How to Use the Whip Grapple in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse

The whip is why this game exists. Official marketing repeats the trapeze line because it is true: you crack the leather to move like a circus act, then you yank enemies into a weapon-specific attack. Inputs are on controls. This page is the feel.

See the whip at 60 fps

Konami's release date trailer is the cleanest look at combat speed, whip arcs, and the cursed right arm. It is the clip to watch before you try to imitate a swing in the demo footage above.

Two whips, one brain

The Vampire Killer is the family weapon. The Arcana Whip is the traversal grapple you steal from The Fallen. In practice you will think of them as one motion: aim at a ring or a ribcage, fire, fly. Press attack while flying to perform the current weapon's grapple attack. The starting long sword slices through and keeps momentum, which is how you chain roofs on the Paris map. At Gamescom, Sandro Bordier named Super Castlevania IV's omnidirectional brandish whip as the ancestor, modernized so you can fly around the atlas instead of standing in one screen.

Missed holds happen. Slide when you land. Do not mash the whip into a wall and expect a miracle. If a ring does not highlight, you are out of range or it is a later-ability decoration. Come back with another Arcana. The catacombs teach this immediately after the first boss.

Combat yanks

Yanking a ghoul is a mix-up, not a catch-all. It is brilliant against standing melee and stupid against a leap. The Fallen will punish greed. Joan's slams will punish greed. Use the yank to start a combo or to cross a pit with a body as an anchor, then let go. Pair it with Holy Cross so you have a tool that does not require flying into the hitbox.