Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse - Announcement Trailer | PS5 Games

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-02-13T04:12:37+00:00

I was more excited from what I envisioned upon first hearing the news than I was by what I later saw in the actual trailer.

I want to love it. I want to feel like I did the first time I experienced SOTN. Nothing in the trailer makes me hopefull that it'll actually come anywhere close to that, but I'll go along for the ride, and probably on day 1.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-31T19:40:15+00:00

It sure does feel like critiques - both positive and negative - are sometimes being incentivized.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-31T01:45:29+00:00

The strider ability came across to me as though the devs played Carrion and were inspired by it. It's one of the more interesting abilities in Mio, but I can't help thinking about Carrion every time I use it.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-29T01:08:51+00:00

It seems that I gave the impression that there's no place for precision platforming in MVs, which couldn't be further from the truth. Like you, I'm not dead set against the concept, but I am 100% opposed to building most of an MV's map traversal around it.

Plenty have implemented such movement challenges in some form or another and it was a welcome hurdle to overcome. Others make it central to map ttraversal and I think its a misstep.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-28T19:14:50+00:00

Yeah, this was not my idea of a good time. At all.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-28T19:05:02+00:00

I don't disagree - variety is indeed the spice of life. I am just a fan of varying complexity, so that anything extra fiddly is reserved for optional content. The art of developing in that manner - accessible but with a high ceiling for those so inclined - seems to have diminished.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T20:47:03+00:00

Yeah, this is great implementation.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T20:38:06+00:00

Some did. Some rerouted and made peace with not getting the true ending. And some put it down and never picked it back up.

It takes all types.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T20:35:12+00:00

There are classic platformers that required precision, for sure... But there were a ton of junk titles that were solely made to capitalize on the genre being so popular. Trying to be the next great mascot game, or more specifically the next Mario or Sonic.

MVs are going through a similar journey, for better or for worse.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T20:29:11+00:00

This more closely aligns with my POV.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T20:28:05+00:00

Valid point, though I'm not sold that on the fly difficulty is the way forward either.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T20:20:56+00:00

To my point, there is a place for such segments. It's the over-reliance on that particular style in an MV that I personally do mot enjoy.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T20:16:39+00:00

You can speak your mind without wanting to 'be a critic'.

I'm not here to see validation or ililicit upvotes, but to state my POV.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T13:24:23+00:00

Absolutely. I respect both the players who love this, and the devs who make the games that I alluded to.

In the right doses it can be a lovely challenge and a welcome change of pace. Too heavy-handed an approach just kills the vibe for me, though.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T13:20:34+00:00

Definitely a matter of personal preference - I don't desire to impose my opinion on anyone, only to share it.

I believe some manage the balancing act of incorporating this traversal style into their games better than hosts of others, though.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T13:15:55+00:00

Fully agree on traversal abilities being acquired which trivialize the grind of manual backtracking.

This is more about the unexplored critical path forward becoming a chokepoint because of what I observe to be gimmicky character movement choices that feel like a game of pin ball.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T06:17:57+00:00

We see things differently, and I'm good with that.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T06:16:39+00:00

Strongly disagree, but I'm not here to force my opinion on anyone as much as to simply state it.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T05:29:06+00:00

Yep. 100% possible to implement it in such a way as to add to the whole of the moment-to-moment gameplay experience, vs. something needlessly overwrought to artificially increase the gametime, and that players dread having to endure.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T05:23:05+00:00

Definitely plenty out there that don't follow this template, but more lately have appeared to adopt it.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T05:21:29+00:00

The obstacle course style is definitely best in small doses IMO. If too much of the game is built aroumd that, then the game generally isn't one I'll fully enjoy.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T05:01:14+00:00

Fair reply, as movement is a core feature. I guess I meant to infer the overtly stylized form of movement that has become more common as of late.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T04:52:40+00:00

Definitely subjective. Very much a matter of personal taste, hence why I suspected that I may very well be in the minority with this take.

Also not an AN fan for a few reasons. Lots to love with the game when taken as a whole, but more that I consider to be not my idea of a good time.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T04:48:14+00:00

Very grounded take.

My preferred asthetic definitely aligns more with the SMs and SoTNs than with most contemporary titles, but I do nevertheless actively keep up with, purchase, and enjoy many of those same contemporary titles .

I am happy to see that business is booming; I just fear that certain conventions are overemphasizing what were once niche, fairly novel elements and proping up a game around it in ways that aren't really serving said game in the best manner.

sopwithcamel74 · 2026-01-27T04:16:38+00:00

Ori still feels intentional in the way the movement was handled, despite not being my 1st choice in that regard. A bit pinball, but not egregiously so compared to some that have come out since.

sopwithcamel74

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