It’s surprising it’s been so long since a new Castlevania game, considering how influential the series was in creating the popular “metroidvania” style. While we’ve seen a great Castlevania show on Netflix, updated versions of older games, and Konami reviving other franchises like Silent Hill, fans have been patiently waiting for a completely new Castlevania experience. That wait is finally over – Belmont’s Curse was just announced! The game is scheduled to come out sometime in 2026. And for those who can’t wait, a retro-style vampire game is coming to Steam soon to tide them over – or to offer even more vampire action when it arrives.
Many longtime fans of Castlevania are enjoying Belmont’s Curse because it goes back to the classic 2D gameplay style, moving away from the more modern approach of Lords of Shadow. The game’s developers, Evil Empire, are a plus – their previous Castlevania DLC for Rogue Prince of Persia and Dead Cells were very popular. However, some players aren’t thrilled with the game’s art style. If you prefer a darker, more traditional Castlevania look and feel that resembles the older games, Dawnrazor on Steam might be a better fit.
Per Dawnrazor’s Steam page, the game is set for a 2026 release.
Dawnrazor’s Features at a Glance
- FIGHT biomechanical beasts and ghoulish entities.
- CHOOSE to feed on villagers and corpses or find another way to progress.
- EXPERIENCE different endings, dialogue, and branching paths based on choices.
- EXPLORE a decaying world with a Gameplay Color-era aesthetic.
- VISIT a hub area to relax, recover, and learn lore.
I’m so hyped to play as Zedekiah! He’s this knight who was totally betrayed and now he’s back as a vampire, but not in a cool, romantic way – it’s all about parasites! You basically fight your way through these destroyed places filled with seriously messed up, part-machine, part-monster creatures. It sounds brutal and awesome!
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Dawnrazor is as Castlevania as It Gets
Some modern gamers might not be used to the retro, 8-bit graphics, but many players still love that old-school style, and Dawnrazor delivers it beautifully. The game has a unique charm – from eerie details like a face hidden in a tree to the dramatic moon in the background – that will especially appeal to fans of Castlevania. If you’re hoping for a Castlevaniastyle game with a dark and gritty atmosphere, Dawnrazor is definitely worth a look. Its environments, with mossy tiles and stone buildings, strongly resemble the original Castlevania* games. Plus, the main character, Zedekiah, looks a lot like the Belmont family, sporting a popped collar and headband similar to Simon and Richter.
In Dawnrazor, you play as a character who fights with a whip, dodges attacks by jumping and sliding, and moves around like a skilled knight—fitting for a vampire! There are even sections where you ride a bike. But the game’s focus isn’t just action; it’s about the character’s transformation into a vampire. Similar to how Lords of Shadow explored that struggle, Dawnrazor will show you Zedekiah dealing with becoming a vampire. What makes this game unique is that your choices will directly shape the story as it unfolds.
Dawnrazor’s Judgement System Will Hopefully Give It The Edge It Needs
Both Dawnrazor and the new Castlevania game are currently slated for release sometime in 2026, which creates an interesting situation. Instead of benefiting from excitement around the new Castlevania game, Dawnrazor might actually launch after it. This isn’t necessarily a problem, though. If the new Castlevania lives up to fans’ hopes, players might be eager for another similar game immediately afterward. Dawnrazor will need to differentiate itself to attract those players, and it appears to have a unique feature that could help: the Judgement System.
As a fan, I’m really excited about how much choice seems to matter in this game! You’ll be making tough decisions as Zedekiah – things like whether to show mercy to old friends or… not, and even what he eats. Plus, how you use his vampire powers will have consequences. Apparently, all these choices will determine if Zedekiah holds onto his humanity or slowly loses it. It’s not just about story changes either – NPCs will react differently to you, and you’ll even hear different thoughts from Zedekiah himself! What’s really cool is that the game world will actually change based on your decisions. They’re calling it the Judgement system, and it sounds like it’ll make every playthrough feel unique and encourage you to play again and again to see everything.
It’s going to be exciting to see how player decisions impact the world of Kagenovia. The core idea behind Dawnrazor is fantastic and easily earns a place on any vampire game fan’s Steam wishlist. The game features a central hub called the Ironhold for exploring the story, as well as secret areas to discover, suggesting a lot of depth to the project. Ideally, it will be released at a good time – either before Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse to grab early attention, or shortly after to capture players still craving more. If this promising Castlevaniainspired game avoids launching at the same time as Castlevania itself, it has a strong chance of becoming a hit with retro gamers, as it combines classic Castlevania gameplay with the more ambitious storytelling style of Lords of Shadow*.
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2026-02-14 21:06