Back From The Dead

If the explosive popularity of the Metroidvania genre is any indication, Castlevania is one of the most influential game series of all time. That said, it’s been years since the franchise got a new title, and even longer for a 2D entry. Thankfully, much like Dracula, the franchise is reawakening from a deep slumber with Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, a new sidescrolling entry in the series.

The game is being developed in a partnership between Konami, which made the originals, and two indie teams: Evil Empire and Motion Twin, known for their work on Dead Cells. Motion Twin created Dead Cells and then branched Evil Empire off into a separate team to cover all the follow-up expansions, including 2023’s Return to Castlevania DLC. Even before Dead Cells added Castlevania content, Konami’s vampire-hunting series was always a clear inspiration, both aesthetically and mechanically, so the partnership is smart.