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Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is an interconnected 2D action-exploration game, not a six-stage linear campaign. Rose Belmont’s route runs from the Paris Streets through the Undercity, Catacombs and castle before reaching Notre-Dame and Dracula. The practical sequence is to defeat The Fallen first, collect the three Catacombs keys from The Fallen, Joan of Arc and Medusa, then acquire Aerial Rush and Smash in the castle, solve the organ route, and use Soul Harvest to avoid the Clock Tower trap. Joan and Medusa can be completed in either order, while the true ending adds optional relics, virtue trials and a final Absolution cast.
This walkthrough separates mandatory progression from detours and distinguishes the first Death encounter, the later winnable Death fight, the two Isaac encounters, and the normal and true-ending final actions.
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Route at a glance
| Area | Main objective | Required gate or reward | Optional branches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris Streets and Undercity | Reach The Fallen through the sewer route | Arcane Whip, The Fallen’s Key, Holy Cross | Crypt Key detour near the Cemetery approach |
| Court, Cemetery and Prison Tower | Collect the two remaining keys | Joan’s and Medusa’s keys; Holy Light | Choose either boss first |
| Catacombs | Open the sealed gate and descend | Three keys; Ferryman route | Shortcuts and Mirrors of Life |
| Castle | Unlock movement and painting access | Aerial Rush, Smash, The Artist/Masterpiece, paintbrush prerequisite | Mammon and Hall of Mirrors are not automatically required |
| Notre-Dame | Play the Melody Sheets and defeat the later Death | Soul Harvest, Vampire Killer, Double Jump | Virtue trials and Ferryman’s Obol |
| Clock Tower and Dracula | Disarm the trap and complete the final route | Normal ending or Absolution true-ending action | Three Eyes, Mammon and The Whisperer |
The order above is a usable route assembled from published walkthrough material and a completed-route reference. It is not evidence that every region has one mandatory room order; several castle branches can be cleared in either sequence.
Where do I go after The Fallen?
After The Fallen, take the sewer exit toward the remaining key branches, not directly to a supposed next “stage.” The immediate progression is Arcane Whip, then a choice between the Joan of Arc and Medusa routes.
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Paris Streets to the first boss
- Start by the Seine and move through the Undercity toward the Ruined Market.
- Near the well, climb the walkways and locate the barrel alcove. Break the concealed wall and pull the lever behind it.
- The lever opens the grate. Drop through the Central Sewer Drain, operate the gate mechanism and activate the Mirror of Life.
- Follow the Sewer Reservoir and Path of the Rat until The Fallen’s arena.
- After the fight, absorb the boss’s Arcana for Holy Cross and collect The Fallen’s Key.
- Continue through the sewer tunnels for the Arcane Whip tutorial. The whip’s grapple anchors are the traversal tool that opens the next set of routes.
These room landmarks and the sewer sequence are reported in Ali Amir’s published walkthrough at KeenGamer. Keep mana for a safe cast or healing opportunity rather than treating Holy Cross as an effortless shortcut.
Joan or Medusa first?
Either order works after The Fallen and Arcane Whip. Choose the branch whose key you are missing; the completed route requires all three keys, not a fixed Joan-before-Medusa sequence.
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Medusa branch
- From the central routes, pass through the Court of Miracles, Bridge of the Millers and Burned District.
- Enter Holy Innocents’ Cemetery and continue through the Roman Aqueduct and Baths.
- Reach Medusa, defeat her and collect The Prophetess Arcana, Petrifying Gaze and The Prophetess’s Key.
During the fight, turn away when the petrifying gaze is telegraphed. Stay on stable platforms, let the attack finish and close in during the recovery window. Do not assume the whip grapples directly onto Medusa; use it for the anchors and positioning the room actually provides.
Joan of Arc branch
- Take the Prison Tower route and climb toward its roof.
- Defeat Joan of Arc to receive The Warrior Arcana, Infernal Pyre and The Warrior’s Key.
- Complete the subsequent Holy Light tutorial. Holy Light dispels Chaos Shards that block later movement.
Joan’s readable danger comes from sword combinations, flaming attacks and fireballs. Move or dodge through the sequence, then punish the end of the attack string instead of trading hits. A PlayStation Blog hands-on report places the encounter on a rooftop and describes the attack patterns; it does not establish a universal damage value or one mandatory weapon.
One published itinerary takes Joan before Medusa, while Ali Amir’s guide takes Medusa first. That difference reflects branch order, not contradictory key requirements. When both bosses are defeated, return to the sealed gate in the Abandoned Sewers and use The Fallen’s, Joan’s and Medusa’s keys.
How do I open the Catacombs gate?
Use all three boss keys at the sealed gate in the Abandoned Sewers, then descend into the Catacombs. The Catacombs are a connected area with local shortcuts, so activate Mirrors of Life and open return paths as you advance instead of treating each room as a one-way stage.
The first Death confrontation here is a story checkpoint. It is not the later winnable Death fight that grants Soul Harvest. Losing or surviving this early encounter does not give Double Jump, Soul Harvest or the final Death Arcana. After the Catacombs, follow the Ferryman route through the Justice District toward the castle.
There is also an early bridge-side Isaac encounter. Ali Amir’s guide describes this opponent as an illusion, distinct from the later Clock Tower Isaac battle associated with Isaac’s Arcana. Keeping those encounters separate prevents a common progression mistake.
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What should I do first in the castle?
The castle has major branches rather than one proven room-by-room order. Prioritize the movement checkpoint that matches the obstacle in front of you, then return to the other branch.
Library branch: Carmilla and Aerial Rush
From the Main Hall, follow the Library’s Planetarium and Observatory route to Carmilla. Clear the floating skulls, watch for gaps between blood columns and attack when Carmilla reappears vulnerable. Her reward is The Occultist Arcana and the Aerial Rush progression. Treat the Arcana and the movement unlock as related but distinct pieces of the route.
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Clock Tower branch: Talos and Smash
Follow the Clock Tower’s Builder route to Talos. Use the furnace chamber’s platforms to preserve room for reactions, then strike during safe openings rather than standing in hazard lanes. Talos provides The Builder Arcana and Smash, the ability that breaks cracked golden floors.
Carmilla and Talos can be approached in different orders. Select Carmilla first if Aerial Rush solves the next aerial gap; select Talos first if a cracked golden floor is the immediate obstruction. Neither choice makes the other boss optional.
How do I get Smash?
Defeat Talos on the Clock Tower’s Builder route and claim The Builder Arcana with the Smash movement checkpoint. Smash is the answer to cracked golden floors, including the floor access needed for the castle’s painting progression.
- Reach Talos through the Builder route and clear the furnace-room hazards.
- After the fight, confirm the Smash unlock rather than leaving with only the equipped Arcana.
- Return to Brauner’s Atelier and use Smash on the chained sculpture.
- Collect The Artist/Masterpiece and complete the Library-related paintbrush prerequisite.
- At the Gallery of Eternal Night, equip The Artist and enter the Notre-Dame painting.
The castle route distinguishes ability tutorials, equipped Arcana and key items. A boss reward is not automatically all three. Mammon and the entire Hall of Mirrors should not be presented as mandatory for reaching Notre-Dame on the normal route.
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Reach the painting only after the castle prerequisites are complete: Aerial Rush from Carmilla, Smash from Talos, The Artist/Masterpiece from the Atelier, and the required paintbrush progression. Equip The Artist at the Gallery of Eternal Night’s Notre-Dame painting; entering without the correct item or Arcana leaves the route apparently blocked.
The distinction matters because “get the Artist,” “finish the paintbrush prerequisite” and “equip The Artist” are separate actions. The castle progression and reward relationships are documented in the published walkthrough material at KeenGamer.
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What are the Notre-Dame organ combinations?
Find the three Melody Sheets and use them at the Great Organ. The published guide records the following symbol sequences:
| Sheet | Input sequence |
|---|---|
| Fugue | Moon → Sun → Moon → Virgo |
| Sonata | Sagittarius → Capricorn → Pisces → Aquarius → Capricorn → Sagittarius → Capricorn |
| Concerto | Gemini → Cancer → Virgo → Leo → Virgo → Leo → Gemini |
These inputs are source-dependent puzzle instructions. Check the symbols shown in your game if a localization or later patch changes their presentation; do not substitute a remembered sequence from another version.
Why didn’t I get Double Jump after Death?
Because Double Jump is a later Notre-Dame progression reward, not the result of the first Death encounter in the Catacombs. Defeat the later, winnable Death to absorb The Shadow/Soul Harvest, then visit Trevor in the infirmary for the Vampire Killer and complete the separate Choir/Leon movement interaction for Double Jump.
- Reach the later Death fight in Notre-Dame and survive its completed attack sequences.
- Absorb The Shadow to obtain Soul Harvest.
- Visit Trevor in the infirmary and collect the Vampire Killer.
- Follow the Choir/Leon interaction that unlocks Double Jump.
For Death, stay mobile and punish the end of each sequence. Soul Harvest is also a route tool: it is required to disarm the Clock Tower trap before the later Isaac and Dracula route.
How do I avoid the Clock Tower trap?
At the Clock Tower clock, equip The Shadow/Soul Harvest and perform the clock interaction before continuing. Simply defeating Dracula normally does not perform the separate action needed for the true ending, and entering the clock sequence without Soul Harvest can leave the route trapped.
After disarming the clock, continue to the real Isaac fight, Master’s Quarters and Dracula. The later Isaac is the encounter tied to his Arcana; do not confuse it with the earlier bridge-side illusion.
How do the final bosses work?
Later Death
Prioritize movement and wait for completed sequences. The safe recovery window is more valuable than forcing attacks during a transition. The reward is The Shadow/Soul Harvest, not Double Jump.
Isaac
The later Isaac fight follows the Clock Tower route and is separate from the earlier illusion encounter. Read the completed attack pattern, keep an escape lane open and use the Arcana reward as part of the final progression rather than assuming it was earned at the bridge.
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Dracula
Dracula’s opening phase uses teleports and spells. Avoid flame-column lanes and reposition around falling projectiles and sweeping attacks, attacking between sequences. The second phase moves to a large winged rooftop fight; keep moving around the projectiles and sweep arcs.
Beating Dracula’s second phase is the normal completion condition. The true ending requires one additional action: after the second phase, when Dracula is suspended, hold the spell input to cast Absolution. Merely owning or equipping the Absolution card is not enough.
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The true route adds optional relics, virtue trials and a final Absolution cast. It is longer than the normal route but can be pursued by resuming a save after an earlier ending, according to the cited route reference.
Optional Ferryman detour
Collect the three Eye relics and equip all of them at the Ferryman’s door:
- Thrilling Eye: Hospital near Street of the Tomb Masons.
- Trembling Eye: Cemetery, in the Pillaged Tombs.
- Oozing Eye: Circle of Greed, on a raised platform.
Defeat Mammon, retrieve the Ferryman’s Obol and return it to the Ferryman to receive The Whisperer. This detour is not required for ordinary completion, but The Whisperer is one of the four virtue cards needed for the full true-ending route.
Four virtue cards and trials
- The Warrior: obtained from Joan.
- The Sage: obtained through Eleanor’s mirror/seal branch.
- The Judge: obtained through the Palace of Justice scales interaction.
- The Whisperer: obtained by returning the Ferryman’s Obol.
At Notre-Dame, equip the matching card at each virtue window, finish its trial and ring its bell. Then activate the central altar and defeat the shadow to gain The Self/Absolution.
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- Activate the central altar and defeat the shadow for Absolution.
- Equip Soul Harvest at the Clock Tower and perform the clock interaction.
- Switch back to Absolution for Dracula.
- After Dracula’s second phase, hold the spell input while he is suspended. This cast, not simple possession of the card, completes the true-ending action.
The true-ending conditions and the distinction between the normal finish and the held-input Absolution cast are laid out in the route reference at Belmont’s Curse Guides.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which items are worth detouring for?
These rewards are useful completion targets, but the available evidence does not support ranking them as a universally best weapon set.
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- Crypt Key: reported in the Seer’s Hovel on the Cemetery approach. A PlayStation Blog account says that opening a chest while it was equipped restored health and mana in that account.
- Burnt Sword of Fierbois: Joan can reward it.
- Fists of Talos: the walkthrough points to a chest after Talos.
- Vampire Killer: received from Trevor after the later Death sequence.
- Excalibur: an optional Arthur-related reward.
The PlayStation Blog report also describes three equippable relic slots and quotes Konami producer Tsutomu Taniguchi saying, “We really wanted to capture the essence of the series.” That statement is an attributed comment from the July 17, 2026 report, not a claim of first-hand testing by this site.
What commonly goes wrong?
- The gate still will not open: verify that keys came from The Fallen, Joan of Arc and Medusa, then return to the sealed gate in the Abandoned Sewers.
- Double Jump is missing: the first Death encounter does not grant it. Complete the later Death, Trevor’s infirmary interaction and the Choir/Leon movement interaction.
- The painting is inaccessible: check Aerial Rush, Smash, The Artist/Masterpiece and the paintbrush prerequisite; then equip The Artist at the gallery.
- The clock route fails: obtain Soul Harvest from the later Death and perform its interaction at the Clock Tower clock before Isaac.
- The normal ending appeared: complete the virtue trials, obtain Absolution, disarm the clock trap with Soul Harvest, switch back to Absolution and hold the spell input after Dracula’s second phase.
- A boss feels unfair: preserve an escape lane, read the telegraph, let the sequence finish and attack the recovery window. The published strategy notes do not establish a universal damage exploit or best weapon.
How should I choose between the optional branches?
For Joan versus Medusa, choose the boss whose key you currently lack; both orders converge at the three-key Catacombs gate. For Carmilla versus Talos, choose Aerial Rush when an aerial gap blocks progress and Smash when cracked golden flooring is the obstacle. For normal versus true ending, choose normal completion for the shortest story finish, or add the Eyes, Mammon, virtue cards, altar and Absolution cast for the full route.
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Konami lists the game’s release date as October 15, 2026 and describes it as a 2D action-exploration game starring Rose Belmont in monster-infested Paris in 1499; Evil Empire is the developer, with Motion Twin identified as an advisory studio. Platform-specific fixes were listed in Konami’s October 22, 2026 patch notice, so consult the official page if a symbol, gate or interaction behaves differently after an update: Konami’s official game page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the Joan and Medusa order without locking myself out of progress?
Yes. Their routes are independent branches after The Fallen, and the practical requirement is to return with all three boss keys. If a gate is closed, check which key is missing rather than restarting the route.
Is the first Death fight supposed to be unwinnable?
It functions as a story checkpoint, while the later Notre-Dame encounter is the fight that can be defeated for Soul Harvest. Treat the early meeting as progression rather than spending resources searching for a hidden victory reward.
Does the physical Midnight Edition include a printed soundtrack?
Konami’s listed Midnight Edition includes a digital Sound & Art Gallery, costumes and the Family’s Grace in-game relic; it is not described as a physical soundtrack or printed guide. Platform and regional listings differ, so verify the destination storefront before purchasing.
How many music tracks are listed for the game?
Konami’s Midnight Edition gallery lists 71 tracks. That is a game-content figure, not a player-count or sales statistic.
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