{"rewrite":{"id":"r_4d087782db6ada62c8c6254c","clusterId":"c_c136839eab4061da1596db49","slug":"castlevania-belmont-s-curse-launches-october-15-returns-to-2d-exploration","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Launches October 15, Returns to 2D Exploration","summary":"Konami will release Castlevania: Belmont's Curse on October 15, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. The title is a canonical sequel set in 1499 Paris, 23 years after Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. The protagonist is Rose Belmont, daughter of Trevor and Sypha, voiced by Yui Ishikawa. Trevor is voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu. The game is co-developed by Evil Empire and Motion Twin, the creators of Dead Cells, but contains no roguelike elements. It is a 2D exploration action game that emphasizes the whip as both a mobility tool and a combat enabler. Players can use the Arcana Whip to swing across gaps, pull themselves toward enemies, and perform weapon-specific follow-up attacks. The game features seven weapon categories, a level-up system, and a tarot card-based Arcana system that grants spells and upgrades. Difficulty is high but adjustable through in-game options. The standard edition costs 3,850 yen; the Midnight Edition, which includes a digital art gallery and in-game items, costs 4,950 yen. The preview event provided about three hours of playtime, covering three bosses: Monster, Jeanne d'Arc, and Medusa.","whyItMatters":"After a 12-year gap since the last original 2D Castlevania entry, the series returns to its exploration-action roots with a new canonical protagonist and a focus on the whip as a core mechanic, aiming to bridge classic and modern design.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eProducer Isao Taniguchi told media that the decision to set the game 23 years after Castlevania III came from a desire to create a 2D exploration game centered on the Belmont family and the whip. The title Castlevania was chosen over the Japanese Akumajo Dracula for global recognizability, and Trevor Belmont\u0026#39;s name was used instead of the Japanese-localized Ralph for consistency. Taniguchi, who has played the series since childhood, said the project grew out of earlier efforts to rerelease past titles and collaborate on the Dead Cells DLC.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDirector Yukiko Hokao and Evil Empire creative director Emmanuel Nouaille emphasized that the difficulty was designed to be fair and rewarding, with a level-up system and customizable options to let players adjust enemy strength and recovery item counts. The whip acts as a wire-action tool for both traversal and combat, and can be hooked onto colored anchors or enemies. Bosses drop Arcana that become tarot cards, granting spells and upgradeable powers. The preview also included a surprise: the first boss, a monster, uses a cross and whip, hinting at a connection to the Belmont family. Sypha, Rose\u0026#39;s mother, is deceased before the game begins, and her curse is passed to Rose.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVoice actors were confirmed: Yui Ishikawa as Rose and Ryotaro Okiayu as Trevor. The game will be available in both a digital-only standard edition and a physical/digital Midnight Edition.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Castlevania: Belmont's Curse brings back the whip as a wire-action tool: swing across gaps, yank yourself to enemies, and combine with seven weapon types. No roguelike elements. October 15 on PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC.","twitterPost":"Rose Belmont is the first canonical female Belmont protagonist in a mainline Castlevania game. She inherits her mother Sypha's curse and a tarot deck. The game hits October 15.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Konami's Castlevania: Belmont's Curse launches October 15 on PS5, Xbox, Switch, and PC. The 2D exploration action game is set 23 years after Castlevania III and follows Rose Belmont, the whip-wielding daughter of Trevor and Sypha. Co-developed by Dead Cells studio Evil Empire, it features a new wire-action whip system and adjustable difficulty.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/983/G098352/20260707012/\",\"title\":\"[Play Report] 'Castlevania: Belmont's Curse' is a brand-new title that lets you enjoy the tough action and exploration characteristic of 'Castlevania'\"},{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/983/G098352/20260702024/\",\"title\":\"開発者が向き合う「悪魔城ドラキュラ」らしさとは？　シリーズ完全新作「Castlevania: Belmont's Curse」のプレゼンレポ＆インタビュー\"},{\"source\":\"GAME Watch (Impress)\",\"url\":\"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/interview/2123376.html\",\"title\":\"【Castlevania】『Castlevania: Belmont's Curse』Developer Interview\"},{\"source\":\"GAME Watch (Impress)\",\"url\":\"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/preview/2123325.html\",\"title\":\"Return to Exploratory 2D Action in a Long-Awaited New 'Castlevania' Game: 'Castlevania: Belmont's Curse' Early Hands-On Report\"},{\"source\":\"ASCII.jp\",\"url\":\"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/419/4419362/?rss\",\"title\":\"Hands-on: It's Just Like Castlevania! A Preview of the Latest Title 'Castlevania: Belmont's Curse'\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/kikakuthetower/2607172s\",\"title\":\"『悪魔城ドラキュラ』シリーズ最新作『Castlevania: Belmont's Curse』先行プレイ。『悪魔城ドラキュラ』と言えばやっぱり「ムチ」でしょうが！ 縦横無尽の移動に攻撃、アクロバティックな「ムチ」アクション\"},{\"source\":\"Magmix\",\"url\":\"https://magmix.jp/post/365371\",\"title\":\"Set 23 Years After Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, 'Castlevania: Belmont's Curse' Hands-On Report - Female Protagonist Dashes Through Medieval Paris\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":25747,"outputTokens":2337,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1784290784,"createdAt":"2026-07-17T12:07:47.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-07-17T12:12:28.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-17T12:07:47.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_c136839eab4061da1596db49","canonicalTitle":"『悪魔城伝説』から23年後が舞台、『Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse』試遊レポート　女性主人公が中世パリを駆ける","representativeArticleId":"a_f4e69d0b1ba71e42f8ec1f7f","sourceCount":5,"writtenSourceCount":5,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Castlevania: Belmont's Curse\"],\"studios\":[\"Konami\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"review\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-07-17T07:00:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-07-17T07:00:20.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-17T12:12:28.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"4Gamer.net","url":"https://www.4gamer.net/games/983/G098352/20260707012/","title":"［プレイレポ］「Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse」は，「悪魔城ドラキュラ」らしい，骨太なアクションと探索を堪能できる完全新作"},{"source":"GAME Watch (Impress)","url":"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/interview/2123376.html","title":"【悪魔城ドラキュラ】「Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse」開発者インタビュー"},{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/kikakuthetower/2607172s","title":"『悪魔城ドラキュラ』シリーズ最新作『Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse』先行プレイ。『悪魔城ドラキュラ』と言えばやっぱり「ムチ」でしょうが！ 縦横無尽の移動に攻撃、アクロバティックな「ムチ」アクション"},{"source":"ASCII.jp","url":"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/419/4419362/?rss","title":"手応えはまさに「悪魔城ドラキュラ」！最新作『Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse』の先行プレイレポート"},{"source":"Magmix","url":"https://magmix.jp/post/365371","title":"『悪魔城伝説』から23年後が舞台、『Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse』試遊レポート　女性主人公が中世パリを駆ける"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Castlevania: Belmont's Curse"],"studios":["Konami"],"people":[],"type":"review","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Castlevania: Belmont's Curse releases on October 15, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.","The standard edition is priced at 3,850 yen; the Midnight Edition, which includes a digital art gallery and in-game items, costs 4,950 yen.","The protagonist is Rose Belmont, voiced by Yui Ishikawa, and her father Trevor Belmont is voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu.","The game is set in 1499 Paris, 23 years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, and is a canonical sequel.","Evil Empire and Motion Twin, known for Dead Cells, co-developed the title, but the game contains no roguelike elements."]}