How to Play Castlevania: Belmont's Curse

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse plays like a modern 2D Belmont game, not like Dead Cells. That is the first fact to lock. Evil Empire made Return to Castlevania for Dead Cells, then spent this project unlearning permadeath. You get a persistent map, save rooms, stackable potions, and XP that raises attack and defense. If you came in expecting a roguelite, reread this page before you refund.

You are Rose Belmont. You can already wall jump, slide, and dodge. You can already attack up, forward, and down. Healing is L1 / LB / L with a starting stack of three flasks. Spells sit on Triangle / Y / X and refill when you kill. Full buttons are on the controls page.

Watch the studio explain the loop

The clip below is Konami's official Gameplay & Commentary trailer. Matt from Evil Empire walks the 1499 pitch: Notre Dame, catacombs, Joan of Arc, and a 2D action-adventure that is not a roguelike. Use it as a visual index, then keep reading for the actual inputs.

The first hour, step by step

Arrive in burning Paris. Learn slide and backdash before you learn greed. Open chests; if Crypt Key drops, every box is a full heal. Spend Cursed Flame instead of hoarding it — one Work of Mercy is simply twenty fireball kills. When a ghost warns you about a gate monster, believe the menu log and farm XP. That monster is The Fallen, and he is allowed to win the first round.

After he dies, you get the Arcana Whip. That is when "how to play" becomes "how to move." R2 / RT / ZR grapples to holds and to enemies. Press attack on the way in for a weapon-specific skewering dash. Details live in the whip grapple guide. Until that fight, you are a very mobile sword girl. After that fight, you are a Belmont.

Habits that survive the castle

• Clear rooms. XP is a real stat stick.
• Finish Works of Mercy. Blessings are your skill tree.
• Leave whip rings in your memory. The map is one atlas.
• Swap weapon categories. Grapple attacks differ by type.

When the streets are comfortable, continue with the walkthrough hub and a build so you are not improvising relic slots at Joan's door.