Upon launching Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, I encountered an unexpected black screen, which led to a brief period of troubleshooting. It turned out that the game struggles to display on monitors with a refresh rate exceeding 120 Hz. This minor hiccup was easily resolved, yet it lingered in my mind as I opted for the in-game 120 fps cap, only to witness the frame rate drop noticeably during cutscenes.
Despite these technical quirks, my experience with Belmont’s Curse has been largely enjoyable over the eight hours I’ve invested so far. As I approach the halfway mark, the game continues to evolve and improve. However, it hasn’t quite met the high expectations set by its legacy as the first new Castlevania title in decades, especially given the talent of the studio behind it.
Juiciness in Game Design
The term “juicy,” as coined by innovative game designers, refers to a level of polish that makes gameplay feel responsive and alive, characterized by cascading actions that require minimal user input. Essential elements that contribute to this juiciness include screen shake, hitstop—the brief pause upon impact—enemy reactions, and vibrant visual effects. Most crucial, however, is how fluidly a character moves, jumps, or dodges.
Juiciness does not necessarily equate to speed. For instance, Dead Cells, developed by Evil Empire, is renowned for its rapid and satisfying gameplay. Similarly, Hollow Knight’s swift nail strikes and precise dodges exemplify juiciness, establishing a benchmark for contemporary metroidvanias.
Belmont’s Curse presents an intriguing blend of juiciness and moments that feel oddly lacking. There are aspects that leave me feeling somewhat off, even after several hours of gameplay. For example, the lengthy wind-up on Rose Belmont’s whip can become frustrating during platforming segments filled with spikes that demand impeccable timing. Even when I execute the timing perfectly, I often miss a grapple point due to inadvertently directing the analog stick towards movement rather than the specific hook point.
The initial dodge mechanic introduced is a forward slide, but its limited invincibility frames have led to more deaths in boss encounters than successful escapes. Perhaps I should have adapted by now, but it’s just one of many small, fiddly elements that I expected Evil Empire to have perfected.
Platforming Challenges and Control Issues
Some tedious platforming challenges require phasing through walls and floors using a skill bound to the left trigger, which can be cumbersome given the precision needed. The sequence of actions—phasing through a wall, wall jumping, then phasing again—requires a delicate touch that feels awkward with such a long travel time on the controller’s analog input.
Rose’s whip can also be used to pull herself towards enemies for a powerful strike, yet the timing for this attack feels misaligned. Activating a healing flask demands a precise hold of a button, often leading to moments of false security in the heat of battle, only to result in an untimely demise.
While I recognize budget limitations, Belmont’s Curse draws heavily from the Netflix Castlevania series, even featuring some of the same voice actors. This connection makes the static artwork in early cutscenes feel underwhelming, leaving me yearning for a more animated presentation that would do justice to the source material.
Despite its rocky start, Belmont’s Curse begins to shine once I reach Dracula’s Castle after exploring Paris. The game introduces clever platforming mechanics and engaging puzzles that add depth to the experience. It diverges from the formula of older Castlevania titles, presenting a more thoughtful approach that could very well become my favorite iteration of Dracula’s domain.
Not all is lost in terms of juiciness; the satisfying hitstop when attacks connect, the slick animation work, and the beautifully presented tarot cards—serving as both weapons and guides—add layers of enjoyment. Flipping through them in my inventory is a delight in itself.
It raises the question: did Evil Empire strive so hard to differentiate Belmont’s Curse from Dead Cells that they inadvertently created a control scheme that feels slightly off? This nuanced challenge is difficult to articulate, but there’s a subtle tension in the whip mechanics that holds back what could be a triumphant return to the Castlevania franchise.
