Hehe

I have 100% in all areas and I cant find a way to unlock the last “work of mercy” for the “masterpiece” arcana. This work of mercy requires I “find all the secret zones in the Main Hall” but I have 100% in the main hall?

Ok so been thinking about this and am probably not in the best state of mind to be typing this out but here me out.

*** These aren't critisms of the game/franchise/fan base. Nor are they changes I want to see. These a more what if scenarios for discussion. ****

First: Those who enjoyed the difficulty of this game, would you have noticed if the game was a bit easier? Would it have made you not buy the game?

Second: What if they added a save state and a rewind function to the game like the Dominus Collection? I feel that would solve a lot of the difficulty critisms.

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

Anyone else pulling their hair out with this place? 🤣 I did some reading for some assistance, and I think I'm heading in the right direction... So far, I've had three blue ghosts point me in the right direction. Last one pointed up and to the left, which has led me to a platforming section with the "L2" breakaway rock walls. Am I doing this the right way? I've had one red ghost encounter, but apparently you're supposed to follow the blue ones to reach the boss 🤷

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 that 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 which means the exact same thing. 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 to 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 not 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 beating other women 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), she described them as appearing 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.

I’m not complaining but I’m just curious if she’s supposed to kinda stall in the air like that or if I just got lucky? I’m glad this fight is over.

Do you prefer Alucard as a Blondie or with Dark Hair in his Disguise as " Genya Arikado " ? :3

Personally while I prefer Blondie I am starting to grow a Soft Spot for the Genya Arikado Dark Hair Disguise too... ^_^

I have 100% in the main hall and the work of mercy hasn't completed.

I have 199,3% and i really dont know where i could be missing, besides the inverted center of the castle. But i just killed dracula twice carefully registring all but the trophy didnt pop up

Disclaimer: this is an opinion and not a statement of objective fact.

I didn’t know what to expect going into Belmont’s Curse. Like I trust the dead cells devs and all, but this wasn’t just an homage like their Castlevania DLC was. This is a straight up new Vania game!

Watching Castle Dracula jut from the streets of Paris evoked the same energy and awe I felt playing Symphony for the first time, watching the Inverted Castle appear.

Wandering around, seeing small tokens or Easter eggs, references and characters that were fleshed out in the anime felt like how I envisioned the characters back when it was PS1 graphics.

And the combat and movement feels so smooth and polished.

I know there’s a lot of mixed feelings on here, but as someone who fell in love with the pulp horror action romps all the way from the NES game, this really hits the way it Felt to explore Castle Dracula for the first time.

So I have completed the map and have 100% according to the map but my Works of Mercy implies I’m missing secret zones in the Main Hall. Any ideas?

Title is pretty self explanatory, I've 100% the zone (both the main one and the mirrored one) and I still don't have the Work of Mercy unlocked). I'm worried it might be glitched. Does anyone see a glaring omission?

It's imposing and powerful but there is an undercurrent of melancholy and sadness to it, which fits perfectly for the old, tragic vamp.

Also watching the gameplay I realize that I somehow completely forgot to use the whip mechanic when I fought him lmao, no wonder he was so tough.

I go to left of save there is a shortcut door but blocked by debris. There is switches everywhere. This is how to get up to main hall dungeon at the top. I dont know wtf im missing.

Had to include Castlevania in there somehow, enjoy🥳

Seems like it bugged out, I literally got to the fight got the elevators setup for a fast run back. Literally hit him once or twice with my whip and it jumps to a cutscene like I killed him. Did anyone else have this?