Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Review Round-Up

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Is The Highest Rated Game In The Series Since 2005 Konami Published Oct 13, 2026, 4:30 AM EDT Josh Coulson is an editor at TheGamer covering breaking news on everything from colorful platformers to the latest Lego sets. Primarily a news writer since 2018, Josh has covered just about every major game from the past decade. Now an editor, their focus has shifted to being the leading affiliate expert at the site, building relationships between TheGamer and global brands including Mattel, Funko, and The Pokemon Company. Castlevania is back with the series’ first mainline entry in well over a decade, and those waiting for it won't be disappointed. Reviews are in for Belmont’s Curse, and it's not only the highest-rated game in the series since 2005, but also ranks among the five highest-rated Castlevania games ever. Belmont's Curse Is A Top Five Castlevania Game Belmont’s Curse currently has an 86 on both OpenCritic and Metacritic. A strong score that almost every developer in the world would snatch your hand off for, and even though Castlevania games have historically reviewed well, it’s been a long time since a new entry scored quite so high. And not just because it’s been 12 years between games. An 86 makes Belmont’s Curse the fifth highest-rated traditional Castlevania game ever. The only four games in the series to have scored higher are the GBA games Circle of the Moon and Aria of Sorrow, both of which scored 91, Symphony of the Night with an 89, and 2005’s Dawn of Sorrow, which also averaged an 89. What Reviewers Are Saying About Belmont's Curse George Foster reviewed Belmont’s Curse here at TheGamer, awarding the new entry a 4.5 out of 5. “Thanks to an engaging story, stellar exploration and combat, and a near-perfect blend of new and old, Castlevania’s return just about makes up for the decade-long wait,” Foster writes in their review, which you can find on the site right now. ComicBook awarded Belmont’s Curse the same lofty score, addressing the concern that some fans have with the Dead Cells team taking the lead. “It’s clear to me that Evil Empire deeply treasures this franchise, a fact many understood with their Castlevania DLC for Dead Cells,” the review reads, reassuring for those who aren’t convinced the new game can successfully capture the essence of what made previous entries stand the test of time. GamesRadar+ awarded Belmont’s Curse four out of a possible five stars, writing, “With a stunning blend of fast-paced traversal action and compelling storytelling, this game proudly honours the Belmont legacy in exciting new ways.” IGN awarded the same score, writing, “Convenient map tracking tools, exciting combat, a great new hero, and movement tech that will test your reflexes all help this long-awaited sequel stand tall in what has since become a crowded genre.” It certainly sounds like Belmont’s Curse isn’t just a long-overdue return to Castlevania, but a game that will comfortably stand alongside some of the best titles the 40-year-old series has to offer. Belmont’s Curse releases on all major platforms on October 15, 2026, so not long until you can find out for yourselves if you agree with its glowing reviews. Released October 15, 2026 ESRB Teen / Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence Developer(s) Evil Empire, Motion Twin Publisher(s) Konami Genre(s) Platformer, Action, Adventure, RPG Triple-A Games Castlevania: Belmont's Curse