{"rewrite":{"id":"r_a87413759bf4d297198230c0","clusterId":"c_ce149eb70935e134b30403c2","slug":"castlevania-belmont-s-curse-opens-at-86-on-metacritic","model":"deepseek-v4-1-flash","headline":"Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Opens at 86 on Metacritic","summary":"Castlevania: Belmont's Curse releases October 15, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC, with Konami Digital Entertainment publishing and Evil Empire and Motion Twin co-developing. The PS5 version held an 86 Metascore from 44 reviews as of October 13, according to Game Spark, which also notes the game is the first all-new console Castlevania since 2014's Lords of Shadow 2. Set in 1499, 23 years after Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, the story follows Rose Belmont, daughter of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnandes, as she travels to a monster-overrun Paris and enters Dracula's revived castle. Bosses defeated in combat are sealed into Arcana tarot cards, letting Rose converse with them and borrow their abilities. 4Gamer.net reports an exploration-driven map, a whip used for movement via pendulum swings and rapid closes on anchors and enemies, seven weapon categories, and difficulty options that include restarting at a boss and disabling death. Reviews from Region Free, Atomix, True Gaming, SpazioGames, and Push Square range from 100 to 70.","whyItMatters":"The 86 Metascore lands on a series that Konami has spent years reissuing rather than continuing, and the split between Region Free's 100 and Push Square's 70 suggests the return satisfies series veterans more than it stands out in a crowded metroidvania field.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe Metascore breakdown published by Game Spark spans 44 reviews as of October 13. Region Free gave a 100 and Atomix a 95, with True Gaming at 90 and SpazioGames at 80. Push Square\u0026#39;s 70 was the lowest cited: it called the game excellent in many respects but said it fails to stand apart in a market crowded with metroidvania releases. Praise centers on the art design and the exploration structure, while criticism points to inconvenient save point placement and controls that some reviewers found sluggish.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Game Spark review, run after about 20 hours of play and one of three endings, describes boss fights whose patterns mirror each antagonist\u0026#39;s background. Camilla summons a blood moon and applies a curse that kills Rose after eight hits regardless of remaining health. Isaac, a clock tower warden, fights with speed and multiplying copies. Death returns with a scythe whose reach spans the screen. The article also notes that voice cast members from the animated adaptation reprise roles in the game, and that Boss Arcana borrowed as player skills carry heavier startup frames than they did when used against Rose.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Castlevania: Belmont's Curse sits at an 86 Metascore from 44 reviews, with a 100 from Region Free and a 70 from Push Square. Releases October 15 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.","twitterPost":"Rose Belmont seals defeated bosses into tarot cards, then talks to them and borrows their powers. Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is out October 15 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Castlevania: Belmont's Curse arrives October 15 with an 86 Metascore on PS5 from 44 reviews. Evil Empire and Motion Twin co-developed the 1499-set story of Rose Belmont, who fights through a monster-infested Paris and seals bosses into tarot cards. Reviewers split between a 100 and a 70, applauding the art and exploration while faulting save placement and controls.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/983/G098352/20261002027/\",\"title\":\"Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, a game full of love for Castlevania, is a demanding experience that never lets you relax - and that's because of that love [Play Report]\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/10/13/173540.html\",\"title\":\"Game*Spark Review: The first all-new Castlevania in 12 years, 'Castlevania: Belmont's Curse', is a masterpiece woven from the bloodline of tradition and a harsh fate\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/10/13/173548.html\",\"title\":\"'Castlevania: Belmont's Curse' PS5 version earns an 86 Metascore. The latest Castlevania series title launches October 15\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":15943,"outputTokens":1231,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1791886029,"createdAt":"2026-10-13T10:04:30.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-10-13T10:06:05.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-13T10:06:05.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_ce149eb70935e134b30403c2","canonicalTitle":"Game*Sparkレビュー：12年ぶりの完全新作『Castlevania: Belmont's Curse』は伝統の血脈と過酷な宿命が織りなす傑作―鞭とタロットが紡ぐ新時代の「悪魔城」へ","representativeArticleId":"a_2bc414d5e308a62763c3cf49","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Castlevania: Belmont's Curse\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"review\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-10-13T07:00:03.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-10-13T09:45:03.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-13T10:06:06.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"4Gamer.net","url":"https://www.4gamer.net/games/983/G098352/20261002027/","title":"「悪魔城ドラキュラ」への愛に満ちた「Castlevania: Belmont's Curse」は，愛ゆえの手ごわさで一瞬たりとも気が抜けない［プレイレポ］"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/10/13/173548.html","title":"『Castlevania: Belmont's Curse』PS5版メタスコアが86点獲得。10月15日発売予定の『悪魔城ドラキュラ』シリーズ最新作"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Castlevania: Belmont's Curse"],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"review","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Castlevania: Belmont's Curse releases on October 15, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.","The PS5 version of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse held an 86 Metascore from 44 reviews as of October 13, 2026.","Evil Empire and Motion Twin co-developed Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, with Konami Digital Entertainment as publisher.","Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is set in 1499, 23 years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse.","Rose Belmont, the playable character in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, is the daughter of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnandes."]}