Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Unofficial Fan Guide

Official trailer Play: Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Release Date Trailer (official, Konami)

The game in one minute

• Out October 15, 2026

  All platforms, same day

  PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam and Nintendo Switch. PlayStation and Xbox listings unlock at local midnight in each region.

• $29.99 or $39.99

  Standard or Midnight Edition

  The Midnight Edition adds a soundtrack and art gallery app, two costumes and a relic. Pre-orders and early purchases get Rose's Alucard Style Costume.

• Metacritic 86 on PS5

  As of 2026-10-14

  Critics call it one of the best Castlevania games in years; the main complaint is that it plays it safe in a crowded genre.

• Free demo

  Progress carries over

  The opening chapter, from the Parisian sewers to the first boss, The Fallen, is free on PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X|S and Steam.

• Paris, 1499

  23 years after Dracula's Curse

  Rose carries Dracula's curse in her right arm and hunts the monsters pouring out of a castle that has appeared in the heart of Paris.

• Whip and Arcana

  Not a roguelike

  The Vampire Killer swings Rose across chasms, and defeated bosses become tarot-card Arcana spells. The map is hand-crafted, not procedural.

Quick facts

What is Castlevania: Belmont's Curse?

Belmont's Curse is the first brand-new console Castlevania since Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 in 2014, and the first traditional 2D entry on the series' original timeline since Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia in 2008. Konami announced it at Sony's State of Play on February 12, 2026, as the franchise's 40th-anniversary game; the first Castlevania launched on the Famicom Disk System in 1986, and the series turned 40 in September 2026.

The lead studio is Evil Empire, the team that ran updates and DLC for Dead Cells, including the 2023 expansion Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania. Motion Twin, the studio that created Dead Cells, is involved in an advisory role. The direction comes from Emmanuel Nouaille and Yukiko Hokao, with Tsutomu Taniguchi producing, Matthew Willis writing and Daniel Asadi composing.

Despite the Dead Cells pedigree, this is not a roguelike. Konami's Tommy Williams has said the game does not use Dead Cells' roguelike progression, and the map of the castle and the surrounding Paris districts is hand-designed rather than procedurally generated. Structurally it follows Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997): one large, interconnected, auto-filling map, experience levels, equipment and abilities that open new routes.

When can you play it?

The release date is October 15, 2026 everywhere. The official PlayStation Store pages unlock it at local midnight, which is 04:00 UTC in the US (9:00 PM PT on October 14) and 22:00 UTC on October 14 in Germany, France and Spain; Xbox Store pages show the same regional-midnight pattern. Steam and Switch hours are not confirmed as of 2026-10-14. Every region and time zone is on our release date and unlock times page.

What critics are saying

Praise centres on fast, acrobatic traversal, the tarot-card Arcana system, the bosses and the art and music; GameSpot and Shacknews gave it perfect scores, and TheGamer's review roundup calls it the best-reviewed Castlevania since 2005. Criticism is consistent too: Push Square, VGC and Creative Bloq say it plays it safe in a genre crowded with modern alternatives, and Siliconera flags performance issues on Switch. Read the full Castlevania: Belmont's Curse reviews roundup for scores by outlet and our buying advice.

Which edition should you buy?

The Standard Edition ($29.99, digital only) is the full game. The Midnight Edition ($39.99 digital, also sold physically) adds the Digital Sound & Art Gallery app with 71 tracks and more than 100 pieces of art, Rose's Trevor Style and Sypha Style costumes and the Family's Grace relic. Neither edition offers early access. In Europe, select retailers add a SteelBook to the physical Midnight Edition. Compare everything in the editions guide.

The story without spoilers

Paris is engulfed in flames and monsters spill from the shadows as Dracula's castle manifests in the middle of the city. Trevor Belmont, the hero who defeated Dracula 23 years earlier, answers a call for help from the local bishop and travels down the Seine with his daughter, Rose Belmont. Rose was born shortly before her mother, Sypha Belnades, died of Dracula's curse, and she carries that curse in her right arm. The story page covers the setup and the opening, and the timeline page shows where 1499 sits in the series.

How it plays

Rose's Vampire Killer whip is both weapon and climbing tool: she can latch onto anchors and swing across gaps like a trapeze artist. Defeated bosses are sealed into her tarot cards as Arcana that cast spells using MP, and repeating an Arcana's spell under specific conditions completes Works of Mercy that upgrade it. Weapons span seven categories, from short swords to spears and gauntlets, and relics add effects when attacking and defending. See the gameplay guide for the full system breakdown.

Is it like Dead Cells or Symphony of the Night?

Closer to Symphony of the Night. You explore one persistent castle-and-city map, gain levels and keep your progress, as in the Igarashi-era games. What Evil Empire brings from Dead Cells is pace: Konami promises “faster and more fluid gameplay”, and previews describe slides, rolls and whip swings that keep Rose constantly moving. If you want runs that reset, this is not that game; if you want a large hand-made map to master, it is.

Start here

• Release date and unlock times
• Reviews and Metacritic score
• Free demo and save transfer
• Beginner's guide
• Official trailers
• Boss list