As one half of the inspiration for the ever-popular metroidvania genre, it’s truly strange how long it’s been since a new Castlevania game released. There’s been a phenomenal Netlix series, Castlevania remasters have brought the series to modern platforms, and Konami has gotten its other franchises like Silent Hill back on track, yet Castlevania fans were stuck waiting a long time for something truly new. Fortunately, that something has finally come, as Belmont’s Curse was announced during the February State of Play. This brand-new entry in the influential franchise is set to release at some point in 2026, and for players who just can’t wait to get their hands on it, there’s a retro vampire game dropping on Steam soon that could keep them busy (or could serve as a second helping, depending on when it drops).
While Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse has pleased many veteran fans, as it abandons Lords of Shadow’s attempts at a modern action style in favor of a return to 2D sidescrolling, its reveal was met with one critique from some players. The involvement of Evil Empire is great news from a gameplay standpoint, as the Rogue Prince of Persia and Dead Cells’ Castlevania DLC were well received. However, not everyone is sold on the studio’s art style for the game. For anyone who feels Belmont’s Curse is looking a bit too clean and colorful for the dark Castlevania universe, and seeking something that feels more like the old school entries that built the franchise, then the Steam game Dawnrazor should be more up their alley.
Per Dawnrazor’s Steam page, the game is set for a 2026 release.
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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.
Take control of Zedekiah, a betrayed knight reborn through parasitic vampirism, as he fights through blood-soaked ruins and biomechanical horrors.
Fit the 9 games into the grid.
Dawnrazor is as Castlevania as It Gets
While some modern gamers may struggle with an 8-bit aesthetic, there are plenty of players out there who seek out the old-school look that Dawnrazor is embracing. From a creepy face in a tree to a moon looming at the top of a stage, there’s a certain beauty present within this deliberately dated game that should appeal to Castlevania fans. For anyone worried about the next Castlevania game not looking gritty enough, Dawnrazor is absolutely something worth checking out, as its moss-covered tiles and stone buildings heavily resemble the environments of the original Castlevania. If that wasn’t enough, there’s the fact that the protagonist, Zedekiah, looks very reminiscent of the Belmont family thanks to his popped collar and a headband like those worn by Simon and Richter.
Gameplay-wise, Dawnrazor’s protagonist attacks foes with a whip, leaps over and ducks below projectiles, and moves through the environment with the confidence one would expect from a knight-turned-vampire (he also rides a bike in some fun-looking sections). It’s the vampirism that should help keep Dawnrazor interesting, though, as it seems like developer Talbain isn’t just taking inspiration from the older Castlevania games. Much like Lords of Shadow documented the struggle of a hero-turned-vampire, players will be seeing Zedekiah grapple with being turned from human to vamp in Dawnrazor. However, in this story-driven game, players will have a direct impact on how the story plays out.
Dawnrazor’s Judgement System Will Hopefully Give It The Edge It Needs
With both Dawnrazor and the next official entry in the Castlevania franchise having vague 2026 release dates, there is a real chance that instead of Dawnrazor capitalizing on the Belmont’s Curse hype before that game releases, the indie will have to release after the long-awaited entry in a four-decade-old franchise does. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; if Belmont’s Curse lives up to the community’s expectations, then players could crave another game just like it right after they roll credits. Dawnrazor will have to find a way to stand out and attract these potential players, though, and fortunately, it seems to have one: the Judgement System.
This feature will see players making choices throughout the game, such as whether to spare or kill their old friends, consume villagers or corpses, and over-use vampire powers like Blood Surge or wield them sparingly. These choices will apparently add up, with Zedekiah retaining his humanity or losing it throughout the journey. The choices will result in different dialogue and reactions from NPCs, but that’s not all; the game offers altered inner monologues for Zedekiah, branching paths, and different endings based on decisions. Coolest of all is that the environments will change depending on choices made, with the Judgement system essentially shaping the entire experience and encouraging replaybility.
It will be interesting to see how much the world of Kagenovia shifts based on player choice, but on paper, it’s an awesome concept that makes Dawnrazor worth of a spot on any vampire fan’s Steam wishlist. The world will offer a hub called the Ironhold where lore can be studied as well as hidden paths to uncover, so it certainly seems like there’s a fair bit of depth to Talbain’s project. Hopefully, it times its release well, either dropping before Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse to attract excited fans, or soon after so that it can win over those wanting more. So long as this promising Castlevania-like doesn’t release alongside the real deal, it has a chance to be a popular experience among retro gamers, as it's blending traditional Castlevania gameplay with the bolder storytelling of Lords of Shadow.
