If you haven’t noticed, Konami is back, and the once-great Japanese publisher is finding its feet again by farming its properties out to hungry young developers all over the world. This has worked pretty well for Silent Hill, and now it’s Castlevania’s turn with Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. The first mainline installment in the vampire action series in more than 10 years, Belmont’s Curse was made by Dead Cells support studio Evil Empire. (The groundwork for this collaboration was laid with the 2023 mashup Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania.)

It looks like Konami’s strategy has worked again. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse has strong reviews, the majority hailing it as a triumphant return for, and smart modernization of, the series. But some critics query whether it has really captured the Castlevania spirit. Currently, the game’s average rating on the review aggregation sites sits at 86 on Metacritic and 85 on OpenCritic.

Some critics say Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is a 10/10

Leading the cheering squad is GameSpot’s Steve Watts, who called Belmont’s Curse “one of the best Castlevania games, and one of the best metroidvania games, of all time” in a 10/10 review. Watts hailed the “sprawling map bursting with mysteries to uncover, joyous traversal tools that make roaming the map feel great, a story that balances a macabre tone with occasional lightness, a cast of creative and well-drawn characters, and hands-down the best combat of any Castlevania game — in fact, among the best combat of any 2D action game, period.”

Like many other reviewers, IGN’s Scott White liked the new hero, Rose Belmont, and was impressed by the sharp and responsive combat, but felt that the latter came at the expense of some of Castlevania’s classic characteristics, including the RPG system, and its unique feel. “So much else of what usually sets this series apart within this genre has been smoothed over with Belmont’s Curse, which leaves the whole package feeling a bit like a really solid metroidvania wearing a superficial Castlevania skin,” White wrote. “There isn’t even a dagger to throw, which just feels kind of wrong. [Rose] doesn’t even start the game with a whip.”

This wasn’t a problem for Game Informer’s Charles Harte, who noted that Belmont’s Curse, while technically a sequel to Castlevania 3, follows on from the first two seasons of Netflix’s Castlevania anime. “Arguably, it’s a better sequel to the show than the game; the art style and character designs have clear anime inspirations, and many voice actors, including Trevor Belmont, reprise their roles,” Harte said in a glowing 9.25/10 review. Harte also loved the new tarot card system, which unlocks upgradeable spells and also inspires some of the biggest treasure-hunts in the game.

Like IGN’s White, The Guardian’s Harper Jay MacIntyre noted a shift toward “twitch-based action” in Belmont’s Curse and said it “may annoy purists, but you can’t call it dull.” MacIntyre’s three-star review criticizes the focus on Super Meat Boy-style platforming gauntlets over puzzle-solving, and some uneven pacing. “This may be the most virtually striking Castlevania since 2002’s Harmony of Dissonance and sometimes it’s also the most inventive and brain-teasing,” MacIntyre wrote. “In other moments, you’ll be bored to bloody tears.”

But taken on its own merits, Belmont’s Curse is “a near-perfect Metroidvania,” according to Polygon’s own Elijah Gonzalez. “By combining throwback appeal with razor-sharp gameplay built on the brilliant Dead Cells, Evil Empire’s latest lives up to Castlevania’s legendary status. From its bold use of color that makes the gothic visuals pop, to a new card-based Arcana system, Belmont’s Curse breathes new life into these games while honing in on what makes this series special.”

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse will be released on Oct. 15 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.