Castlevania: Belmont's Curse will be significantly larger than a typical Castlevania playthrough. According to the developers at Evil Empire, completing the game will take approximately 20 to 25 hours, with those aiming for 100% completion needing even more time.
Meanwhile, the developers have intentionally abandoned the conventional system that constantly directs players to their next objective. There will be no "golden guiding lines" or explicit objective markers on the map. Instead, the surrounding world and the Arcana system will provide indirect hints, allowing players to decide where to go next. Players can place their own markers on the map if they wish, but the core philosophy is to encourage exploration driven by curiosity, rather than simply following a preset path. Evil Empire refers to this approach as the "Hunt System": players should feel like true vampire hunters, personally tracking their prey.
The game won't be short on hidden secrets either. The developers aren't ready to reveal details just yet, but they have confirmed the existence of multiple endings and major surprises beyond the castle. The castle itself serves as the primary testing ground for various secret mechanics. Furthermore, the studio has clearly considered replayability. Experienced players will be able to complete the game faster, while speedrun enthusiasts will undoubtedly find more opportunities to discover ways to skip certain areas.
In summary, Belmont's Curse clearly bets on exploration and autonomous discovery of secrets, rather than constantly telling players what to do next.