Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Has One Of The Best Weapon Systems in Any Metroidvania I’ve Played
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse has been getting plenty of praise since its release, due to solid genre fundamentals mixing with new innovations to the series to create a fascinating new entry in the franchise. The newest side scrolling Castlevania in more than 20 years has a variety of features for players to enjoy, but one that has received lots of player notice is how it handles weapons. There are seven weapon types in the game, but the details to them make them more than just alternate gear, and more like completely fresh ways to craft your own experience.
There are weapons in Belmont’s Curse for every kind of combat approach, from balanced tools, defensive gear, or risky and offense-focused equipment. Throughout your journey, you’ll combine your favorite weapon with different Arcana spell Tarot cards that grant you magic based on characters you’ve interacted with. At the same time, you can equip passive bonuses to main character Rose Belmont through Relics, where wearing three at a time will grant different buffs to contribute toward an overall build.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Has 28 Different Weapons, With 7 Unique Types For Constant Combat Variety
Weapons are found in treasure chests in every area of Belmont’s Curse, representing another type of collectible to hunt down in the sprawling world map. Alongside Relics, weapons can sometimes be behind platforming or combat challenges, waiting to be gathered by daring players. There are seven types of weapons, with four different rarities each, starting with Ordinary and ramping up to Refined, Masterpiece, and Legendary. The higher the rarity, the more damage a weapon deals, with Legendary weapons having extra properties as well. The seven weapon types you might find are:
- Longsword (One-Handed Sword)
- Fists
- Sword & Shield
- Spear
- Greatsword (Two-Handed Sword)
- Dual Blades
- Whip
The Longsword is your default weapon when you start the game, acting as a balanced tool that doesn’t have too many risks. Other weapons like the Greatsword sacrifice mobility for heavier strikes, dealing much higher damage but requiring precise timing. Tools like the Sword & Shield also have low mobility, but trade big damage for defense, allowing players to partially absorb damage while blocking. High-speed weapons like the Dual Blades or Fists offer multiple attack combos that ramp up into ridiculous damage, but often put players in dangerous positions up close and personal with enemies.
Meanwhile, Spears and Whips have excellent reach to lower risk, while also having extra techniques the other weapons listed simply don’t have. For example, any Spear you find can be thrown by holding down the attack button, with that thrown attack being something players can aim freely. The Whip also has a unique specialization, representing the nostalgic Castlevania games of the past in its design. While wielding a Whip, the end of the weapon has a sweet spot that deals critical damage when it comes into contact with an enemy. The Whip is the only weapon that can be wielded in any diagonal direction too, giving it even more depth for players to master.
Each Weapon Has Different Features That Encourages Player Exploration & Mastery
What makes the weapon system in Belmont’s Curse special isn’t just for the default properties of each armament Rose can equip, but for the extra layers of details behind them. Each weapon in the game has a unique move you can perform by inputting the attack command right before reaching an enemy after grappling to them with the Arcane Whip traversal ability. For some weapons, this is a way to push enemies off platforms, like the Arcane Whip attack from the Sword and Shield. For others, this is a great way at eliminating multiple enemies with one well-timed strike, such as the attacks seen from the Greatsword and Dual Blades after using the Arcane Whip.
Some weapons also have special properties that only take place when you understand their specific traits. Dual Blades have a feature where their weapon combo comes from a special move that activates only when you delay pressing the attack button until the right timing. Doing this allows the weapon to progress from one move to the next, turning a series of slashes into a flurry of stabs and eventually a spinning circle of destruction to deal high damage to enemies. Similarly, the Greatsword can be charged to give Rose super armor, while the Sword and Shield can have its block charged too to deliver a huge counter with its shield bash when unleashed.
Legendary Weapons Expands The Possibilities Of Combat Builds Even More Than Players Expect
Pretty much every weapon has some quirk to it that makes mastering it incredibly fun. This promise also makes it worth hunting down every version of each weapon, especially the Legendary versions of some arms. If you like the Longsword’s ability to set up a backstab better than other weapons, you’ll have to search every room in the game for its Legendary version, as well as any Relics that enhance that play style. Oftentimes during my playthrough, I would hope that every chest I came across was another, stronger version of a weapon I didn’t normally use, as its higher stats would give me an excuse to try another approach to combat.
The fact that the game gives you ways to switch weapons on the fly makes the variety stand out more too, especially during exploration or boss fights. Sometimes, a Spear might feel like the right tool for exploring Dracula’s Castle, but the Greatsword feels better against a certain boss you’ve been struggling with. Since there’s no penalty for swapping weapons, Relics, or Arcana spells in Belmont’s Curse, you can mix and match weapons in endless ways with the other tools at Rose’s disposal.
The fighting of this game was always going to be the core system behind its gameplay loop, but its surprising just how much extra detail went into the weapons for this title. Although weapons don’t have fighting game input motions like they did in Symphony of the Night, there is still a signature medley of items that never feel too generic or same to one another. This gives Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse an arsenal of memorable weapons for players to use, swap between, or experiment with at will, keeping things fresh until the credits roll.
What is your favorite part about the weapon system in Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse? Let us know in the comments below!