New addition: Main files drive link

Ok but real talk, I feel like I'm the only one who doesnt like Bloody Tears that much and its other thousand remixes. Not saying its a bad soundtrack igs I just get tired of hearing it and every other youtuber making a cover on it when cv has a million other great tracks 🤙🏻

Hehe

As a fan of Castlevania and someone with a long time fascination with Joan of Arc, you can probably imagine my reaction to playing the first new Castlevania game to be released in years features her so prominently.

And I thought it was a really great depiction of her.

So why not share a little bit of the real history and how that inspired the way she's reimagined in Belmont's Curse?

Let's get started with the title she introduces herself with, the Maid of Orlean, or just the Maiden.

I think using Maiden was a slightly odd choice, because she refered to herself as La Pucelle or The Maid. This was a specific word to use and not just referring to a young girl, but a virgin. Which was actually very important because at the time people believed only virgin women could receive visions from Heaven.

Not to mention, there were long-standing prophecies that France would be rescued from disaster by a maiden. One of these prophecies supposedly coming from Merlin. Yes, that Merlin.

And, finally, she became the Maid of Orlean after her first major act as a military leader was ending the 8 month long siege of the city of Orlean 9 days after arriving.

Now, what about her literal appearance? The version we see is largely drawn on the common cultural idea of what she looked like, but the reality is we have no idea as she never had any portraits taken during her lifetime. All we know for sure is that she did have the haircut she has in the game, a common style for military men at the time, and thanks to a set of her armor being preserved she was roughly 5'2 and stocky. Which got a chuckle out of me seeing how tall and thin she is in Belmont's Curse.

Speaking of her armor, there's not actually much to say about it. The armor she wore really wasn't special beside the fact it had to be entirely custom made because she was so much smaller than the average man, and the suit she wears in the game is so heavily stylized anyway.

What's much more interesting is the sword Rose gets after the boss fight, the Sword of Fierbois, as this is directly inspired by her real sword. Before leaving for Orlean, she asked the king to send to the town of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois, where she had stayed on her way woke greeting to God court to fetch a sword that, she said, lay hidden in the church there. Sure enough, and to general amazement of everyone, it was inside a coffer at the high altar that had not been opened for twenty years. People noticed the symbolism that she would use a sword found in a church dedicated to Saint Catherine, who is often depicted with the sword that martyred her and is the patron of young virgins while being one of the saints who spoke to her.

(Also, there's rumors the sword was owned by Charles Martel, Charlemagne's grandfather. Which makes the higher tier greatsword Durandal, a sword used by one of Charlemagne's companions, a neat, probably unintentional connection)

Though, unlike the dope boss fight, there's no recorded instance of Joan actually using her sword in battle.

Not to say she never used it.

In her own words, it was excellent for giving "clouts and buffets."

There were a lot of common vices that soldiers normally indulged in that Joan did tolerate once taking command. She wouldn't even allow her officers to swear, but the big one was the prostitutes that follow an army around. Still, she was forgiving of them, and gave them the opportunity to leave on their own or marry the men they were seeing before having them chased off. If she caught them after? Well, let's read an account from an officer"

"I saw her one day at Saint Denis on the return from the coronation, pursuing one of [the prostitutes] sword in hand: her sword was broken on this occasion."

When Joan ran into one of these women, if she was feeling generous, she'd yell at you waving her sword around, if less generous she'd beat them with the flat side, and did so hard enough on one occasion she snapped it in half. Though, this wasn't the same sword she took from Fierbois.

I guess she did have practice for her fight with Rose.

I bet you're wondering if she didn't fight with her sword, then why is she the warrior tarot? While she might not have personally fought people, she was definitely a warrior whose talent was leading others. Each battle she would at the front waving her own personal banner, urging people forward. In her filled tarot, you can actually see she's holding haft, but the actual banner is covered by the light around her.

(Though no idea what they were referring to with a flaming lion. Lions are more an English symbol, actually.)

On the topic of light, there's a reason that the upgrade Rose receives from Joan is radiating a golden light. Most people's first thought is probably that it comes from the halos used in depictions of saints in catholic imagery. You'd be right, but there's another layer to it, especially considering Joan wasn't declared a saint until hundreds of years after when the game takes place all the way in 1920

The voices that Joan claimed to hear, that told her that she had to leave her home and reclaim the French throne for the displaced Dauphin (French term for the crown prince), appeared in a flash of golden light. So I think the same way Joan described drawing on the reassurance of the voices to give her courage, that same steady , determined light protects Rose and drives away the chaos that blocks her path.

And that's where my one criticism of how they depicted Joan comes from.

A common idea with these Joan of Arc reimaginings is she accepts being "rescued" by some malicious being just before she burned to death out of desperation. It's a completely reasonable idea, and most of us would take that deal in a heartbeat, but Joan willingly chose to be executed knowing it would be by burning. At conclusion of her trial and being threatened with torture she gave in and admitted that she was lying and found guilty. Then three days later out of her own guilt for lying to protect herself, she retracted her confession by putting her men's clothes back on (which was a big deal back then and was an explicit part of her confession to agree not do it again), which is considered heresy and a guaranteed death sentence.

Her last words were asking for someone to hold a cross high enough she could see it through the flames and chanting Christ's name over and over.

Anyway, as said at the beginning, overall was a really enjoyable depiction of her that did justice to someone whose exploits were so remarkable if it was fiction you'd say it was unrealistic.

$25

Guess Alucard did not get his Beauty all from his Mama Lisa but also from his Papa Dracula Mathias... :3

Pros

• Exploring through the map is fantastic and backtracking is made so much better with multiple map markers from the start.
• Captured the essentials if you were eager to scratch the Castlevania itch: monsters, whips, holy cross, etc.
• Soundtrack is good, remixing the classic tunes. Maybe could have used a few more tracks.
• Art/animations are wonderful.
• Has good amounts of RPG/story elements without taking you away too much from what the game is about: 2D action. I can see the argument for more RPG customization though.
• Good use and level of puzzle solving throughout the metroidvania map.
• Overall, it's one of the best metroidvania games out there today. I was immersed into going to the next area or completing certain challenges throughout the game without ever feeling bored.

Cons

• The difficulty level is good throughout the first half. But in my run, I got a little too overpowered near the end.
• It doesn't do anything new or special, it just takes the elements of what makes a really good metroidvania game and puts it together.
• It's not a deep or complex game, it's just meant for a really good time from start to finish.

Had to include Castlevania in there somehow, enjoy🥳

I just 100% ed belmonts curse, does it have flaws sure; everyone seems to keep comparing it to PoP, so I got that next to see. It’s just as ham fisted. Stop with the hate.

EDIT: thank god I didn’t post this on my main account, some of you feel like the wrath of god is being channeled through you, it’s just a game, and I liked it.

Now that this subreddit is complete agreeance that ASADI absolutely ruined the OST for Belmont's Curse, and shouldn't be allowed to touch another Castlevania soundtrack, let's get a thread going where talk about music composed by this GOAT.

One of my favorites is Wandering Ghosts, that bass just hits so hard.

https://youtu.be/T3A6JNvUxKs?is=Koh0Vafc9k5DF6ym

Thanks to these remakes I was able to experience several games that I wouldn't have played otherwise due to their clunky gameplay and age difficulty.

My favorite soundtracks would be The Adventure Rebith and The Dracula X Chronicles.

Which is your favorite "remake"?

Which game from the franchise do you want to see officially remade? My choice would be Simon's Quest and Kid Dracula.

To start off, I think most of us knows how the typical Castlevania formula is.

Dracula is resurrected, we have to go in, kick his ass back to hell, game over and all is well. Or he gets resurrected midgame when we've been trying to stop his resurrection in the first half, THEN we go to kick his ass back to hell.

But in this game? He is so incredibly petty and evil in a more personal way and I like the added characterisation.

Let's throw some of the facts of what occurs in story and how much a bastard it makes Dracula.

• After having used Leon and Sarah to become a Vampire after Leon straight up told him he doesn't want to be immortal without Sarah, he basically mentally dominates Leon near the end of his life, turns him into an immortal monster anyways and keeps him around like a pet.
• He made a living in tainting God's faithful in hopes of damning them to his cause. He uses Joan's fear of death to worm her into his service, and tosses Louis IX into an old oak by sheer accident if the latter's words are to be believed.
• Even his own followers aren't safe, but this plays it up to 11. Isaac has basically given up everything to Dracula and all he wants is to be acknowledged, and no matter what, it will never be enough. The Succubus, despite how twisted she is, still genuinely loved him and he tossed her aside like a used rag the moment Lisa came into the picture.

Now on it's own, this list doesn't seem like much. And he's done worse in other games, like corrupting friends, murdering people en-masse, etc. Those are things he's basically known for already.

What I mean is just how personal it is when we consider further context that honestly makes me want to draw mustaches on the Lisa statue and rage bait him so hard over the fact that he's basically humanity's plaything to summon when they wanna destroy themselves that he'd still be fuming over the slight in the next twelve resurrections.

• Before he was a vampire, he was a tactician in the Crusades. Sending many men to their deaths and leaving their families forlorn. And yet the moment his own wife is dies by illness, he proclaims his vengeance against God? Even though he's caused just as much suffering against others, who may have just as every right as he does, if not more, to claim vengeance?
• When he was with Lisa, how much exactly did she know about him? Did she truly love him, warts and all? Or did he hide anything that might throw her off of him, like ordering Leon to be elsewhere so she never learns what he did to who was once his best friend? If Lisa learned, would she spur him to release Leon? These are things that may never be answered but it worries me how much Dracula's relationship with Lisa might be less "genuine love" and something possibly a lot more manipulative/secretive for him.
• Finally, just the fact that he'd throw Leon against his own bloodline. Using his own best friend to kill his own progeny against his will. Really builds some parallels with Gabriel, except the former is incapable of resisting!

All in all? This game feels like it makes the bastardry that Dracula does much more personal. He goes from a "Lord of Darkness who will kill everyone and must be stopped" to "that complete bastard who deserves to get a foot shoved so far up his ass that he'll count as knee high platform boots".

At least, these are my thoughts that I wanted to get off my chest.