Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is scheduled to launch October 15, 2026, on PlayStation 5. Developed by Evil Empire with Konami, the side-scrolling action adventure returns to a handcrafted map instead of using roguelite permadeath or procedurally generated levels.
Who is Rose Belmont?
The story takes place in a ruined Paris in 1499, after Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. Trevor Belmont travels to investigate a suspicious message from the Bishop, while his daughter Rose explores a city threatened by Dracula's resurrection.
Combat, weapons and traversal
Rose can wall-jump, slide, evade and use the Arcana Whip as both a grapple and an attack. Mana fuels spells and healing. Seven weapon types provide different moves and perks, including a longsword that rewards attacks after a backdash and fast, short-range cestus gauntlets.
How Arcana and Relics work
Defeated bosses become cards in Rose's tarot deck, unlocking Arcana spells, skills and traversal actions. Each Arcana also includes tasks called Works of Mercy that unlock upgrades. Separately, Rose can equip as many as three Relics for exploration or combat bonuses.
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse release date
The game arrives on PS5 October 15, just over two weeks before Halloween. The announced design pairs traditional Castlevania exploration with modern quality-of-life features and a combat system built for rapid combos.
Why PlayStation calls the map traditional Castlevania
The first-party hands-on describes a large handcrafted map with destructible secret walls and visible routes that only open after Rose gains the required ability. Evil Empire explicitly moved away from roguelite permadeath and procedural generation, so repeated exploration and ability-gated returns—not randomized runs—define the announced structure.
The hands-on names specific combat examples
Rose's dodge can flip backward with a double tap, while the Arcana Whip can chain a grapple into an attack or traversal swing. Mana recovered from defeated enemies powers spells and healing. The seven weapon families include a longsword rewarded for attacking after a backdash and short-range cestus gauntlets that gain damage through consecutive hits.
Boss victories can add the defeated enemy to Rose's tarot deck as an Arcana. The report says Joan's Holy Light can cross Chaos Shards and deflect attacks when timed, while Works of Mercy unlock Blessings and an assignable Gift. Rose can separately equip up to three Relics for combat or exploration bonuses.
