Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Trophy Guide & Roadmap

Estimated Trophy Difficulty	4/10
Estimated Time to Platinum	15–20 Hours
Total Trophies	30
Online Trophies / Achievements	0
Missable Trophies / Achievements	1 time-sensitive objective – Dialog Skipper. The three endings must also be completed.
Glitched Trophies / Achievements	None
Does Difficulty Affect Trophies?	No specific difficulty requirement is listed.
Minimum Playthroughs	2 recommended (one comprehensive playthrough and one dedicated speedrun)
New Game+	No confirmed requirement; use a fresh save for the timed run.

Platform note: This guide covers the shared trophy and achievement objectives across PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam. PlayStation players have one additional Platinum Trophy, The legendary vampire hunter, which is awarded for unlocking all other trophies. Xbox and Steam players can use the same gameplay instructions to complete their 29 achievements.

Introduction

Welcome to the Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Trophy Guide & Roadmap! This is a fairly involved completion journey that combines boss battles, exploration, collectible hunting, optional challenges, and multiple endings. Although none of the individual requirements is particularly complicated, earning every trophy requires a good understanding of the game’s progression and a little planning.

There are 30 trophies available on PlayStation 5, including the Platinum Trophy, while the Steam and Xbox versions feature 29 achievements. Most objectives revolve around defeating the game’s major bosses, discovering hidden locations, collecting weapons and upgrades, and completing specific challenges.

The biggest obstacles are the three different endings, the 100% completion requirement, and Dialog Skipper, which asks you to finish the game in less than four hours. The last objective is particularly important because reaching the early bad ending does not count. You must complete the proper final encounter against Dracula, including his second form.

My recommended approach is to use your first playthrough to explore thoroughly, collect as much as possible, defeat optional bosses, and unlock the different endings. Once you’re familiar with the castle layout, boss encounters, and mandatory progression, start a fresh save for the timed run.

Important Custom Mode Warning: The game’s Custom Mode menu warns that certain achievements may become unavailable when some assist settings are enabled. To avoid unnecessary complications, I recommend keeping Custom Mode disabled during your trophy-focused playthrough, especially when attempting Dialog Skipper. Do not assume that every assist option is compatible with every achievement.

Spoiler Warning: This guide reveals all trophy-related boss encounters, the requirements for the three endings, and important story progression details.

Platinum Roadmap: Recommended Playthrough Order

Step 1 – Explore Thoroughly and Complete the Main Progression

For your first run, don’t worry about finishing quickly. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse rewards exploration, and many of its collectibles and upgrades are tucked away in rooms that are easy to overlook.

Make a habit of checking every accessible passage, breaking candles, opening chests, and activating every Mirror of Life you encounter. Collect weapons and heart fragments whenever possible, and pay attention to the Arcana system.

Each Arcana has its own Works of Mercy objectives. Whenever you obtain a new Arcana, check its available challenges and start working toward its Blessings. Completing these requirements naturally during the story will save you from having to revisit numerous locations later.

You should also defeat the first three major bosses to obtain the keys needed to access the Catacombs. If you struggle with progression, prioritize the following objectives:

• Collect important weapons and permanent upgrades.
• Activate every Mirror of Life.
• Find Tarot clues and hidden rooms.
• Complete Works of Mercy for your available Arcana.
• Defeat optional bosses whenever you encounter them.
• Keep track of the completion percentage for each region.

Step 2 – Unlock the Bad Ending First

One of the first ending-related objectives is Belmont’s fall, which requires you to reach the premature bad ending.

During your journey, you will encounter a large clock emitting a green glow near the drawbridge. Instead of disabling its trap, deliberately take the early route toward Dracula.

This leads to the bad ending and unlocks the associated trophy or achievement. You do not need to defeat the proper final Dracula encounter for this particular ending.

After the credits, select Continue from the main menu to resume your adventure.

Important: Make sure you complete this detour before disabling the clock’s trap. Otherwise, you will need to plan around the altered progression.

Step 3 – Unlock the Normal Ending

Your next objective is to reach the actual final battle and obtain The hunt goes on.

Progress through the main story until you reach Notre-Dame. You will need Talos’s Smash ability to access certain progression routes and eventually reach Brauner in his Atelier.

After freeing Brauner, you receive The Artist Arcana and the Masterpiece spell. Continue exploring the Library and solve the Star Chart puzzle to reach the Observatory.

Once you have defeated Carmilla, collect Brauner’s Brush and use The Artist Arcana to activate the painting that provides access to Notre-Dame.

Inside Notre-Dame, defeat Death. This encounter rewards you with The Shadow Arcana and its Soul Harvest spell.

Return to the large clock in the Clock Tower and use Soul Harvest to disable its trap. Make sure you leave the mechanism disabled, as interacting with it again can reactivate the trap.

You can now follow the correct route toward the Master’s Quarters and the real final encounter.

Defeat both phases of Dracula to unlock the normal ending.

Important: Do not use Absolution after the final battle if you want to see the normal ending first. Save the true ending for the next step.

Step 4 – Complete the True Ending and Remaining Collections

The true ending requires additional progression through Notre-Dame.

Your main objective is to complete all four Virtue Trials and defeat Rose’s Doppelganger. Doing so rewards you with The Self Arcana and Absolution, the spell needed to lift Dracula’s curse.

Once you have unlocked these abilities, finish any outstanding collection objectives.

Pay particular attention to:

• Every weapon across all seven weapon families.
• All permanent health and mana upgrades.
• Every Tarot clue.
• Every Mirror of Life.
• All Arcana Blessings.
• Hidden locations and remaining completion objectives.

Keep checking the System menu to see whether your overall completion percentage has reached 100%.

Step 5 – Complete the Four-Hour Speedrun

Leave the timed run until you understand the main progression route.

Start a fresh save and focus exclusively on reaching the normal ending. You do not need to complete the Virtue Trials or obtain Absolution for this objective.

Skip unnecessary exploration, optional bosses, and collectible detours. Concentrate on the mandatory encounters and the abilities required to reach Dracula.

Defeating Dracula’s real final form and completing the game in less than four hours will unlock Dialog Skipper.

All 30 Trophies and Their Unlock Requirements

The following list covers all 29 shared achievements and the additional PlayStation Platinum Trophy. The trophy grades shown apply to the PS5 version.

Bosses and Special Encounters

Trophy / Achievement	Grade	Unlock Requirement
Blood Tells	Bronze	Defeat The Fallen.
Flammable or inflammable?	Bronze	Defeat Joan of Arc, The Warrior.
Snakes speared in the ruins	Bronze	Defeat Medusa, The Prophetess.
The King is dead, long live the King	Silver	Survive the Judge’s verdict.
Talos Aversion	Bronze	Defeat Talos, The Builder.
Blood for Blood	Bronze	Defeat Carmilla, The Occultist.
Death… killed?	Silver	Defeat Death, The Shadow.
All that glitters is not gold.	Bronze	Defeat Mammon, The Miser.
I am Arthur, King of the Britons	Bronze	Defeat Arthur, The Brittle King.
Succubued to her wounds…	Bronze	Defeat the Succubus, The Temptress.
Shadow Work	Silver	Defeat Rose’s Doppelganger, The Self.
Finish Hector’s work	Bronze	Defeat Isaac, The Zealot, during the later main encounter.
Die monster! You don’t belong in this world!	Silver	Defeat Dracula in the proper final battle.

Important: The earlier Isaac illusion encountered on the drawbridge does not count toward Finish Hector’s work. You must defeat him during the later encounter.

Endings, Speedrun, and Platinum

Trophy / Achievement	Grade	Unlock Requirement
Belmont’s fall	Silver	Reach the premature bad ending.
The hunt goes on	Silver	Complete the normal ending after defeating the real Dracula.
Curse lifted	Gold	Use Absolution to unlock the true ending.
Dialog Skipper	Gold	Finish the game in less than four hours by defeating the real Dracula.
The legendary vampire hunter	Platinum	Unlock all other PlayStation trophies.

The Platinum Trophy is exclusive to PlayStation. Steam and Xbox players have the same gameplay objectives without this additional trophy.

Collectibles and Exploration

Trophy / Achievement	Grade	Unlock Requirement
Pick a card, any card	Gold	Unlock every Blessing for all collectible Arcana.
Armed to the Fangs	Gold	Find every weapon in the game.
Jack of All Trades	Bronze	Obtain at least one weapon from each of the seven weapon families.
Stuff of Legends	Silver	Find a weapon of Legendary rarity.
Always the same roof	Bronze	Discover the hidden area at the top of Sanctuary of Solitude.
Perfectionist Hunter	Gold	Reach 100% overall game completion.
Collector	Silver	Find every permanent health and mana upgrade.
The Greatest Detective	Silver	Find every Tarot clue.
Narcissus	Silver	Activate every Mirror of Life.

Other Challenges

Trophy / Achievement	Grade	Unlock Requirement
Lamplighter	Bronze	Destroy 666 candles.
Transylvanian Express	Bronze	Travel a cumulative distance of 19.86 km.
True Belmont	Bronze	Kill an enemy with The Fallen’s Arcana spell while a whip weapon is equipped.

How to Unlock All Three Endings

Belmont’s fall – The Bad Ending

The bad ending is the earliest of the three endings you can unlock.

When you reach the large clock near the drawbridge, leave its trap active and take the premature route toward Dracula.

This triggers a scripted sequence in which Rose and her companions face an encounter they are not prepared for.

You do not have to defeat the regular Dracula boss fight for this ending.

After the credits, choose Continue from the main menu to resume your adventure. The corresponding trophy or achievement will unlock, and you will also receive the Cursed Outfit as an additional reward.

The hunt goes on – The Normal Ending

To reach the normal ending, you must disable the clock trap and defeat the real Dracula.

First, progress through Notre-Dame and defeat Death to obtain The Shadow Arcana and Soul Harvest.

Then follow these steps:

1. Equip The Shadow Arcana.
2. Return to the large clock in the Clock Tower.
3. Use Soul Harvest on the clock mechanism.
4. Disable the trap and avoid activating it again.
5. Continue through the Master’s Quarters.
6. Reach Dracula and defeat both of his forms.

After the final encounter, allow the normal ending sequence to play without casting Absolution.

Curse lifted – The True Ending

The true ending requires you to obtain The Self Arcana and its Absolution spell.

To unlock them, complete the four Virtue Trials in Notre-Dame.

Each trial requires a specific Arcana and corresponding spell.

Virtue Trial	Required Arcana	Required Spell
Courage	The Warrior	Infernal Pyre
Justice	The Judge	Chains of Justice
Temperance	The Whisperer	Freezing Path
Prudence	The Sage	Mirror Walk

Once you have completed all four trials, make sure to ring the bell at the end of each one.

After finishing the challenges, return to the central altar in the Gallery of the Four Virtues. This opens the route to Rose’s Doppelganger.

Defeat the Doppelganger to unlock Shadow Work and receive The Self Arcana with the Absolution spell.

Now return to the final battle.

The final step is important: Equip The Self Arcana before fighting Dracula. Defeat both of his forms, then wait for the conversation following the second phase. When the opportunity appears, hold the spell button and cast Absolution.

Simply possessing the Arcana is not enough. You must actually cast the spell during the short window after the battle.

Do not confuse the two Arcana:

• The Shadow: Obtained by defeating Death. Grants Soul Harvest, which disables the clock trap.
• The Self: Obtained by defeating Rose’s Doppelganger. Grants Absolution, which unlocks the true ending.

Perfectionist Hunter: How to Reach 100% Completion

Perfectionist Hunter is one of the more demanding objectives because it requires you to bring the overall completion counter to 100%.

You can monitor your progress through the System menu. However, completing the main story and revealing most of the map does not automatically mean you have finished every requirement.

If your completion percentage is stuck below 100%, revisit individual regions and look for unexplored rooms, hidden passages, experience statues, attack and defense upgrades, unopened chests, and unfinished progression objectives.

The following collection requirements are particularly important:

Collection Objective	Required Amount	Trophy / Achievement
Weapons	28 across seven families	Armed to the Fangs
Health Upgrade Fragments	24	Collector
Mana Upgrade Fragments	24	Collector
Tarot Clues	40	The Greatest Detective
Mirrors of Life	34	Narcissus

Four fragments of the same type combine into one permanent upgrade. Therefore, you must find all the health and mana fragments rather than simply collecting a certain number of completed upgrades.

My recommendation: Track each collection separately. Reaching 100% completion does not automatically replace the requirements for the individual collection trophies. Check your progress for weapons, clues, Mirrors of Life, and upgrades independently.

Pick a Card, Any Card: Unlocking Every Arcana Blessing

Pick a card, any card is one of the more time-consuming collection objectives.

Every collectible Arcana has its own Works of Mercy challenges. Completing these objectives rewards you with Blessings, which can then be used to unlock additional Gifts for the corresponding spells.

Whenever you obtain a new Arcana, open its challenge overview and check what needs to be completed.

Some objectives will progress naturally as you fight enemies and explore the castle, while others require you to use particular spells or perform specific actions.

Try not to leave all these challenges until the end of the game. Working on them throughout your main playthrough will significantly reduce the amount of backtracking required.

Also remember that Tarot clues are a separate collection objective. Finding every clue does not automatically unlock every Arcana Blessing.

True Belmont: How to Get the Trophy

True Belmont is a relatively simple combat trophy, provided you understand its specific requirement.

You must kill an enemy using The Fallen’s Arcana spell while a whip weapon is equipped.

Follow these steps:

1. Defeat The Fallen to obtain the corresponding Arcana.
2. Equip a whip as your active weapon.
3. Select The Fallen Arcana and its Holy Cross spell.
4. Find an ordinary enemy and weaken it if necessary.
5. Finish the enemy with Holy Cross.

The important detail is that the Arcana spell itself must deliver the killing blow. Simply having a whip equipped while defeating an enemy with a regular weapon attack will not unlock the trophy.

Always the Same Roof: Find the Hidden Area

For Always the same roof, you must discover a hidden area located at the very top of Sanctuary of Solitude in the Master’s Quarters.

Explore the upper sections of the area and use your whip anchors to reach the higher balconies.

Continue climbing until you reach the concealed section at the top.

There is also a chest containing the Gloomstone relic in this area. The relic provides a useful hint when Rose is close to a secret, making it particularly helpful if you are still searching for hidden locations elsewhere.

Important Encounters and Collectible Mistakes to Avoid

Some trophy requirements are easy to misunderstand, especially when the game features multiple versions of encounters or similarly named equipment.

Isaac’s illusion is not the real encounter: Defeating Isaac on the drawbridge does not unlock Finish Hector’s work. You must defeat The Zealot during the later main encounter in the Heart of the Clock.

Arthur requires specific equipment: To trigger the Arthur encounter, return to the sword at the altar in Notre-Dame’s Chapel with The Builder Arcana and Fist of Talos equipped. Interact with the sword to initiate the encounter.

Remember that Fist of Talos refers to the Arcana spell, not simply the similarly named fist weapon.

Master-grade and Legendary weapons are different: The fist weapon found in the Builder’s Office contributes to your weapon collection, but it does not count as a Legendary weapon. Stuff of Legends requires an actual Legendary-rarity weapon.

Keeping these distinctions in mind will help you avoid unnecessary backtracking.

Dialog Skipper: How to Finish the Game in Under Four Hours

Dialog Skipper is the main timed challenge in Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse.

You must finish the game in less than four hours, defeat the real Dracula, and complete the normal ending. Reaching the premature bad ending does not satisfy the requirement.

The best way to approach this challenge is to start a separate save after completing your exploration-focused playthrough.

By this point, you should already know the locations of mandatory bosses, important abilities, and the correct route through the castle.

Follow these recommendations:

• Start a fresh save rather than attempting to combine the speedrun with your 100% collection run.
• Keep Custom Mode disabled to avoid any achievement compatibility issues.
• Focus on the normal ending route.
• Skip optional bosses and unnecessary exploration.
• Avoid collecting remote weapons, clues, and upgrades unless you genuinely need them.
• Skip dialogue and cutscenes whenever possible.
• Use your knowledge of boss attack patterns to minimize failed attempts.
• Keep an eye on your playtime through the System menu.

You do not need to complete the four Virtue Trials or obtain Absolution for the normal ending speedrun.

One final warning: The requirement is strictly less than four hours. Finishing at exactly 4:00:00 will not unlock Dialog Skipper, so leave yourself a reasonable time buffer.

Final Tips for Completing Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is a rewarding completion journey for players who enjoy exploration and challenging themselves with optional objectives.

The most efficient strategy is to separate the collection work from the timed run. Explore thoroughly during your first playthrough, unlock the three endings, complete the Arcana challenges, and keep track of your remaining collectibles. Once everything else is under control, start a fresh save and focus on Dialog Skipper.

If you pay attention to the clock mechanism, distinguish the two important Arcana rewards, and avoid overlooking the smaller collection requirements, the Platinum Trophy should be a manageable goal.

Whether you’re playing on PlayStation 5, Xbox, or Steam, the same boss strategies, ending routes, and collection instructions apply. Follow the roadmap, take your time during the exploration run, and prepare for Dracula before starting your final speedrun.

Story Progression and Ending Trophies

Complete the main campaign and reach the normal ending. Pay attention to the decisions and requirements that affect the story’s conclusion, as finishing the game does not necessarily guarantee this particular ending. If you are aiming for every ending, keep a separate save before major story decisions whenever possible.

Reach the end of the campaign and obtain the bad ending. The outcome depends on the conditions you meet during your playthrough, so avoid assuming that simply defeating the final boss will be enough. If you want to collect every ending trophy efficiently, consider keeping a backup save before the final sequence.

Complete the campaign and fulfil the requirements for the true ending. Take your time exploring and completing relevant objectives instead of rushing straight through the main story. Since the exact ending conditions can determine whether this trophy unlocks, keep track of important discoveries and story progress throughout the adventure.

Boss Battles and Combat Trophies

Progress through the campaign until you face the Fallen. Study its attack patterns and avoid committing to long attacks when the boss is preparing to strike. Use openings after its attacks to deal damage, and keep your health topped up whenever you have the opportunity. Defeating the boss completes this trophy.

Continue through the story until the Warrior boss fight. Watch for its attack animations and learn when it is safe to move in for a counterattack. Avoid trading damage unnecessarily, and use your available weapons and abilities to maintain steady pressure until the Warrior falls.

Reach the encounter with the Prophetess and defeat her to earn the trophy. Focus on recognising her attack patterns instead of attacking without a plan. Keep your distance when necessary, dodge incoming attacks, and take advantage of the openings that follow her offensive moves.

Reach the sequence involving the Judge and survive the verdict. Pay close attention to the situation unfolding around you, react quickly to threats, and avoid unnecessary damage. Stay alive until the sequence is completed to satisfy the trophy requirement.

Keep advancing until you encounter the Builder. During the fight, prioritise dodging dangerous attacks and look for safe opportunities to retaliate. Avoid becoming too aggressive when the boss is attacking, and use your strongest reliable options when an opening appears. Defeat the Builder to unlock the trophy.

Defeat the Occultist when the story brings you to this encounter. Watch for changes in its attack pattern and avoid repeating the same approach if it leaves you vulnerable. Balance offence with defensive movement, and use your available abilities whenever they provide a safe opportunity to deal damage.

Make your way to the Shadow encounter and defeat the boss. Stay alert for its attacks, learn when to dodge, and avoid wasting opportunities by attacking while it is still dangerous. Keep your health in check throughout the fight and continue dealing damage whenever you have a clear opening.

Progress until you face the Miser and defeat it to earn this trophy. Study the boss’s movements and be patient with your attacks, especially when its offensive moves leave little room to respond. Consistent damage and well-timed dodges will help you bring the encounter to an end.

Continue through the campaign until you reach the Brittle King. Learn the timing of its attacks and avoid rushing in before it is safe to strike. Use the weapons and abilities you are most comfortable with, and keep up the pressure until the boss is defeated.

Face the Temptress during the main adventure and defeat her. Stay focused on avoiding incoming attacks while looking for chances to counter. If the encounter becomes difficult, prioritise survival over landing extra hits and use healing resources when necessary.

Reach the encounter with the Self and defeat this opponent to earn the trophy. Pay attention to the rhythm of the fight and avoid committing to attacks without a clear opening. Make good use of movement and your available combat abilities to survive the encounter.

Advance through the story until the Zealot appears and defeat the boss. Be patient when learning its attacks, and use the pauses between offensive moves to land reliable hits. Continue adapting your approach as the fight progresses until the Zealot is beaten.

Reach the final confrontation with Dracula and defeat him to earn this trophy. Prepare for the fight by making sure your equipment and available upgrades are in good shape. Watch his attack patterns, dodge dangerous moves, and use every safe opening to deal damage. Be ready for the encounter to demand more patience than ordinary enemies.

Weapons, Arcana, and Special Combat Challenges

Explore the arcana system and work toward unlocking every blessing associated with every arcana. Check your available options regularly and spend the required resources on any blessings you have not obtained yet. Continue exploring and progressing through the game until the entire set has been unlocked.

Search the entire game for every available weapon. Check side paths, optional rooms, and areas away from the main route, as not every weapon is necessarily found by simply following the story. Review your weapon collection as you progress and revisit accessible areas if you are still missing something.

Collect at least one weapon from every weapon family available in the game. Experiment with different equipment as you explore and check your inventory to see which categories you have already covered. This trophy is a useful milestone on the way to finding every weapon.

Explore thoroughly until you discover a legendary weapon. Investigate optional areas and keep an eye out for unusual rewards rather than concentrating exclusively on the main objectives. Once you find a weapon classified as legendary, the trophy requirement is complete.

Equip a whip weapon and make sure the Fallen’s arcana spell is available. Find a regular enemy and weaken it before using the spell for the finishing blow. The important detail is that the enemy must be killed by the Fallen’s arcana spell while your whip weapon is equipped, so avoid finishing the target with a normal attack by mistake.

Collectibles, Upgrades, and Exploration Trophies

The description suggests that this trophy involves finding something hidden in a rooftop location associated with Dracula. Explore elevated routes carefully and look for accessible rooftops or concealed spaces that you might otherwise pass by. The exact trigger is not specified in the supplied trophy list, so a confirmed location guide is needed to identify the precise interaction.

Search every accessible area for health and mana upgrades. Explore optional rooms, investigate branching paths, and check your surroundings before moving on to the next objective. Since these upgrades can be easy to miss, make collecting them part of your regular exploration routine instead of leaving everything until the end.

Investigate the environment and collect every clue required by the game. Look carefully through rooms and optional routes, and interact with objects that appear relevant to the surrounding story. Keep track of your discoveries as you progress, since overlooking a clue can leave this trophy unfinished even after the main campaign is complete.

Find and activate every Mirror of Life throughout the adventure. Check optional routes and side areas as thoroughly as the main path, and interact with each mirror you discover. Keep a record of the mirrors you have already activated so you can focus on any remaining locations during cleanup.

Completion and Challenge Trophies

This is the ultimate completion trophy. Unlock every other trophy in the game, including the boss, weapon, exploration, collectible, and ending challenges. Check your trophy list regularly and use any remaining objectives as a checklist until every requirement has been completed.

Work toward 100% completion by finishing the game’s required objectives and collecting everything counted toward overall progress. Explore thoroughly, find upgrades and weapons, complete the relevant challenges, and check your completion tracker whenever possible. If the percentage stops short of 100%, review your remaining collectibles and unfinished activities.

Complete the campaign in under four hours. For the best chance of meeting the time limit, focus on the main objectives, avoid unnecessary detours, and skip dialogue whenever the game allows it. Familiarity with the boss fights and level layouts will make a timed run much easier, so consider attempting this after learning the campaign during an earlier playthrough.

Destroy 666 candles while exploring the game world. Make a habit of breaking candles whenever you pass them instead of ignoring them on the way to the next objective. If the trophy tracks progress across your adventure, consistently clearing candles from each area will help you reach the target without needing to search for every remaining one at the end.

Travel a total distance of 19.86 kilometres during your adventure. Continue exploring and moving through the world naturally as you work on the other trophies. This kind of distance challenge is best approached over the course of a normal playthrough, rather than by rushing directly between objectives and ignoring optional areas.

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“Welcome to the ultimate Reanimal Trophy Guide and Roadmap. Here is everything you need to know about trophy list breakdowns, missable achievements, collectibles, and the most efficient path to unlocking the Platinum trophy.”