Castlevania: Belmont's Curse

Rose Belmont takes on Dracula's castle in 1499 Paris, in the series' 40th-anniversary metroidvania. Our review, the platinum roadmap and all 30 trophies explained in depth, with every boss, weapon, clue and ending.

8.5PixelForge Score

Developer: Evil Empire & Konami  ·  Publisher: Konami  ·  Released: October 15, 2026
Platinum: 5/10 · 25–30h · 2 playthroughs (100% + speedrun) · offline · no missables
Trophies: 1 · 5 · 10 · 14

A Belmont worth the wait

You play Rose Belmont, Trevor's daughter, in Paris, 1499, a city twisted by Dracula's curse. Notre-Dame, the Holy Innocents' Cemetery and the catacombs are the first stops before the castle itself, and every boss is a figure out of French history or Castlevania lore: Joan of Arc, Saint Louis, King Arthur, Carmilla, Death. It's made by Evil Empire, the studio behind Dead Cells' Return to Castlevania DLC, together with Konami, for the series' 40th anniversary, and it plays like a love letter to the 2D games.

The big idea is the Tarot. Beat a boss and Rose absorbs it into a card: each card is a spell (Holy Cross, Petrifying Gaze, Soul Harvest), many add a movement skill, and every card has its own Works of Mercy challenges that upgrade it. The whip grapple and Holy Light parry keep fights quick and physical, and the hidden bosses, found by piecing together notes and plaques, give exploration a real detective feel.

It's tough. There are no difficulty levels, and some bosses (Carmilla's eight-mark instant kill, Talos's countdown, Dracula's two forms) will stop you cold for a while, though the Custom Menu lets you soften it. Critics loved it: 86 on Metacritic for PS5 and 97% recommending it on OpenCritic, among the best-reviewed entries in decades, and we agree. At $29.99 it's an easy recommendation. For trophy hunters it's a 5/10 platinum with no missables: collect everything on one save, then do one speedrun.

The road to The legendary vampire hunter

Two runs, 25–30 hours, no missables and no online trophies. Use the Custom Menu whenever a boss or the speedrun gets in the way: it doesn't affect trophies.

In-depth guides

All 30 trophies explained in depth with the real trophy art, plus every boss, every collectible location and all three endings.

All 30 trophies — explained in depth

The legendary vampire hunter (Platinum)

Details

Earn every other trophy. The order that works: one 100% run on a single save (every boss, collectible and Work of Mercy, plus all three endings, which you can do on the same file), then a fresh speedrun to the normal ending in under 4 hours. Tip: Nothing is missable, so don't stress about order. Leave the speedrun for last, and use the Custom Menu for it.

Thirteen trophies come from bosses (the Judge's trial included). This page covers every fight in the game: where it is, the attacks to watch for, the Arcana card it gives you and how to unlock the hidden ones.

Blood Tells

Details

Bronze — Defeat the Fallen Beat the Fallen, the first boss, at the Gate to the Catacombs in the Paris Streets. It's Leon, cursed and wielding his whip, and you can't skip him. On the ground he throws a three-hit claw combo and tosses a cross at mid range. When his health drops below 70% he leaps to the upper platform and starts swinging across the room on his whip. Tip: Hit him mid-swing (any hit, a spell included) to knock him straight back to the ground, then punish him while he recovers. Don't back off more than half a screen: that triggers a leap you can't interrupt. He gives the Arcane Whip and The Fallen card. Full guide →

Flammable or inflammable?

Details

Bronze — Defeat the Warrior Beat the Warrior, Joan of Arc, on the Roof of the Tower in the Paris Streets. Two clues, in the Burned District and the Upper Tower, point you up the tower. Joan has three phases split at 50% and 25% health. Each hit makes her shed flames that gather around her, and when enough are out she raises them as pillars of fire. Tip: When she leaps for Lionsfall, move away from her landing spot, which catches fire. After each Lionsfall her dash combo reaches twice as far, so either stay close and fight or keep well back. She drops the Burnt Sword of Fierbois on the ground (your first two-handed sword) and gives Holy Light, which you need to bounce off pillars. Full guide →

Snakes speared in the ruins

Details

Bronze — Defeat the Prophetess Beat the Prophetess, Medusa, in the Ossuary of the Innocents in Holy Innocents' Cemetery. Four clues around the cemetery (the fountain, the hollow tree, the Sepulcher of the Knight and the Roman Baths) lead you to her. Tip: Never stand still: lingering in one spot runs down a hidden countdown to her tail slam. Stay out of the line in front of her when she's far away, because her gaze crosses most of the room. After her second frenzy she also summons Medusa Heads that petrify you within 3 metres, so deal with them from range. Take the exit on the right afterwards for the Rusted Harpè and Aegis. Full guide →

The King is dead, long live the King

Details

Silver — Survive the Judge's verdict This is the Judge's trial, not a fight. In the Paris Streets go through the Court of Justice into the Palace of Justice and read the plaque under the great tree statue ("Balancing the Scales of Justice"). Then stand on the empty left pan of the scales and hold Interact (R1): Rose's health and mana drain into the corrupted heart on the other pan until both sides are level. The heart turns gold, the statue wakes as Saint Louis, and a short trial scene plays. The trophy pops when the scales balance. Tip: If nothing happens when you step on the pan, you're too early: you need roughly half of all the health and mana heart upgrades first. The drain can't kill you, but you end at very low health. Strike the golden orb afterwards to claim the Judge card (Chains of Justice) and Valmanway, a legendary one-handed sword. The Judge is also needed for the Justice window on the way to the true ending. Full guide →

Talos Aversion

Details

Bronze — Defeat the Builder Beat the Builder, Talos, at the Throne of the Builder in the Clock Tower. He's hidden: read Builder flees to the Clock Tower (Abandoned Workshop, Main Hall) and the Blueprints for the Clock Tower (Daedalus Crossing, Clock Tower), (the blueprints mention the ventilation shaft that hides the way in). Tip: He raises an invulnerable shield whenever his three drones are flying. Destroy them right away and you get a long window to hit him. Below 15% health a countdown starts on screen and ends with a huge blow, so save your strongest attacks to finish him before it runs out. He gives The Builder (Fist of Talos and the Smash skill). Full guide →

Blood for Blood

Details

Bronze — Defeat the Occultist Beat the Occultist, Carmilla, in the Observatory of the Library. Five clues lead to her: Carmilla in the Library (Brauner's Atelier), the Blood Poem (a secret area off the Natural Philosophy Shelves), the Star Chart (Astronomer's Office), Organic Astrology (Drawing Room) and the Magical Brush (Observation Tower). Tip: Her blood drops mark Rose, and eight marks mean instant death by Thousand Cuts, so dodging the drops matters more than dealing damage. She's invulnerable while she summons skulls; smash the skulls and wait for the summon to end. Below 22% health she uses her ultimate, so keep a potion for the end. Full guide →

Death... killed?

Details

Silver — Defeat the Shadow Beat the Shadow, Death, in the Choir of Notre-Dame. You meet him once before, at the Altar of Bones in the Catacombs, but that first fight is scripted and can't be won or lost. The real fight is in Notre-Dame, where his clues (the corrupted organ pipes and the Music Masters' three melody sheets) are scattered around the cathedral. Tip: Don't run away from him: distance only brings his teleporting reap. Jump the long horizontal reap instead of trying to outrun it. In his second phase he throws his scythe the length of the room and it comes back, so stay out of its path both ways. He gives Soul Harvest and the Double Jump, and the Vampire Killer becomes available in the Deacon's Quarter afterwards. Full guide →

All that glitters is not gold.

Details

Bronze — Defeat the Miser Beat the Miser, Mammon, in Mammon's Lair in the Catacombs of Paris. He's optional: the three relic diaries in the Bishop's Office (Paris Streets) and the Door made of Flesh and Eyes in the Circle of Greed lead to him. Tip: He charges straight up or down at you (watch which way he lines up) and then lands to fire a set pattern. Below half health his patterns also come diagonally and every charge leaves a pattern behind, so clear out of it before the next one. Return the stolen Obol from his lair to the Ferryman for The Whisperer card, which you need for the true ending. Full guide →

I am Arthur, King of the Britons

Details

Bronze — Defeat the Brittle King Beat the Brittle King, Arthur, in the Chapel of Notre-Dame. Read the Feat of Strength plaque, then equip The Builder (Fist of Talos) and interact with the sword in the stone to start the fight. Beat Talos first. Tip: He fights behind a great shield: two hits to the head or one to the feet make him raise it, so time your combos for when it's down. Don't hang back, because from range he leaps in with a shield slam. Expect rays of light at 80% and 55% health, and repeatedly below 30%. He drops Excalibur, a legendary two-handed sword. Full guide →

Succubued to her wounds...

Details

Bronze — Defeat the Temptress Beat the Temptress, the Succubus, in Belmont Manor in the Hall of Mirrors. The Hall's map stays hidden: reveal rooms at the mirror shrines and by kneeling at the marked spots, then strike the big central mirror in the Recurring Belfry to go deeper. Tip: Count her attacks: after five on her own she splits into clones, then a draining phase follows. Stay close when you can, because from a distance she keeps shooting, and expect her to teleport around the room. Full guide →

Shadow Work

Details

Silver — Defeat the Self Beat the Self, your own Doppelganger (shown as "???"), in the Gallery of the Four Virtues in Notre-Dame. It only appears once all four virtue windows are lit; then interact with the altar under the rose window. See our endings page for the four trials. Tip: It fights with Rose's own moves at first, including an anti-air spear if you jump above it. When a hit doesn't change its phase it may drop a healing potion and run to drink it: keep up the pressure so it can't. Below half health it borrows other bosses' moves (Death's scythe, Carmilla's blood spikes, Joan's stomp) and it changes phase one last time below 7%. Reward: Absolution, the spell that decides the true ending. Full guide →

Finish Hector's work

Details

Bronze — Defeat the Zealot Beat the Zealot, Isaac, at the Heart of the Clock in the Clock Tower. You fight an illusion of him first at the Castle Drawbridge; the real Isaac waits behind Death's trap. Equip Soul Harvest (The Shadow) before you use the glowing clock on the Clock Tower Bridge, or you're sent into the trap instead. Tip: Watch where he positions himself: from each spot he either twirls his spear or dives at you like a bat. Get out from under him when he leaps for his dragon jump combo, and expect a teleport right before every dash. He drops the Chauve-Souris, the legendary spear. Full guide →

Die monster! You don't belong in this world!

Details

Silver — Defeat Dracula Beat Dracula. Phase one is in the Court of the Night (Master's Quarters); he then drags Rose up to the Castle Rooftops for his winged second form. The trophy pops when the second form falls, on any ending path. Tip: In the Court, don't keep your distance: he teleports behind you or throws projectiles. Below 90% he raises fire pillars that shape where you can stand, and later he adds a diving grab and a meteor shower. Against the beast, stay in claw range or keep moving, and save healing for below 80% and 75%, when he adds a life drain and his meteor ultimate. Equip Absolution for this fight if you want the true ending. Full guide →

Nine trophies are about finding things. Every collectible is listed below by area and district, so you can tick them off as you clear each part of Paris and the castle.

Pick a card, any card

Details

Gold — Unlock all blessings for every arcana Unlock every Blessing for every Arcana. Each card has its own list of Works of Mercy (two or three challenges, 42 in all); finishing one grants a Blessing, which unlocks an upgrade for that card's spell. Most are kill or use challenges ("kill 25 enemies with bleed damage"), but a few need exploration, such as finding every secret zone in the Main Hall or exploring every room of the Clock Tower. Tip: The Tarot menu lists each card's Works of Mercy, so check it often. Equip a card and play normally to clear its kill challenges as you go. The full list is in the table on our collectibles page. The Sage's "use 34 Save Rooms" lines up with visiting every Mirror of Life. Full guide →

Armed to the Fangs

Details

Gold — Find every weapon in the game Find all 28 weapons: seven families (Whips, One-Handed Swords, Two-Handed Swords, Dual Blades, Spears, Fists and Weapon & Shield) with four tiers each, Ordinary to Legendary. Most are pickups or chests while exploring; four come from bosses (Valmanway, Excalibur, Chauve-Souris and the Burnt Sword of Fierbois), and a few are behind puzzles. Tip: The puzzle ones are easy to miss: War and Famine (play the melody on the Notre-Dame organ to open a secret passage), Alucard's Sword and Shield (destroy five blue flames in Alucard's Tower), Bernhard's Wrath (solve the Hall of Mirrors puzzle first) and Rapiers (the platform challenge in the Main Hall Watch Tower). Full list on the collectibles page. Full guide →

Jack of All Trades

Details

Bronze — Find a weapon of each family in the game Own at least one weapon from each of the seven families. The Ordinary tiers all come early: the Longsword (starting weapon), Cestus (Sewer Reservoir, Paris Streets), the Burnt Sword of Fierbois (after Joan), the Lance (Fountain of the Innocents), the Rusted Harpè and Aegis (after Medusa), the Whip (Hall of the Fallen Angels) and the Pair of Longswords (Crossroads of the Dead, Catacombs). Tip: This pops naturally a few hours in. If it hasn't, check the Equipment menu to see which family is still empty. Full guide →

Stuff of Legends

Details

Silver — Find a legendary weapon Pick up any one Legendary weapon. There are seven, one per family: Vampire Killer, Valmanway, Excalibur, War and Famine, Chauve-Souris, Bernhard's Wrath and Alucard's Sword and Shield. Tip: The quickest is usually Valmanway from the Judge's scales in the Palace of Justice, or the Vampire Killer in Notre-Dame's Deacon's Quarter after you beat Death. Full guide →

Always the same roof

Details

Bronze — Why does Dracula bother to hide things there anyway? "Why does Dracula bother to hide things there anyway?" It's a secret area in a ceiling. Players got it in the Sanctuary of Solitude (Master's Quarters), the last stretch before the throne room: climb to the room's upper balconies with the whip rings and break into the hidden space at the very top. Tip: The same hidden room has a chest with the Gloomstone relic, which hints when a secret is nearby: handy for Narcissus and the Main Hall secret zones. If you're early, make a habit of hitting suspicious ceilings. Full guide →

Collector

Details

Silver — Find every health and mana upgrade Find every health and mana upgrade: 24 Brave Heart Fragments (health) and 24 Wise Heart Fragments (mana). Every four fragments of a kind complete a heart worth +20, so you end with 220 health and 220 mana. There are exactly three of each kind in eight areas. Tip: Fragments count toward the Judge's scales too, so pick them up as you go. The district for every single fragment is in the table on our collectibles page. Full guide →

Lamplighter

Details

Bronze — Destroy 666 candles Destroy 666 candles. The count is cumulative across the whole game. Tip: Hit every candle you see. A thorough 100% run gets there on its own, and candles don't count toward the completion percentage, so this is purely a habit trophy. Full guide →

The Greatest Detective

Details

Silver — Find every clues Find all 40 clues: notes, plaques, letters and drawings that each point to an Arcana. You start with one (The First Card). Tip: The clues double as the directions to the hidden bosses, so reading them as you find them saves a lot of wandering. Several are in secret areas (the Blood Poem, for one), so the Gloomstone relic helps. Full list by district on the collectibles page. Full guide →

Narcissus

Details

Silver — Activate every mirror of life Activate all 34 Mirrors of Life, the save points that also heal and refill potions. 29 are spread across Paris and the castle, and 5 are inside the Hall of Mirrors itself. Tip: Touch every mirror you pass, even if you don't need to save. The Main Hall alone has nine. Every location is in the table on our collectibles page. Full guide →

The three endings, the 100% trophy, the speedrun and two small leftovers. Nothing here is missable: the game lets you keep playing after every ending.

Belmont's fall

Details

Silver — Finish the game and get the bad ending Get the bad ending. On the Clock Tower Bridge there's a glowing clock: use it without Soul Harvest equipped and Death springs his trap. Rose is led into a false throne room, the fight with Dracula there is rigged, and the credits roll. It isn't a game over: you resume at the Mirror of Life in Mechanic's Ascent with the Ferryman and carry on. Tip: Do this on purpose the first time you reach the clock: take Soul Harvest off, let the trap spring, collect the trophy, then equip Soul Harvest and use the clock again to reach Isaac. A bad-ending finish does not count for the speedrun trophy. Full guide →

The hunt goes on

Details

Silver — Finish the game and get the normal ending Get the normal ending: beat Dracula's second form on the Castle Rooftops without Absolution equipped. Paris stays cursed, but the game carries on after the credits so you can go for the true ending on the same save. Tip: This is the ending the speedrun needs, so you'll see it twice. Full guide →

Curse lifted

Details

Gold — Finish the game and get the true ending Get the true ending. Light all four virtue windows in Notre-Dame's Gallery of the Four Virtues (Courage, Prudence, Justice and Temperance, each opened by a specific Arcana), beat your shadow at the altar for Absolution, then go back through the Sanctuary of Solitude and the Grand Staircase and beat Dracula with Absolution equipped until his second form falls. Tip: You don't need every Arcana, only the four virtue cards: the Warrior, the Sage, the Judge and the Whisperer. Step-by-step on our endings page. Full guide →

Perfectionist Hunter

Details

Gold — Reach 100% game completion Reach 100% completion. The in-game percentage counts the whole map, every boss, every weapon and relic, every stat upgrade, every completed Tarot card and the true ending. Candles, kills and secret areas on their own don't count. Tip: This and the platinum come together at the end of your main run. If you're stuck on 99%, check the map for unexplored rooms and the Tarot menu for unfinished Works of Mercy. Full guide →

Dialog Skipper

Details

Gold — Finish the game in less than 4 hours Finish the game in under 4 hours. Players confirm it needs at least the normal ending: a bad-ending finish doesn't count. There's no New Game+, so it's a fresh save from the start. Tip: Do it last, once you know the castle. The Custom Menu does not block trophies, so raise Rose's attack and stop normal enemies dealing damage to make it painless. Skip every optional boss and collectible, skip cutscenes and dialogue, and head straight for the boss keys. Players who know the route finish in under three hours. Full guide →

Transylvanian Express

Details

Bronze — Cover 19.86km Cover a total of 19.86 km. The distance is cumulative. Tip: It comes naturally: almost half the early players already have it. A 100% run with all the backtracking gets there long before the end. Full guide →

True Belmont

Details

Bronze — Kill an enemy with the Fallen's arcana spell while having a whip weapon equipped Kill an enemy with The Fallen's spell (Holy Cross) while a whip-type weapon is equipped. You get The Fallen from the first boss and the first whip in the Catacombs (Hall of the Fallen Angels). Tip: Weaken a basic enemy with normal hits, then finish it with the cross. The Fallen's own Works of Mercy (find three whips, kill ten enemies with a whip) also want you using whips, so it all fits together. Full guide →

Belmont's Curse platinum — quick answers