so far the devs have done a pretty good job of keeping me entertained.

I'll say one thing: I've had more fun with the 7 or so hours I've spent with it than I ever did in the same amount of time playing Bloodstained: ROTN. While ROTN feels more in line with the GBA and DS games in some ways, it's always felt so incomplete and unenjoyable. At least Belmont's Curse has some pretty good game mechanics, even if the area designs themselves are a little iffy and don't have any kind of logic of being a proper place of dwelling for beasties and Drac. That was something IGA usually got right: making the Demon Castle and its surroundings feel habitable and reasonable. Maybe I'll see more of that kind of logic further in, probably not: all the spoilery things I've seen just show more an abundance of spinny blade death traps and silliness like that. Somewhat fun from a gameplay perspective but doesn't make a whole lot of sense otherwise.

My biggest gripe with the game is the music. It's not offensive or bad necessarily, but it just exists—it doesn't evoke any kind of emotion, and there's certainly no discernible melody. It's the complete antithesis to Castlevania music and its legacy, more so than games with otherwise brilliant scores like the N64 games. Every area's music sounds the same and it's the weakest part of the whole experience. The art direction is also a bit iffy, and sometimes it's damn hard to discern what's happening in the background and foreground, and ends up looking like a bunch of vomit that I almost have to look beyond just to see what's happening on screen. As with the music, it's not terrible, but it's nothing that stands out either.

The most fun I've had in the game so far was sequence-breaking into a gauntlet room that shouldn't have been accessible until obtaining a double-jump ability, but I spent an hour or so luring a bat to the vertical gap that I could whip onto and swing from. The gauntlet took several tries against some powerful enemies, but I got mad XP for doing so and leveled up ten or so levels but actually need the double-jump to collect the prize chest, lol.

I should continue playing the game this weekend, but right now my CV focus is more on that massive(ly expensive) LP box set, and I'm enjoying a lot of the new recordings therein.

Maybe with more experience under their belt, the Bloodstained 2 devs will whip up something truly remarkable, or more reminiscent of the IGAvanias.

[DoctaMario]

I'm glad I remembered my password for this place lol, nice to see some familiar names in here after so long.

Loving Belmont's Curse so far. I really think it splits the difference between the metroidvania and classicvania games in a way no game really has before although OoE came pretty close. There's challenging platforming (which takes a surprising amount of coordination and something I definitely didn't expect) and while there aren't a ton of different enemies, it's cool that enemies we've seen throughout the series got some new attacks and changed up a bit. The combat is fun especially with the whip. The other weapons are great too and I'm glad that they handled the weapon system the way they did rather than having a fewweapons that are obvious choices and a bunch of others that don't get used.

I like the art style too. It's not what I would have picked, but I like it and like that EE put its own spin on things rather than just trying to copy a style from a previous game knowing it would definitely work. As for the music, I think it need to listen to it outside of the game. I'm always so focused on what's going on in game that I don't pay as much attention to the music, and I've found that some of my favorite OSTs are ones I spent a lot of time with outside the games they were a part of. I have to say though that the Library music is catchy and gets stuck in my head. In some places I've seen people be like "blah, dubstepvania" but I don't see it as being much different than how Castlevania 4 incorporated jazz, Rondo incorporated funk, or Sotn and LoI incorporated EDM.

Overall I'm happy with it and I hope it does well because it would be nice for Konami to start making CV games again.

[Lumi Kløvstad]

I'm glad I remembered my password for this place lol, nice to see some familiar names in here after so long.

Likewise.

I know Plot and I have our little grievances over the game that we've been discussing on the side, but overall I think it's MOSTLY a good game. I bumped my review down to a 7/10 but that's a Castlevania 7/10, not a regular 7/10. It's still a pretty good fucking game.

I had to ragequit for a while in the Library because the traversal got so tedious. Like, "puzzle that is solved by creative use of traversal mechanics" is ON PAPER a great idea, but Castlevania in the past did it in MUCH SMALLER CHUNKS and typically didn't make those "things you have to go through just to do main navigation".

I got to the point for a couple weeks where I was like "if I have to bounce hop through one more fucking astronomy sphere, I will fucking throw something", which... isn't good. And I will die on the hill that the soundtrack sucks ass.

But overall? As I put it on Steam, "THIS game, as a singular experience and return to the Castle, is pretty damn good. Not game of the year, not a Top Ten Castlevania contender (dear god, not even close. Not even a little). But pretty good. Worth the price of admission for most."

Costume mods on the Nexus do imo significantly improve the game. Being able to dress Rose similarly to past heroes doesn't get old.

I surprisingly still enjoy Mirror of Fate more overall, but I'm delighted to see that people love Belmont's Curse as much as they do. I have plenty of issues with it, but for once I'm not worried about the health of this series for the first time in far too long a time. And I do like 70% of the game.

[GuyStarwind]

Ok time for my opinion that no one asked for.

The Good
- I really appreciate the mix of Classicvania and Metroidvania. This is really the biggest strength. I can't really put it into words, but it's the best of both worlds.
- I appreciate how much LoI got. That game got me into the series, so it's nice to see more stuff for it.
- The game is tame. Yes, there are choices with relics, spells, and weapons, but they aren't numerous that you never use them.
- The game has a level and power cap. Just can't grind and buy a bunch a potions, you actually have to try.

The Bad
- Music isn't terrible, but it's not as good as other tunes in the series.
- I believe it's a French company who helped with it, and yes I know it takes place I'm France, but damn there is too much French in it. Sounds weird, but I was kinda getting tired of all the French stuff. Like instead of Joan of Arch why not make Trevor the one who teaches the holy shield thing or is the overly pure father figure. I'm not saying trap him in a tarot card, but it would mean more if it was Castlevania characters. Heck, even bring back Grant.
- The new powers aren't terrible, but there aren't enough original Castlevania powers. No holy water, axes, etc. Again new powers aren't bad but wish there was more original stuff.
- Some enemies could've been more. Either you don't fight them or they seem off. Like why isn't Isaac summoning monsters?

The Ugly
- I hate that there are no hearts. How hard would it be to add in hearts instead of little mana things?

[Lumi Kløvstad]

Heck, even bring back Grant.

I am confidently and abundantly hypercertain that we will never see Grant again after all this time. Like, it's just not happening.

[DoctaMario]

I am confidently and abundantly hypercertain that we will never see Grant again after all this time. Like, it's just not happening.

Noooobody cared about Grant until they found out he wasn't going to be in the series, then he became everyone's favorite character overnight. He was my favorite side character in CV3 but his role in the story is minimal compared to everyone else in that game and there are many more characters that should get that shine than him, though I like him.

[Hayoam]

Oh my God where to begin with this....

As a just a game it gets 7/10 as a Castlevania game 5/10 for the effort only.

Ok let's begin,

The Music
- It's just meh nothing special not even worth mentioning.

The Voice acting
- The voice of Rose is annoying, Leon Voice doesn't fit at all and Medusa voice omg it's like the voice of Black ghetto auntie like wtf were thinking with the casting.

The Gameplay
- It's allright it can fun at a times as it basically Hollow Knight, not a hint from Castlevania besides some memberberries.

The Dialogue
- EXTREMELY CRINGE TO THE MAXIMUM there is nothing of value here.
Also I noticed something about modern western devs with Female leads, there is always thses characerers that are always telling the lead she is the best and awesome all the time, infinite reassurance basically like a group therapy session, it doesn't feel earned and bullshit, they need to lose this shit if they want a good female lead.

Characterization
- Most inoffensive but for some they went the extra mile when it comes to character assassination.
- Leon became an emotional pussy instead of Stoic awesome knight and the head of the Belmonts including him in the game is such a huge mistake.
- Brauner Carmilla most unserious and act like kids in kindergarten, I don't even need to say more.
- Alucard reeks of "Oh I hate you dad and I'm gonna shut myself in my room" energy what even is lol.

Castlevania continuity and lore
How did Leon establish the Belmonts hunters if he was trapped the whole time?
Why Rose is the last Belmont? her kids won't be Belmonts but they can be the Origin of the Morris since kids don't take their mother's names as she can't be the one to give birth to the main line of the family tree. Where the main line comes from now? So riddle me this Batman.

I just turned off my brain halfway just to get 100% because it's makes sick to think about it.
I do not recommend it if you want Castlevania.

Conclusion
- It's bad and I don't consider this game as a Canon just a game wearing Castlevania face.

[Gunlord]

Why Rose is the last Belmont? her kids won't be Belmonts but they can be the Origin of the Morris since kids don't take their mother's names as she can't be the one to give birth to the main line of the family tree. Where the main line comes from now? So riddle me this Batman.

It is rare but in the middle ages sometimes husbands took their wife's last name rather than vice versa. If a man married up, i.e into a noble house when he was a commoner, he would take the wife's name as a means of social enhancement. It's possible Rose will end up marrying a commoner or someone without a title, especially if the Belmonts do get the 'titles, land, and gold' promised to them at the start of the game, and give the storied name to the man rather than take his.

[Lumi Kløvstad]

Oh my God where to begin with this....

As a just a game it gets 7/10 as a Castlevania game 5/10 for the effort only.

Ok let's begin,

The Music
- It's just meh nothing special not even worth mentioning.

The Voice acting
- The voice of Rose is annoying, Leon Voice doesn't fit at all and Medusa voice omg it's like the voice of Black ghetto auntie like wtf were thinking with the casting.

The Gameplay
- It's allright it can fun at a times as it basically Hollow Knight, not a hint from Castlevania besides some memberberries.

The Dialogue
- EXTREMELY CRINGE TO THE MAXIMUM there is nothing of value here.
Also I noticed something about modern western devs with Female leads, there is always thses characerers that are always telling the lead she is the best and awesome all the time, infinite reassurance basically like a group therapy session, it doesn't feel earned and bullshit, they need to lose this shit if they want a good female lead.

Characterization
- Most inoffensive but for some they went the extra mile when it comes to character assassination.
- Leon became an emotional pussy instead of Stoic awesome knight and the head of the Belmonts including him in the game is such a huge mistake.
- Brauner Carmilla most unserious and act like kids in kindergarten, I don't even need to say more.
- Alucard reeks of "Oh I hate you dad and I'm gonna shut myself in my room" energy what even is lol.

Castlevania continuity and lore
How did Leon establish the Belmonts hunters if he was trapped the whole time?
Why Rose is the last Belmont? her kids won't be Belmonts but they can be the Origin of the Morris since kids don't take their mother's names as she can't be the one to give birth to the main line of the family tree. Where the main line comes from now? So riddle me this Batman.

I just turned off my brain halfway just to get 100% because it's makes sick to think about it.
I do not recommend it if you want Castlevania.

Conclusion
- It's bad and I don't consider this game as a Canon just a game wearing Castlevania face.

My dude, I don't think you understand how rating scales work. Generally speaking, a 7/10 is "There are plenty of problems, but the game is still a fun time". 5/10 is "Well, someone... tried?"

Your review is way more negative than either of those. I was expecting to hear 2/10 or 3/10.

[Hayoam]

It is rare but in the middle ages sometimes husbands took their wife's last name rather than vice versa. If a man married up, i.e into a noble house when he was a commoner, he would take the wife's name as a means of social enhancement. It's possible Rose will end up marrying a commoner or someone without a title, especially if the Belmonts do get the 'titles, land, and gold' promised to them at the start of the game, and give the storied name to the man rather than take his.

I don't think the devs have thought that far and if that's the case it's still bad, that's why I said it's non canon for me.

[Hayoam]

My dude, I don't think you understand how rating scales work. Generally speaking, a 7/10 is "There are plenty of problems, but the game is still a fun time". 5/10 is "Well, someone... tried?"

Your review is way more negative than either of those. I was expecting to hear 2/10 or 3/10.

My bad let me explain a 7 if you have no expectation and you are not a Castlevania fan but you just want something to play and care about nothing else as I said before the gameplay can be fun as gameplay is the only thing good about the game.

Now the Other prespective as a Castlevania fan I see the game failed in every department thats's why I gave it a 5 which is the minimum for a functional game any less than that means the game isn't playable at all so I would be a liar if I gave it a 2.

Here are the rating:

1-4 Unplayable mess.
5 Trash
6 Bad
7 Good
8 Great
9 Amazing
10 Perfect

As just a product it's just Good.
By Castlevania standard it's Trash.

You see unlike Lords of Shadow this one claims to be authentic Castlevania and it's not clrearly.
For LOS1 I would give it a 9 since it's just Alt Castlevania so I gotta be fair as los is it's own thing but sadly los 2 is a 7, they dropped the ball.

To add to the negatives:
- Level design is fucking bad, teleporters are placed in an awkward places and you don't get the mirrors untill the end which would be pointless by then.
- Relics are just bad nothing stand out all are just whatever.
- Subweapons are mostly useless except for maybe 2 or 3 of them.

So with suffering recalled I would give 5 in general lol.