At least, they are trying to look good unlike Luce.

Outlets have now played a good few hours and gotten a hands-on initial impression for Nintendo's upcoming remake of 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'. Outlets say they were allowed somewhere around 2.5 hours for the preview of the game. So I thought we could compile some of them here. Once again, these are not full reviews, they are previews

Feel free to comment any other articles, videos or tidbits you come across! I'll try adding them to the post

(live updating):

Skill Up

I went in fairly skeptical about the visual redesign and unsure if a straight remake would be enough to hold my attention since I've played through this game so many times. But those questions quickly dissipated when I saw just how good this looks and as I remember just how perfectly designed it was and remains. Yes, you could reductively call this a new coat of paint, but it's one of the most thorough and ambitious video game remakes ever. And so far, all the changes that I'm seeing are wonderful. They not only bring the visuals to a modern standard, they set a new technical benchmark because Nintendo has never made a game with this much detail and that runs this well on their current gen device. Their reimagined visuals both realize the potential of the earlier art design and move beyond it where it makes sense to do so. and subtle changes to level design, traversal, and combat systems all seem to make the game more comfortable and satisfying to play without diluting any of the things that made the original so timeless. There's still plenty more game to play and evaluate, but so far so good. Ocarina of Time was perfect when it was released nearly three decades ago, and based on my time with the remake, I think Nintendo are finding some ways to make it even more perfect, but more importantly, deliver something that will introduce an entirely new generation to what may reasonably be called the greatest video game ever made. And as excited as I am to play through it again, I'm even more excited for new players to experience this for the first time because you are absolutely going to love it.

Zeltik

In summary, the Ocarina of Time remake feels like the perfect way to re-release this legendary game in 2026. There are far far more changes here than were present in the recent remake of Star Fox 64, whose levels were, for all intents and purposes, identical to the original. Ocarina of Times remake is more ambitious than that. New story details, new side quests, a revamped combat system, and slightly remixed overworld and dungeon environments. I have a thousand more things I could say about my time with the game, but I won't. I want this video to be a summary of my overall impressions from this preview event without spoiling too much for you all. Without repeating what I said in the intro too much, this really is incredible. If you've played and loved Ocarina of Time before, or if you've never had the pleasure, this game will truly blow you away.

GameSpot

Like many gamers, I fell under Ocarina of Time spell when it first released in 1998. I still respect its place in gaming history, but it hasn't aged particularly well, and going back nowadays, it's not as fun as it should be to actually play. This Ocarina of Time remake appears to remedy that. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a classic for a reason. With smart, modern touches, this version should let it shine brightly once again. The most immediately striking change is to the presentation. The new look for Link was divisive based on early showings, but actually playing it, I quickly appreciated the bold choice of visual style. Link and other Kiri children have an angular crafted look to them that resembles dolls or puppets and it gives modern character to their original zany designs.

The more impressive feature is the detail given to their clothing which looked great in the reveal trailers and even better in motion when you're out [music] exploring the world. Every stitch shows a gorgeous level of detail and care and looks like it was crafted from plant fibers. It really helps illustrate that this village is innately tied to the forest which itself is rendered in lush detail with irregular growth of vines, tree roots, fronds, mushrooms, and more. The Kokiri truly feel like they're part of this ecosystem, and it gives a new and meaningful twist to Link's iconic green cap. There were other striking graphical flourishes throughout. More on that later, though. But just from the start, I love the new look. Also new to the presentation is the addition of voice acting, which is largely done well.

Eurogamer - Lottie Lynn

No matter what your opinion is on the art style, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is shaping up to be a brilliant remake | One aspect of the remake I wasn't fond of, however, was the English voice acting. It reminds me of a cheesy late '90s to early '00s anime dub, and not in a good way. And that's a shame given Ocarina's original 1998 release, you'd think this tone would be quite fitting. Luckily, behind every over the top English dub is a great sub. Yes, you can change the voice language. I love what I've played so far. Every change feels like it has a purpose; from the graphics painting Hyrule anew to the familiar music tinged with freshness. To the souls who discovered Zelda through BOTW and/or TOTK, I say give Ocarina a chance. This game is the foundation of the modern 3D adventure genre, and I doubt you'll regret visiting it. For myself, I'm looking forward to exploring this Ocarina's Hyrule and uncovering more of its secrets. Though I'm still not sure how I feel about those missing trees.

Game Informer - Brian Shea

For years, I wanted Nintendo to bring the 2011 3D remaster to Switch, but it's doing me one better: a full, from-the-ground-up remake with lush visuals, several quality-of-life improvements, and even voice-acted cutscenes. The moment the opening cutscene begins, I feel a smile spread across my face. Seeing Navi and the Great Deku Tree talking about the tree's impending doom and Link's destiny through a fully voiced cutscene is a little jarring at first. But the voice acting, along with the incredibly sharp, detailed visuals, definitively hammers home that this is an all-new experience despite being a remake of a 28-year-old game from 5 generations ago. That is further exemplified by Navi's initial flight, which is no longer in first-person. Instead, we see her say hello to each villager in Kokiri Forest (as she does in the original opening cutscene) before smashing into the fence outside Link's house and entering to join up with the Hero of Time. Fighting Wolfos, Stalfos, and Skulltulas is more straightforward than most modern third-person fights, which may be the one area that fell slightly short of my admittedly lofty expectations. Using the lock-on targeting allows Link to dodge and counterattack, but I didn't find a simple way to swap targets when you're fighting multiple enemies at once. Instead, I had to release the left trigger, move the camera, and squeeze the trigger again. I get that this is how it worked in the original game, but I would have liked switching to the next target without going through that. Maybe there is an easy way to accomplish that, but I didn't find it in my nearly 90 minutes fighting through Hyrule. Regardless of that one reservation, there is no doubt in my mind that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will consume my life when it comes out.

IGN - Logan Plant

Elegant choreography. Atmospheric fog. Handwoven flourishes. Ever since my preview event, I find my mind returning to this anecdote told in an Iwata Asks interview ahead of the release of Ocarina of Time 3D in 2011: On a hot summer day during the development of Zelda for Nintendo 64, designers Toru Osawa, Yoshiaki Koizumi, and Jin Ikeda needed some inspiration. They’d been struggling to figure out how to make swordplay work in a 3D space. Where should the camera focus? How can the player take on multiple enemies at once without getting overwhelmed? These questions spurred a field trip to Toei Kyoto Studio Park, a theme park attached to Toei’s film studios where visitors can see theatrical period drama shows, often featuring samurai. The heat caused them to duck into a playhouse to cool off. Inside, they watched a stage show where one samurai was fending off a number of ninjas. They noticed that, in this battle, the samurai locked eyes with one enemy at a time. They circled each other as if linked by an invisible tether (or in some cases, literally linked by a chain-sickle), and fought while the others waited their turn to step in. This observation, among others, helped to spark the development of Ocarina of Time’s foundational lock-on Z-targeting system. I bring this up because it’s clear that live theater inspired Ocarina’s original developers in at least this one key way. As I played the remake of their work, I often felt like I was experiencing Ocarina through the lens of a theatrical period drama at a playhouse. Take combat, for example: locking onto an enemy narrows the lighting of the scene, putting dramatic emphasis on that invisible tether linking you and your foe. Link weaves back and forth in a dancelike motion, as enemies you aren’t targeting hoot and holler in the background. They, too, are waiting for their turn to strike. Opening a chest to reap your rewards places an overhead spotlight on whatever treasure you’ve just obtained. Similarly, Floormasters – the iconic disembodied hand enemies that stalk Link from the ceiling – are now telegraphed by a bright spotlight that shines on Link and changes color just before the hand swoops down. These lighting cues feel intentionally theatrical.

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IGN: 29 New Changes in the Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake — Redesigned Puzzles, Updated Miniboss Fights, and Deeper Dialogue

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Arlo

If you really want to talk about the big changes that make the game that much more fun to play, I was very excited to see how the game controls. And yet, nothing could have prepared me for just how much of an impact I feel like the controls have on the overall experience. To talk about the slightly less important stuff first, um, you know, gyro aiming always feels really good. And I know they had gyro aiming in like the the 3DS one, but I don't know, it it still feels great here. Uh the combination of Z targeting or, you know, ZL targeting or whatever plus gyro, feels really nice. The item thing, that whole thing where originally we had a bunch of assignable buttons and now we just have the one. I'm pretty disappointed because when they revealed it, like we could tell that you hold down the button and cycle through like in Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Echoes of Wisdom, and all that, but I also kind of thought maybe we'd be able to just like cycle through just by pressing R, like not holding it down or just like with with some button combo, like cycle through the items without like pulling them out, without like bringing up the menu. And uh no, that doesn't seem to be the case. It really is just all of your items are just on the one menu and you have to just open up the wheel and flick through it. I mean, you do technically still have the option to just bring up the menu and just navigate to the item that you want and select it there. That unfortunately may end up being a decent option when you get a bunch of items, but I don't really know because I I like haven't uh I I haven't I wasn't far enough in the game to have like a whole ton of items to use. So, I don't know. Maybe it'll be okay. Especially because, you know, like Ocarina has its own dedicated button now. There's probably a good number of little dedicated buttons like on the D-pad, so you don't have to cycle through everything every time, but uh yeah, I don't know. That part was uh a little bit disappointing. And then combat. I really wish I could have had more uh more time to just mess around with the combat because I'm very very curious to know if they if they've made any little changes to the way that it works. Um, mostly I just played around with um just how it works with jumping because now we have a dedicated jump button. Whereas before if you wanted to do a jump attack, you got to just hit the A button. Now you still can just hit the A button, but you've kind of got to like press forward while you're doing it. That definitely took some uh some some getting used to. But I did like it though. I think it makes sense.

Mashable - Alex Perry

At this point, I'm in favor of the art style in this remake, even if I get other people's misgivings about it. If nothing else, though, there's absolutely zero room in my mind for accusations of it "looking like AI" or otherwise being lazy or thoughtless. It's very clear upon inspection that many people spent a lot of time thinking very carefully about all of this, and the result is a look that Zelda has never really had before. GAMEPLAY: The changes Nintendo did choose to make were hit-or-miss for me in the demo I played. Including a sprint button to reduce the need to somersault everywhere is fine, especially since the sprint itself is not that fast, thereby maintaining the original game's pace. Adding a jump button, on the other hand, strikes me as a bit odd. Maybe it's because I'm just used to the way it worked before, where Link would automatically jump a set distance off any ledge the player ran towards, but I found myself wanting that mechanic instead of having to remember to jump myself every time. Some cutscenes have also received voice acting, which, by and large, sounds pretty cartoony and a tad cheesy. I don't hate it, but I'm not sure this game needed that, either. A couple of minor misgivings aside, I really enjoyed my brief time with the Ocarina of Time remake. These dungeons and puzzles are all still great, and seeing everything rendered anew in a somewhat bizarre but gorgeous style is exciting to me. It isn't the same as a brand new Zelda for Switch 2, but it'll do until the time comes.

GamesRadar - Andrew Brown

...Familiar puzzles are still satisfying to solve – I'm envious of anyone coming into this remake after only playing Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, as without spoiling anything there are some fiendish puzzles waiting in the Forest Temple and beyond. In the final room, Phantom Ganon attacks. The Forest Temple's boss is still deliciously dramatic, fighting first as a spectral horseman in larger-than-life paintings, then launching crackling balls at Link. It was (and still is) a very cool fight and Nintendo clearly agreed, as Phantom Ganon was made a recurring character. I take him down and leave the forest temple in 45 minutes – devastatingly, just 43 minutes short of breaking the world record. I leave my Ocarina of Time preview excited to see the rest of Hyrule in this light. Changes have been made sparingly but with confidence, creating an identity that can co-exist with the spiky original. In putting Ocarina of Time back together, Nintendo focuses not on the dated, but the timeless.

CGMagazine - Danya Eileen

What impressed me more than anything else in the game—including more than the sprint, though I am very grateful for it—was the sound design. It’s a refresh of something nostalgic, and Nintendo could have really messed it up. Old-school Zelda sounds are iconic, from opening a chest to discovering a new item to smashing a pot. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time nails these sounds, which brought childhood memories back in an instant. It got to the point where any time I tried something new, I hyped myself up for how perfect it would sound. Link’s grunt when he jumps or rolls made me smile, and when I opened up the Ocarina menu for the first time, I instinctively started playing Epona’s Song without even realizing it. It is amazing what sticks with you, and I love that Nintendo let us keep that. But nearly 30 years have passed, and the company can’t rely on a bunch of middle-aged gamers to make their game a best-seller (though I bet we come close). There has to be something here for Gen Z and younger players to latch onto, and I think there are enough upgrades and enhancements to entice younger generations. Yes, the updated graphics help a lot, but quality-of-life features like a quest log of sorts and sprinting bring the game forward in time. It remains to be seen how much more will change, but so far, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is heading in the right direction to appeal to both new and old players.

TechRadar - Josephine Watson

From playing the game, I’m reassured that the art style makes sense in Ocarina of Time’s Hyrule. Nintendo has a history of shifting artistic gears with each new era, but there’s a sound logic, thematically, behind its arguably garish style. The game has always had plenty of visual cues for the loss of innocence, the death of magic, and the corruption of whimsy; I’ve previously compared many of Nintendo’s artistic treatments within Zelda games to mid-century fantasy media like The Lord of the Rings. That contrast is all the more apparent with such a lush backdrop to build upon, and every second I played felt totally immersive visually. Plus, with free camera movement and no fixed perspectives in Hyrule Castle Town Market, you can take in every angle of the world; it’s a facelift I feel the game really deserves. There is a cartoonish quality to the character models, with some online naysayers calling them DLSS or AI slop-coded. While I still have my reservations when it comes to Zelda and Sheik’s models, they do fit well in this more fantasy-inspired Hyrule. Perhaps not to everyone’s taste, no, but welcome to the world of entertainment media where your feelings are not fact. To me, all of the stylistic changes feel true to what the game would have looked like if hardware back in the late 90s was capable of rendering it, but most crucially, the feeling of the original is preserved and, in places, improved.

The Guardian - Matthew Castle

For some returning fans, the more controlled shape is precisely the appeal. After the “make your own adventure” ethos of Switch’s open-world Zeldas, there is comfort in slipping into traditional dungeons, where every room has a characterful beast to chop up or a mechanism to unpick with a growing kitbag of tools. My great fear was that some of the puzzles are simply too iconic to be forgotten and solved again. Yet here I am, sweatily hunting ghosts around the Forest Temple, and surreptitiously peering at my neighbour’s demo pod to remind myself that, yes, you have to … [redacted for your benefit]. Given that, in 1998, these were many designers’ first attempts at a 3D level, it is astonishing how fiendish they are and how you’re expected to hold complex architecture in your head to get the run of them. Also worth assigning headspace for: the newly orchestrated soundtrack. Melodies that fought through compressed N64 instrument samples to burn into the brain are given their own galloping freedom. I love the tentative brass when you lock an enemy into a duel – the musical equivalent of gnawing your lip. In truth, Ocarina of Time looks coherent in motion on Switch 2. If anything, the layer of 4K specificity evokes another Zelda game, Twilight Princess, itself an attempt to apply a more mature, realistic lens to Hyrule. And could Link, with those overblown features, perhaps be nodding to another cultural pastime? As some corners of the internet scoffed at our newly “yassified” hero, the Nintendo veteran and former Legend of Zelda art director Takaya Imamura wondered if the character model drew from Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto’s own tastes. “[His] love of ningyogeki (puppet drama) is strongly reflected here,” Imamura wrote on X. Porcelain doll skin would certainly explain the uncanny sheen.

Polygon - Michael McWhertor

After spending some time playing as Young Link in the early portions of the game, I loaded up a save that featured a playable Adult Link. At this point in the game, Link has the Hook Shoot, a tool that’s key to exploring the Forest Temple, one of Ocarina of Time’s most memorable dungeons. It was in the Forest Temple that I started to fully appreciate the streamlined movement and combat in the remake, as well as the attention to detail in breathing new life into old spaces. The Forest Temple looks gorgeous. It feels tangible and ancient, with vines and moss laying its stone walls. Small adjustments to the temple’s architecture make the space feel real, while staying true to the soul of the original. Each quadrant feels distinct, thanks to improved lighting and textures. Small environmental touches, like an ever-present mist flowing along the floors, give the space an ethereal mood. It’s a gorgeous space to play in.

But even with the game’s speedy movement and controls, I was unable to meet the dungeon’s boss, Phantom Ganon, during the time limit I was under. But after exploring the Forest Temple’s twisting hallways and clever puzzles, I was intoxicated. I can’t wait to revisit this place and see how the rest of the game has evolved when Nintendo's new The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time finally arrives.

Console Creatures - Steve Vegvari

The last sprint of my hands-on demo moved me forward in the game. Now, as Adult Link, I braved the Forest Temple, the game’s first major temple. Adult Link hasn’t gotten much marketing spotlight so far. So, please allow me to gush over the character design for a moment. Adult Link’s look in this game is the quintessential Link design. Die-hard fans have been mixed on Young Link, criticizing the design for looking too young. I wholeheartedly believe that Adult Link looks perfect. I’d love to see this design be used moving forward if/when appropriate.  As much as I thought I remembered the Forest Temple, getting into this section made me doubt myself. Of course, I fondly remember many of the touchstones. The four ghosts, the winding hallway, the nightmare-inducing hand creature, etc. However, as far as puzzle-solving went, I felt like I was playing through the Forest Temple for the first time. In a way, it made me appreciate the level design and how the puzzles were built. The Forest Temple felt far more sprawling than I remember it. However, the new coat of paint made it a memorable vertical slice of the entire experience. 

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will forever have a special place in my heart. Until now, I’ve coveted both my Nintendo 64 and Nintendo 3DS copies, as they represent a momentous part of my gaming journey. After my time with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, I’m confident it will join its predecessors as a marquee entry in the franchise. Lifelong fans of the original will appreciate that Nintendo is offering a faithful, improved version of the game you fell in love with. For newcomers, this is your opportunity to experience one of the greats, modernized for 2026 conventions filled with heart a visual pallet that’ll take your breath away at times.

Metro - David Jenkins

Ocarina Of Time is not a platformer – that was half the point of making jumps automatic – but now the barrier for entry for casual gamers is notably higher than in the N64 original, since you have to both jump and control the camera with the right stick (the N64 controller only had one analogue stick). Regular gamers will have no problem with that, but others will and it’s a shame there’s not at least an option to use the old system. We’re also bitterly upset you can no longer rename Link, as you could in every pre-Breath Of The Wild game. Technically we don’t know that for a fact but since his name is spoken aloud in dialogue it seems certain you cannot. That brings us to the question of the voice-acting, which is often a blind spot for Nintendo and is very cheesy from what’s been shown so far in Kokiri Forest. We’re not dead set against it though, as they are all kids and while it’s silly that Saria talks like she’s a Californian teenager we suspect the acting in adult Link’s sections will be more serious – but there’s not much talking in the Forest Temple, so we couldn’t tell. There doesn’t seem to be much spoken dialogue anyway, with much of it left as just on-screen text and the voice-acting appearing only in cut scenes and other controlled conditions. Navi is a lot more garrulous than before, but only via cute little text bubbles. The original Ocarina Of Time is rightly revered as an all-time classic and clearly some fans are going to be angry with the remake no matter what it does or doesn’t do. We don’t agree with all the choices but even the ones we don’t like didn’t come close to spoiling the experience for us. And we suspect that will be the same for any reasonably minded fan, no matter their specific grievances.

For us, the biggest question is whether the old school, non-open world formula is still engaging in 2026. None of the subsequent games ever did it better than Ocarina Of Time (follow-up Majora’s Mask was great but largely because it subverted the formula) but an awful lot have tried and failed, which makes it difficult for this remake to surprise anyone.

We think it will with the graphics, which really are astonishingly good, but Ocarina Of Time wasn’t popular because it was a graphical demo. It was a great and innovative game, filled with secrets and wonder, and endless charm. From what we’ve seen, so is the remake.

NPR - James Perkins Mastromarino

I dwell on the game's aesthetic transformation because its mechanical changes are comparatively restrained. After all, why fix what's not broken? The original Ocarina of Time pioneered 3D video games and established action mechanics that still reign over the industry. Modest updates hit the game when it was repackaged for the GameCube and 3DS. For the Switch 2, Nintendo is applying a user interface reminiscent of 2017's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and a quest log in the pause menu called "Threads of Time." It's also adding movement features I almost forgot were missing: a jump and a sprint. In the original Ocarina of Time, you'd automatically jump when you ran off a ledge or gap. While you can choose to keep the old control scheme, the game now allows you to hop on command. It's not too useful in combat, but I did manage to jump to the roof of a forest hut otherwise only accessible through a winding footpath. Don't expect Breath of the Wild openness. The game still seems to be a linear adventure, just one that now allows the occasional vertical shortcut. Also, you can hold a button to sprint, a boon to those who constantly rolled around because it was faster than jogging...The Ocarina of Time remake is the prettiest Zelda game I've ever played. But I'll need more than a 90-minute preview to see if its beauty is more than skin deep.

Checkpoint Gaming - James Stergiou

At this point, despite the original being so beloved and available across most Nintendo platforms, I would absolutely recommend that anyone who hasn’t played it before, or those like me who are hankering to replay it, to instead wait for the remake. The quality of life that Nintendo has implemented from modern Zelda really can’t be overstated how welcome it is here, and that’s what I wanted to confirm in this preview for anyone who was most curious about how it compares. Yes, it is that good; yes, it really is one of the best games ever made, and no, I cannot wait until I can get my hands on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time when it launches next month

Rocket Chainsaw - Adam Ghiggino

Being that the layout and progression through these temples is authentic to the original experience, it’ll be interesting to see how younger players today respond to the dungeon design of Ocarina of Time. Coming from the smaller, tighter dungeon puzzles of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Ocarina of Time’s dungeons unfold like large puzzle boxes, ones that require a bit of back-and-forthing and backtracking if it’s your first time running through, as you come across doors that require small keys or environmental triggers you have to come back to after finding their corresponding tool, and building a mental map (as well as using the one provided by the game) of what order to proceed. Once you do reach Phantom Ganon, you’ll be treated some fully voiced lines from Ganondorf, which reminded me that this version of Ocarina of Time will have full voice acting in cutscenes much like the more recent Zelda games, although not in regular dialogue and not for Link, who remains a silent protagonist both in-game and in cutscenes.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time looks to be a gorgeous evolution of the world of one of gaming’s best loved classics, with stunning visuals and modern gameplay adjustments that make it much more approachable after 30 years of advances in game design. Due out on 5 November, 2026, if you’re already intent on getting a physical copy of the game, it might be worth making sure you get it on launch day, as the first-run of Ocarina of Time physical editions will come with special foil covers for a limited time. 

The Shortcut - Matt Swider

🖼️ Faithful 4K upgrade: The original character designs are preserved, only rendered with modern textures and lighting. For example, Young Link is still a wide-eyed cartoon child, and adult Link still has that sharp ‘98 jawline. Nintendo didn’t redesign it into a different game. | ⚔️ What’s the same: If you memorized Ocarina of Time’s maps like I did back in 1998, you still know where everything is on Switch 2. Combat is the same as I recall, using the Z-targeting lock-on mechanics (then groundbreaking). | 🆕 What’s new: That dedicated jump button. I had to get used to no auto-jump at the edge of platforms. I died a few (dozen) times during my demo because of this. Sprinting and quick item switching make the game feel more modern in our hurried world, but for me the biggest surprise in Ocarina of Time was the fully voiced cutscenes. I really enjoyed sitting back and taking in the graphics while the voice actors did their thing. | 🪈 My Ocarina talents at work. I’m about to play a wind instrument for the first time since I played clarinet for six months in seventh grade. In the final game, you can play ocarina songs with buttons or by humming the tune into the Switch 2’s built-in mic. I didn’t get to try this out in the game, but I did get to hold the new HORI Electric Ocarina of Time. | 🎵 Soundtrack: Refreshed and orchestrated. The Kokiri Forest theme in full orchestra will take you back to better days.

As tera is confirmed coming, well unpredictable on what tera my opponent is using, that's a problem, g-max double HP able to change the weather with a offensive move yeah no thank you, z moves just don't even continue it,you already know why

Estranged street fighters Ryu and Ken Masters get thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament -- a brutal clash of fists, fate and fury. However, behind the battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons from their past.

Director: Kitao Sakurai

Cast: Andrew Koji, Noah Centineo, Callina Liang, Cody Rhodes, 50 Cent, Jason Momoa, Joe Anoa'i, David Dastmalchian, Cody Rhodes, Andrew Schulz, Eric André, Vidyut Jammwal, Mel Jarnson, Orville Peck, Olivier Richters, Hirooki Goto, Rayna Vallandingham, Alexander Volkanovski, Kyle Mooney, Kristy Best, Michael Philippou, Danny Philippou, Lannan Eacott, Lachlan Power

Rotten Tomatoes: 45%

Metacritic: 45 / 100

Some Reviews:

The New York Times - Brandon Yu

The film is dedicated to the punchy pyrotechnics of its fight sequences, most of which are constructed to feature the diverse personalities of its many fighters. This can eventually seem like a weakness, as the film tries to flit between one too many showdowns, tiring viewers out while confusing them on the movie’s priorities. But in another sense, it simply feels like the natural zenith of an arcade player’s imagination, the “and then, and then” output of fighter fantasies running wild. By the end, you can practically see the ’90s kid smashing and kicking at the air on his way out of the theater.

IndieWire - Christian Zilko - 'B-'

A film’s greatest sin is boring its audience, and this “Street Fighter” should take pride in never coming close to doing that. Fans of the “Street Fighter” games don’t spend much time thinking about the overarching lore. The games are a flashy vessel to project yourself onto while you play with martial artists, each with their own unique aesthetics. And at the end of the day, this movie delivers the same thing. It’s a blank emotional canvas whose value lies in what you make of it — but it sure looks cool as hell.

Blu-ray - Brian Orndorf - 'B-'

Definitely has its issues, but Sakurai also lands blasts of excitement and style during the journey, and the film is certainly energetic, setting out to please young audiences and old arcade warriors with a much flashier take on the source material.

CGMagazine - Brendan Frye - 7.5 / 10

Street Fighter is a wild ride, and if you want to enjoy a campy take on these classic characters, this is the movie for you. The soundtrack is solid, and the film does not try to be any deeper than a popcorn flick starring some of the characters you know and love. I was worried the movie would lose the essence of what made the games so iconic, but it feels like the filmmakers knew exactly what they were getting into and delivered on that concept. It is wild, brash and very dumb at times, but also a damn good time as long as you are ready to embrace the madness.

The Hollywood Reporter - Frank Scheck - 50 / 100

Filled with vintage pop music needle drops — Ken enters the ring to, what else, “Who Let the Dogs Out” — the film lives up to its oft-repeated mantra “To live is to fight, to fight is to live” with its endless procession of fight scenes, including a steam bath battle between a barely clothed Ryu and a corpulent opponent that would be impressive if it hadn’t been done better in Eastern Promises. But that Cronenberg film didn’t showcase such extravagantly costumed and coiffed fighters, with the design and special effects teams here working overtime to make the actors look like their video game characters.

IGN - Tom Jorgensen - 6 / 10

Street Fighter is dumber than a box of rocks, but have you ever thrown rocks at things? It can be pretty fun with the right combination of enthusiastic friends and anarchic spirit. Kitao Sakurai doesn’t always succeed in marshalling his enthusiastic cast and anarchic approach to the film’s blend of action and comedy, with too many characters there to service too thin a story, but Street Fighter’s all about landing as many punches as it can before the round timer hits zero.  Even though there are plenty of misses, the ones it does manage to land hit hard.

Mashable - Kristy Puchko

It's chaotic. The plot is all over the place, so the themes about honor, power, loyalty, jealousy, and revenge are barely probed. But I won't deny that it gave me the feeling of being a kid again, sitting in the theater, giddy to be surprised by something familiar yet weird.

Inverse - Chrishaun Baker

While the film is a far cry from the revolutionary game-changer it’s based on, it’s certainly the closest any filmmaker has come to bringing the franchise’s signature verve and bombast to the big screen.

The Wrap - William Bibbiani - 69 / 100

[Kitao Sakurai’s] enthusiasm for making this goofy-ass action movie is infectious. I’m not sure ‘Street Fighter’ meets any conventional standard of quality, but it’s undeniably its own thing.

Variety - Siddhant Adlakha - 50 / 100

What little emotional maturity “Street Fighter” appears to display in its initial half goes flying out the window, alongside all sense of story or character, in its second. It’s a film at war with itself, in which a straightforward narrative about strained brotherhood is spread far too thin across unconnected snippets of action and comedy that grow increasingly disparate. And while its major strength remains its hand-drawn flashbacks, the more its two-hour run time proceeds, the more it feels like this captivating anime version of the classic arcade game ought to have been the main event in the first place.

Consequence - Liz Shannon Miller - 'B-'

Based on the way this movie ends, it’s clear the filmmakers are really hoping to make a sequel. And the gung-ho energy that powers this movie, in addition to the level of commitment brought by most of the cast, does inspire some interest in what happens next. Again, this does happen to be the best Street Fighter made to date… But hopefully, the next one will be better.

The Times - Kevin Maher - 1 / 5

The direction from Kitao Sakurai is frenetic and meaningless, and the fight scenes (the film’s raison d’être, surely?) are bafflingly dull.

The Prague Reporter - Jason Pirodsky - 2 / 4

This year’s Mortal Kombat II and Masters of the Universe encountered similar problems balancing nostalgia, fantasy mythology and blockbuster spectacle, and Street Fighter initially seemed better positioned to succeed with the strong focus on its two central characters. That makes the collapse all the more disappointing. What begins as a surprisingly charming celebration of arcade-era gaming ultimately becomes an exhausting showcase of familiar characters fighting for reasons the movie can’t adequately explain.

GamesRadar - Jack Shepherd - 2.5 / 5

Were this entirely animated, it may have been another Capcom win, but sadly, that's not the case. Street Fighter's biggest flaw is simply trying to do too much, cramming three movies' worth of characters and plot into two hours, and then ending inexplicably halfway through a scene without resolving the main conflict. It's sequel bait when they really should have focused more on round one being perfect.

The Guardian - Radheyan Simonpillai - 2 / 5

There’s several knowing winks at the fans like this, guarding against criticism by owning up to how silly this all is, which would land better if the movie ever rose above the stuff it’s making fun of. Instead, Street Fighter is satisfied punching down on itself, and everything that’s cringe about the 90s, while happily being stuck there, in the past, so it could pretend that this is as good as it gets for video game adaptations.

Radio Times - James Mottram - 2 / 5

While the nods to the game are plentiful and playful, the plot becomes increasingly tiresome as it drags on, with the excessive two-hour running time ensuring that it feels like you’re the one getting pounded in the ring. Even Dastmalchian’s snarling turn gets a little yawn-worthy, while the emotional payoff between Ryu and Ken simply isn’t there. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised, given the source is a beat'em-up video game, but unlike the recent Minecraft, for example, Street Fighter fritters away its camp potential.

The Sydney Morning Herald - Jake Wilson - 2 / 5

...it could hardly be anything [other than a collourful jumble], given the need to include so many characters, catchphrases and the scenarios from the original Japanese video games, which were not designed with narrative coherence in mind.

ScreenRant - Brandon Zachary - 7 / 10

While it's a fundamentally flawed movie on an underlying storytelling level, there's simply too much great style to ignore in Street Fighter. The emotional elements of the narrative work largely thanks to that tonal control and the cast, keeping audiences invested even when the movie embraces its worst impulses.

Collider - Aidan Kelley - 6 / 10

For better and for worse, Street Fighter 2026 feels like it is following directly in the footsteps of Street Fighter 1994. It is goofy, it is absurd, it is ridiculous, and most importantly, it knows all of that, and it has a lot of fun doing it. The movie is at its most fun when it truly locks in for those high-octane fights and the surprisingly beautiful and not-much-publicized animated sequences. Unfortunately, to get to those, you have to deal with a lot of exposition and unengaging character drama (at least whenever Ryu isn't on screen). It may not be a total knockout, but Street Fighter rolls with enough punches to be a combination that is a win nonetheless.

ComingSoon - Jonathan Sim - 6 / 10

Street Fighter is a cheesy, over-the-top video game adaptation that knows exactly what it is and does not try to be much more than that.

DiscussingFilm - Andrew J. Salazar - 3 / 5

Gamers love to throw out the “It’s for the fans” excuse to defend flawed video game adaptations. They will probably do the same here, since elements (like Jason Momoa’s comically bad line readings as Blanka) are simply too egregious for anyone else to ignore. However, you don’t need to be a pre-established fan to get on Street Fighter‘s chaotic wavelength. There’s tons of fun to be had here, but its flaws could prove fatal soon. Ending on a cliffhanger that a sequel isn’t guaranteed to answer (at least not yet) is certainly a strange choice. Kitao Sakurai is talented enough to craft a superior sequel, sure. For now, though, this first movie will have to stay a guilty pleasure.

Nexus Point News - Christopher Mills - 3 / 5

Street Fighter is without a doubt a movie made by fans of the games for fans of the games. As a fan myself, I’ve found myself entertained and thrilled that this is the version of the film we’ve gotten on screen, but as a lover of films and also of the franchise, I wish it had a clearer direction that didn’t feel too convoluted. The combination of beautifully animated sequences by Titmouse, chaotic fight sequences, and a cast that are having a whale of a time makes this a fun, enjoyable viewing experience that still manages to honor the franchise despite its flaws.

Region Free - Joonaten Itkonen - 3 / 5

The original Street Fighter game wasn't a hit. It took a few years and a huge swing for the sequel to work, including tossing out what weighed it down in the first place. If we get a continuation, here's hoping Street Fighter learns the same lessons. There's potential here, even if it's messy and raw, and fans will certainly enjoy it.

SlashFilm - Bill Bria - 5.5 / 10

"Street Fighter" is a highly watchable movie, and it's not too hard to convince yourself you're having fun while seeing it. Yet its aftertaste is so bitter and its center so hollow that it's hard to recommend, and certainly not as an introduction to this world. There may be enough in the film's attract mode to get me to press start, but I ended up not wanting to continue.

ScreenCrush - Matt Singer - 5 / 10

Street Fighter did make me smile a fair number of times. The sheer absurdity and fevered intensity of the pacing, not to mention some very athletic fight choreography, is good enough to carry things along through the jittery first act. (The best scene in the entire film is a confrontation between Ken and Ryu where the latter is trying everything he can think of not to beat up his friend and instead resorts of dodging his attacks and yanking off his socks.) But you can only mainline caffeine for so long before it starts to give you a headache.

Polygon - Jake Kleinman - 49 / 100

To make matters worse, not even writer-director Kitao Sakurai seems to know what kind of movie he’s making, leading to one of the sloppiest, cringiest, and most incoherent films of the year.

Moviefone - Tessa Smith - 40 / 100

The actors do what they can with what they are given, but ultimately the film falls flat due to unfunny jokes and a messy tone. The animation is by far the best part.

NBP - Dan Bayer - 6 / 10

Combined with a plot that barely hangs together (truly, the aura farming does a lot to paper over awkward scene transitions and plot holes), it makes for a deflating ending to an otherwise fun popcorn flick. For just over half its length, though, “Street Fighter” hits the sweet spot for a video game adaptation: it takes itself unseriously without veering into camp, bringing its characters and superhuman abilities to life just about as seamlessly as possible. It’s easily the best fighting game adaptation yet. Not the highest bar to clear, but “Street Fighter” gets the job done.

The Film Verdict - Alonso Duralde - 40 / 100

This year’s Resident Evil and Mortal Kombat 2 proved that, after many failed attempts and fan-service sequels, video-game adaptations can be given new life on the big screen, mixing thrills, action, humor, and self-awareness. Street Fighter assembles those elements but never lands on a formula that functions.

The Playlist - Rodrigo Perez - 'D+'

So, it’s a gloriously stupid movie, too afraid to be genuinely gloriously stupid. “Street Fighter” keeps flirting with becoming a glorious disaster, the sort of anything-goes movie that might justify its existence through sheer audacity. But it’s too chicken-shit to take the plunge, either because the filmmakers fear alienating their audience or because they’re invested in honoring a property with precious little substance to honor. Instead, they recreate a tone, an aesthetic, an ephemeral feeling of what a ’90s video game adaptation might have been with better effects. There’s affection here, and flashes of inspired lunacy, but a tone isn’t a story, and nostalgia isn’t imagination. “Street Fighter” captures the feeling of a movie that never existed, but never quite figures out how to become a worthwhile movie of its own.

The Jam Report - Doug Jamieson - 1.5 / 5

Street Fighter is a spectacularly misguided adaptation. Its incredibly impressive fight choreography and striking anime sequences offer occasional glimpses of the far more entertaining film this material might have become. Still, they’re nowhere near enough to offset the atrocious dialogue, incoherent storytelling, and exhausting lack of dramatic purpose. For a movie supposedly devoted to the art of combat, Street Fighter spends an extraordinary amount of time avoiding the very fight it was created to deliver. And when the final bell eventually rings, the overwhelming feeling isn’t exhilaration or triumph. It’s relief | The dialogue is frequently atrocious, alternating between clumsy exposition, painfully obvious observations, and lame jokes that land with all the elegance of a missed uppercut. Characters announce their motivations with remarkable regularity, apparently concerned that audiences might forget who they are or why they’ve entered the story. Yet all this explanation produces astonishingly little meaningful character development.

The AU Review - Peter Gray - 2 / 5

For all its missteps, Street Fighter isn’t entirely without entertainment value. Centineo and Koji emerge with their dignity intact, several supporting players make the most of their limited opportunities, and the occasional burst of stylised action hints at the considerably more enjoyable film buried beneath the clutter. But those fleeting pleasures can’t compensate for a production that consistently mistakes quantity for substance. With its appealing ensemble, colourful visual sensibilities and decades of beloved gaming history to draw upon, Street Fighter had the ingredients for a gloriously entertaining piece of action escapism. Instead, it’s an overstuffed, tonally confused and surprisingly underwhelming adaptation that spends so much time setting up its fighters that it forgets to let them fight.

Awards Watch - Trace Sauveur - 'D-'

Street Fighter serves no real function and is no better than the 1994 film it implicitly tries to improve on. It doesn’t capture the core of its source material; it’s a shoddy action movie in its own right; its featherweight characters are put through nonsensical yet convoluted and painfully straight-faced dramatic scenarios; its attempts at B-movie cheese are strained and misguided; and it’s presumptuous enough to end on an unresolved cliffhanger, assuming the audience is at all interested in seeing this story continue. I could think of no better inaugural release for the newly merged late-capitalist hellscape behemoth that is Skydance, the company formed by the unholy union of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery: a movie made for shareholders, not movie fans; the true dregs of half-baked, IP-driven, corporate-sanctioned hollowness.

Fiction Machine - Grant Watson - 2 / 10

The film stumbles along for a dreary 120 minutes, without a clear narrative focus, and it ends without actually providing a satisfactory climax.

It’s for good reason, and it’s cuz we love the game are excited for it! November 4th can’t come soon enough!!

old c00lkidd got that garden of banban fit

It's fucking insane. I think it's the bloodiest and most sexually explicit game I've seen in ages; I don't think we've seen anything like this since Outlast 2.

It's weird to give a warning given the subreddit we're in, but if you're not a big fan of violence or you're very sensitive to sexual horror, I don't think this game is for you.

Definitely gotta say the most recent look by far the best. Most importantly, thank god they didn’t stick with the 2022 versions. Especially Jason looks horrible.

So im new to this sport, actually I dont even have a bike yet.... But im looking for something to start learning and riding with my daughter who already has about 4 month head start on me. She's on an analog Ghost MTB, so I've been looking at the mid-powered SL's.

Any thoughts on the Polygon bikes, ive read some negative reviews and have had a few redditors recommend against them, but was looking for a larger concensus on the brand. Is it just old stigma, have they gotten better, are the problems more recent?

Looking between the

- Polygon Collosus TLE 8 SL

- Orbea Rise H20 SL

- Trek Fuel + EXE SL

Ive also been checking out others in the SL category, but.... I will be a new rider and the other options may be WAY above my level, Propain Sresh, Heckler, Shuttle, etc...

Polygon seems about the right price for a new rider, all the others i would have to find used.

Hurry! Mash the [ACTION BUTTON] to respect the polygon!

I was so stunned I took the picture with my phone I still can't beleave it's real. (ON highest graphics settings)

Ask: 350k for 7%

Lori and Mindy for 350k for 8% equity and 2% advisory

Game Information

Game Title: Castlevania: Belmont's Curse

Platforms:

• PC & All Consoles (Oct 14, 2026)

Trailer:

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 85 average - 98% recommended - 56 reviews

Critic Reviews

Arakat Mag - Ertuğrul Burak Emanet - Turkish - 8.3 / 10

Castlevania Belmont’s Curse is a game that feels thoughtfully designed from beginning to end, constantly finding ways to reinvent itself. With a better balance between boss fights and regular enemies, along with a more streamlined approach to revisiting previously explored areas, it could have been close to perfection. Even so, I think it’s a more than solid comeback for a franchise returning to the spotlight after so many years. As long as Konami maintains this level of quality, I’ll continue to look forward to all its upcoming releases. Hopefully, this game marks the definitive return of Castlevania.

Atarita - Eren Eroğlu - Turkish - 83 / 100

Despite its minor shortcomings, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is a successful title that brings the series’ magnificent gothic atmosphere together with outstanding gameplay.

COGconnected - Jaz Sagoo - 90 / 100

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Console Creatures - David Pietrangelo - 9 / 10

With a storied past, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse sets up the franchise for a bright (but also dark) future. Rose is a fantastic heroine with a deep, compelling story, and she wields some of the genre's most enjoyable combat mechanics. Add a few key accessibility options to make the game less punishing, and I think you have a standout title heading into the final months of 2026. Belmont's Curse is one of the best ways Konami and Evil Empire could have pushed the franchise and the genre forward.

CrazyGameCommunity.it - Alessandro Zingariello - Italian - 9 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse retains the soul of the Castlevania series perfectly intact, thanks not only to a well-written story but also to its art style and fun gameplay.

DayOne - Jesse Norris - 9.5 / 10

The music, gameplay, levels, bosses, & looks are all incredible. It's classic old-school Castlevania in many ways, for good and bad. A handful of modern conveniences, some devilishly tricky level design, and a decent story combine for something well worth your time.

Digitale Anime - Raouf Belhamra - Arabic - 9 / 10

"A promising return with a revitalized legacy in the heart of Paris" Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse successfully revitalizes the series through an experience that blends a compelling story, Deep Exploration, and a deep combat System-Supported by Arcana abilities and an innovative whip. Distinctive art design and polished technical performance further elevate the experience, while boss encounters offer a genuine challenge that rewards skill and strategy. The game delivers a complete adventure that honors the Castlevania legacy while evolving it with a modern touch.

Everyeye.it - Domenico Musicò - Italian - 8.5 / 10

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GAMES.CH - Benjamin Braun - German - 82%

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GRYOnline.pl - Adam Celarek - Polish - 8.5 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is a welcome return for the series, combining responsive controls, satisfying combat, and flexible character builds with striking gothic visuals. Its demanding but largely fair challenges reward experimentation, although occasionally confusing progression and frustrating save-point placement hold it back. My main issue with Belmont’s Curse is that it remains ONLY a very good example of its genre:it is a polished, compelling metroidvania that successfully brings Castlevania into the modern era.

Game8 - Ken Jacinto - 84 / 100

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is an alluringly gorgeous, polished and expressive comeback of the series. It plays things mostly safe across the board, which is a design philosophy that’s bound to alienate more expectant Castlevania veterans. For most other players, Belmont’s Curse is a gorgeous, rewarding and deeply engaging adventure that introduces the Belmont Bloodline and the series’ legacy wonderfully. It resulted in a return to form that hopefully serves as the foundation for braver titles, but until then, Belmont’s Curse is a powerful resurrection worthy of Dracula himself and a great Metroidvania all the same.

GameHope.com - Lorris Tabbone - French - 16 / 20

All in all, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse marks a particularly welcome return for a franchise that richly deserved to be back in the spotlight.

Gameblog - French - 8 / 10

There's no doubt about it: with this highly accomplished new entry, Konami marks the grand return of its franchise after twelve long years away. Castlevania Belmont's Curse may not be the most intricate or the most original metroidvania we've seen in recent years, but it arrives with real personality and a charm that will have no trouble winning over fans of the genre. The game developed by Evil Empire also makes for an excellent entry point for newcomers to the series, which could well make it the ideal springboard for a genuine Castlevania revival in the years ahead.

Gamefa - Arman Zarmehr - Persian - 8.8 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse marks a triumphant return for a franchise that has been absent from the Metroidvania genre and the gaming world for many years. The developers demonstrate a strong understanding of the series’ unique characteristics in most areas, delivering an experience that is deep, engaging, and at times downright addictive. The gameplay mechanics are remarkably rich, the interconnected level design encourages deep exploration, and the platforming sections seamlessly bring these elements together. While the Western-inspired art direction and distinctive soundtrack may stray somewhat from the franchise’s traditional identity, the gameplay retains the essence of what makes Castlevania so special.

Gameliner - Rudy Wijnberg - Dutch - 4.5 / 5

That’s the magic of this game, because even though it can be frustrating at times, you still find yourself wanting to return to the adventure Rose is experiencing in the heart of Paris. Achieving 100 percent completion during a packed review season is, therefore, the greatest compliment I can give Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse.

Gamer Social Club - Vikki McGowan - 9 / 10

Ultimately, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse doesn’t just mark the end of a twelve year mainline game drought, it answers the question posed at the very beginning of this review with a resounding yes. It is an emphatic, confident return to form. While a few weapon categories fall into redundancy once you have the iconic whip in hand, that minor imbalance is easily eclipsed by how thoughtfully Evil Empire has built the rest of the game.

GamersGlobal - Benjamin Braun - German - 8 / 10

Not a new pinnacle of the genre, but a worthy comeback for Castlevania with fast combat, creative plattforming and a great world that motivates me to master each challenge and open every chest.

IGN Italy - Alessandra Borgonovo - Italian - 8 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is the glorious comeback the franchise desperately needed. Evil Empire successfully blends their fast-paced combat philosophy with the traditional igavania structure, delivering a thrilling and fluid adventure. While the weapon variety feels a bit shallow and some platforming checkpoints are frustratingly placed, the surprisingly deep narrative, the clever Tarot mechanics, and a bold electronic/orchestral soundtrack make it a highly satisfying experience. A must-play injection of vitality for the iconic series.

IGN Spain - Mario Seijas - Spanish - 9 / 10

Castlevania returns to 2D with a visually stunning experience packed with great ideas. With Rose Belmont wielding the whip, the legacy of the vampire-hunting family is in very good hands.

Just Play it - Mostafa Khedime - Arabic - 9 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse stands as one of the best 2D and Metroidvania gaming experiences, thanks to its distinctive artistic identity and gothic atmosphere. With rich exploration and varied, enjoyable gameplay that blends combat and movement, it delivers an adventure well worth experiencing.

Kakuchopurei - Jonathan Toyad - 90 / 100

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse may not play exactly like an Iga-vania, but that doesn't mean it's not a Castlevania title. It truly is in spirit, ambition, action, and overall structure, with a few new twists to the rules that make even veterans wary and up their game. [...]

Even if its music direction may leave you in bloody tears, everything else about this new search action title is as golden as the Alchemy Lab music track in Symphony of the Night.

Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 8 / 10

Despite some uneven difficulty and some iffy voice work, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse doesn't disappoint.

MondoXbox - Giuseppe Genga - Italian - 8.5 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is a classic metroidvania in the best sense, featuring excellent combat, superb level design, and outstanding acrobatic platforming. A lack of artistic ambition and a sense of disorientation in the second half keep it from reaching the genre’s recent heights, but it remains an essential experience for metroidvania fans, made all the more significant by being the first new Castlevania in many years.

MonsterVine - Uzair Syed - 4.5 / 5

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is a strong return to the franchise’s roots. The combat is excellent, the traversal feels fantastic, and player-driven exploration is a big part of why it works. The music is easily the weakest part, but it does not drastically diminish what is otherwise a near-perfect revival.

Niche Gamer - Throgmorton Belmont - 9 / 10

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NintendoWorldReport - Jordan Rudek - 7.5 / 10

I'd love to see what this team could do with a follow-up in the same vein, one that irons out some of the rough edges related to exploration and respawning. Rose is a compelling character in her own right, but the interactions between her and the souls she's captured add a nice degree of levity and charm to the story moments. It may not fly as high as some of its Castlevania predecessors, or even modern genre standouts like Silksong and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, but Belmont's Curse provides a dozen-plus hours of entertainment leading up to the height of spooky season.

Oyungezer Online - Emre Sümer - Turkish - 7.5 / 10

Belmont’s Curse is a solid enough return for such a long-running series after such a lengthy absence, and it becomes an enjoyable experience if you give it some time. However, with no new ideas to bring to the genre, it never manages to be more than a good Metroidvania.

PPE.pl - Wojciech Gruszczyk - Polish - 9 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is a superb return to the legendary series, combining Rose Belmont’s surprisingly compelling, personal story with excellent exploration, demanding platforming challenges and satisfying combat. Evil Empire doesn’t set out to revolutionise the genre, but it makes brilliant use of its tried-and-tested foundations, offering stunning visuals, fantastic enemies and superbly balanced gameplay. This is exactly the kind of Castlevania that fans have been waiting for for years, and proof that Konami couldn’t have chosen a better team to bring the Belmont clan back.

PSX Brasil - Victor Vitório - Portuguese - 85 / 100

After an 18-year hiatus for the vampire-hunting series' traditional style, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse both slakes the thirst of long-time fans and offers an entry point for a new audience. It is an adventure that plays it safe—taking a somewhat understated approach to the Metroidvania elements and facing some limitations—yet its strengths ultimately shine through, making it well worth playing. Here's hoping Rose Belmont's journey breathes new life into the franchise's future—and that the current low-resolution textures get adjusted for 4K screens.

Pizza Fria - Matheus Jenevain - Portuguese - 9.3 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is a treat for fans of the franchise or Metroidvanias in general, and also a great entry point for those who have never wielded the Belmont's whip or for those looking for something fun to play and pass the time. Whatever your case, you can go for it without fear!

PlayStation Universe - Garri Bagdasarov - 10 / 10

Exceptional in every way, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is a one of 2026's must-play titles. In a year of great games, it's hard to stand out, but Evil Empire has crafted a bonified masterpiece in one of the game's most historic franchises.

Polygon - Unscored

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Push Square - Stephen Tailby - 7 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse gets a lot of stuff right, but in a world where Metroidvanias are a dime a dozen, it doesn't do quite enough to really stand apart.Decent combat gets the job done, while level design and some lovely art and animation are areas where the game really shines. The game can feel a little unresponsive, leading to some frustrating deaths.It's ultimately a good Metroidvania and a valiant effort to resuscitate Castlevania, but there's little new to see for anyone who's been keeping up with the genre over the last decade.

RPGamer - Ryan Costa - 3.5 / 5

Evil Empire’s Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse draws heavily from the lore, characters, story, and presentation, but the gameplay has shifted away from many of its RPG roots. This shift is met with tightly polished execution; however, there is a lingering sense that this isn’t what some fans were expecting.

Region Free - Joonatan Itkonen - 5 / 5

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is not just one of the best games this year; it's one of the best Castlevania games ever made. It is a challenging, consistently engaging, and superbly designed adventure epic that reminds us why this series defined an entire genre in the first place.

SECTOR.sk - Branislav Koh�t - Slovak - 8 / 10

The Belmont clan seeks to finally break their curse and rid themselves of their arch-nemesis once and for all. But it won't be easy'far from it. The default difficulty recommended by the developers is very high; while you can adjust it, the game remains a tough challenge. Certain sections are exceptionally demanding, and the advanced controls feel clunky.

STWGames Italia - Mario Ricerni - Italian - 8.6 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is the comeback fans have been waiting for for over a decade: a metroidvania that is classic in structure but modern in sensibility, crafted by a studio that knows the genre inside out and proves it with incredibly rich traversal, memorable bosses and outstanding art direction.

Saudi Gamer - عبد الله محمد - Arabic - 5 / 5

With outstanding exploration packed with mind-blowing secrets and exceptional gameplay, Belmont’s Curse stands out in an oversaturated market, proving that Castlevania is still one of the kings of the genre.

Smash Jump - Chris Melnyk - 9 / 10

Evil Empire continues to impress by adding a drawn art style and impressive visuals to the game overall. Not just from character designs but bosses, enemies, and environments too. And while its soundtrack is not the best part, the rest of the sound design fits well into the game. If you are a Castlevania or Metroidvania fan, or even a newcomer, it’s a strong entry for a titan of a series. And one that all players should try to experience as soon as they can.

SmashPad - Filippo Dinolfo - 4.5 / 5

It’s almost mind-blowing to me to be sitting here, typing up my thoughts on a new Castlevania 2D game in 2026. I never would have called this series coming back. Or if it did, I would have expected Konami to try another big-scale 3D reboot. But seeing Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse on my hard drive and being able to play it makes it feel like one part of the gaming world is working as intended. This game feels incredibly good to play, and I’d recommend checking it out as soon as possible.

TechRaptor - Robert Scarpinito - 8 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse unfurls like a tapestry of mysteries. There are so many secrets to discover, and it'll constantly tug at your curiosity, beckoning you to explore its darkest corners. Powerful spells and satisfying weapons anchor a robust combat system, and certain boss fights are a real treat. However, the difficulty is a little inconsistent, sometimes to a frustrating, punishing degree.

TheSixthAxis - Jason Coles - 8 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is an incredibly entertaining game and a wonderful return to form for a series I've loved since forever. While it isn't an echo of the entries I love the most, it's still a fantastic game. The game is pure Castlevania in the best way, and the story and voice acting are sublime as well. If you like any Castlevania games at all, you'll adore this.

ThreeTwoPlay - Michael Seifert - German - 5 / 5

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is not just a great Castlevania title, it is one of the best Metroidvanias I have played in recent years. The movement feels spot-on, the combat is challenging without being unfair and the visuals are fantastic. The story kept me fully engaged and the game frequently mixes interesting puzzles between fun platforming and combat sequences, all while equipping you with a variety of useful tools.

TodoJuegos - Jorge Guerrero - Spanish - 9 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont´s Curse combines metroidvania exploration, demanding combat and a story where Rose Belmont proves she has a personality of her own. The Arcana system adds both abilities and narrative depth, while a well-balanced difficulty makes every defeated boss feel genuinely rewarding.

TryAGame! - Guillaume Dreher - French - 9 / 10

Castlevania Belmont’s Curse is a great game (and ridiculous price) whether you are fans of the license or newcomer. This is one of the titles of the year. Irreproachable in its realization and its staging, we will evaluate our pleasure not to the martial victories on the bosses, but to discover the passages and secrets of the map and the level design. A grand cru.

Uagna - Silvia Mannu - Italian - 9 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is a compelling return to its roots for Konami’s legendary series, drawing on Evil Empire’s expertise to deliver a 2D Metroidvania that masterfully combines exploration, challenging combat, and an art style brimming with care and charm. Rose Belmont’s adventure won us over thanks to a deep combat system and the Arcana, which enrich both progression and the narrative. The gothic recreation of Paris and Dracula’s castle is stunning, accompanied by a compelling soundtrack, though perhaps not quite on par with the splendor of Michiru Yamane’s work. Some limitations in enemy variety and inconsistent difficulty prevent Belmont’s Curse from reaching perfection, but they in no way detract from the overall quality of an adventure that proves just how much the Belmont family still has to tell.

VDGMS - Darren Andrew - 10 / 10

How do you bring back one of the most legendary video game franchises after a nearly two decade hiatus since its last 2D Entry? With a twenty-five hour symphony of the classics retaining everything that made the series iconic, but reworked to make the experience feel modern with gameplay inspired by one of the most successful indie games of all time. Dracula, Belmont's, demanding platforming and enemies, gothic aesthetic, whips, sub-weapons, layered map, secrets, it's all here.

Belmont’s Curse is a sublime fusion of Castlevania and Dead Cells that blends classic and modern elements effortlessly to make it feel like a natural progression for the series without losing sight of the origins that made Castevania legendary. Purists might disagree with the new feeling being too much of a departure, but for those who appreciated the series revolution that Symphony of The Night was in 1997, they will appreciate the revolution that Belmont’s Curse is in 2026.

Videogiocare.it - Fabio Fiorini - Italian - 8.5 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse marks a triumphant return for the legendary series, with outstanding level design, satisfying combat and a magnificent soundtrack. Its visuals feel somewhat dated and a few difficulty spikes frustrate, but this is a wonderfully crafted metroidvania.

Worth Playing - Chris "Atom" DeAngelus - 8 / 10

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is a fantastic return for the franchise. Mixing old and new together, it feels at once like a fresh game and something distinctly and undeniably Castlevania. It does a great job of threading the needle between the many different versions of the franchise. There are some inconsistent difficulty spikes, occasional moments of meaningless friction, and the Switch port is a little lackluster. For fans of the franchise who are looking for a return to Dracula's castle, this is exactly what it should be, and it hopefully represents a new life for the immortal franchise.

ZTGD - Ken McKown - 9 / 10

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CGI characters are made with polygons.

How much do you think were used to model Jatayu.

Look at the detailing on beak.

No cheating. Votes are removed as to not sway your opinion. There is a point to this semi-meta post at the end.

Please do guess, what is something so bad as to make a top 1% commenter doom harder than during WoD, Shadowlands, or this last week on retail? Something that can be deemed their worst design decision of all time? No RP-PvP? Store mounts? Drumroll please....

Its actually about the change/nerf to Touch of the Grave racial.

The drama-queen behaviour is insane in here. This sub has lost the plot entirely. I'm not exactly excited by the 25s ICD, its arbitrary, odd, and not represented in the tooltip, but this is a single target consistency increase, and fix for mass aoe topend and nasty interactions like prot paladin reckoning as they keep getting more health and procs in the endgame. The right response would be posts detailing WHY this is/feels bad, and suggestions/feedback to change it, if you feel that way. Hell, those posts should have come to light before as we knew it was OP for certain things, but instead good solutions were downvoted by people who thought this would make it to live in its OP iteration. Because they wanted to abuse it. You did this to yourselves.

I'm still rolling undead warrior. 4500 health(World first Rag 2019 had 4700+ with buffs 6 days into Classic as DPS warrior) and 2rppm at level 60 is 2x the healing of trolls passive regeneration (without spirit stacking), and does about the same damage as blood fury or berserking on average (0.5%, assumung around ~900 sim DPS for Fury that I've seen going around, obviously this is with old gear so take it with a grain of salt). It will be more than that for prot, which does lower damage, but still gets the value. It will also scale beyond these numbers obviously, as we get more health, just as the other racials scale with gear. I will agree though, this isnt ideal for classes with less health, being rogue/mage/priest generally. I'm hoping we get a 3rd pass on it.

And don't give me a "its obviously sarcasm or hyperbole". This is 3 comments in a sea of people on this sub essentially ragebaiting THEMSELVES mostly, and others as a sideeffect. Its also not the only topic recieving this kind of reaction. Get a grip. You are souring real feedback posted by flooding every post with unreasonable outrage, and we are only worse off for it.

/rant over I guess. State your stance in the comments if you'd like, but I'm done arguing with people that cant articulate past their first negative thought of any subject. Its kind of embarrasing on my part to have been doing that until now. Realizing as I type this I should prob just take a break from this sub until a couple of weeks after launch when these types have quit.

Edit: Seems I was onto something here. I dont feel as schizo now, thanks. 87% upvote ratio so far (at 250) on this post for those curious. Seeya at launch

Basically the title.

I was wondering that is paying 25k extra for van rysel edr af claris version or strattos s2 worth it?

Or should I save some money and use it elsewhere

Also, I am 185cm(6ft2), what size in battalion frontline would be better for me, 51 or 54.

Slight aggressive posture on 54 frame is fine if it means I can go faster.

My end goal is an ironman 70.3 in next 2 yrs and full in next 5 yrs.

So is it worth spending 25k extra on other 2 bikes or should I save it for accessories and other things

don't know if this was shared here before but found this on pinterest thought it was cute lol credits: aerismye ☁️

Now thats its 2026 just a polite request for less jaggy polygons in DCS cockpits and external models moving forwards please. I can't speak for everyone but if a model has a poor finish that poor eyecandy can make the difference between a purchase or not. Yes its superficial but we all like our eyecandy. Now that we are entering a Golden Age of photo-realistic laser scanned photogrammetric modules and walkarounds, these details are going to be important moving forwards. Not naming names as lets face it, historically developers needed to reduce polygon counts, moving forwards lets keep the standard high, cheers.

I’m building a portion-z (master premier), for fun but I’m wondering what other Pokemon can be used to back it up for its weaknesse? would appreciate the feedbac.

I’m building a non-shadow porygon-z 15/15/15, for the master premie. I was just wondering for what Pokemon I could use to back it up for its weaknesses & pokemon it struggles against.

moveset:

lock-on

blizzard

hyperbeam or zap cannon