Castlevania: Belmont's Curse shows promise but lacks polish

A PC Gamer preview of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse finds the game enjoyable after about eight hours but not as polished as expected. The writer encountered technical issues, including a black screen on monitors above 120 Hz and framerate drops during cutscenes. The game has the right elements for a revival, but its action lacks the responsiveness and impact of standout titles like Dead Cells and Hollow Knight.

A PC Gamer preview by Wes Fenlon, dated 14 October 2026, describes roughly eight hours with Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, which he believes is near its midpoint. The title marks a rare return for the franchise after a long gap and is made by Evil Empire, a studio long associated with Dead Cells.

The preview reports display trouble on monitors set above 120 Hz and cutscene frame rate dips when using a 120 fps cap. It also notes a slow whip wind-up, grapple aiming issues, and a forward slide dodge with few invincibility frames, all affecting platforming and boss fights.