[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/curseofdarkness_3703.jpg]]

The second {{Castlevania}} game for the PlayStation2 and XBox, released in 2005.

This installment takes place three years after Dracula's defeat at the hand of [[CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse Trevor and his comrades]]. In Dracula's final breath, he cast a curse that ravaged the European countryside, spreading disease, mob violence, and heresy in its wake. During this time, Hector, a former henchman of Dracula's, seeks revenge against his former compatriot Isaac for the death of his fiancée [[DisposableWoman Rosaly]].

Gameplay-wise, it retains a similar design aesthetic to its immediate predecessor, with two important wrinkles: there's a lot of ItemCrafting, and you can also forge your own {{Mons}} to follow you around and fight enemies. These "Innocent Devils" will evolve into new forms depending on what types of weapons you use, so there's a lot of different things to try.

!! ''Curse Of Darkness'' provides examples of:
* ALoadOfBull: One of the level bosses is a minotaur.
* AnAxeToGrind: both two handed and one handed, although the latter tends to be more like CarryABigStick.
* AnIcePerson: The [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Indigo]] can spit icicles and freeze foes with his BreathWeapon. Also, some Mage-Type Innocent Devils can do Ice-based spells
* AnInteriorDesignerIsYou: You can find chairs and sit in them, copies of which somehow end up in a specific room once you do so.
* AnachronismStew: Seriously, how Japanese Weapons, Sweatshirts, bombs, Ramen noodles, Pizza, miniguns, and a ''LaserBlade'' were avaible in the 15th Century Valachia? Unless RuleOfCool is invoked...
** Or maybe St. Germain made it happen. He IS a time-traveler after all.
* ArcNumber: In addition to the OldSaveBonus listed below, Proboscis Fairy's "Just A Little" healing skill can heal you for either 1 or 573 HP.
* BagOfSpilling: Justified. Hector abandoned all of his powers and equipment to live a normal life, but when Isaac ruined it, he came after him for revenge with the only weapon he had on hand. Isaac taunts him for trying to do it WithThisHerring, and then sets up means for Hector to regain his powers so it'll be worth it when they fight.
* BigBadFriend
* {{BFS}}: the Dragonslayer sword takes the Cake. Not only it's really long, but is even broader than Hector Himself!!.
* TheBlacksmith: Hector and Isaac are Devil Forgemasters, and can create both minions and weapons.
* BladeOnAStick: One of the five weapon classes. Also [[TheRival Isaac]]'s WeaponOfChoice.
* BlowYouAway: using the above-mentioned spear class weapons, you can create a small tornado, which causes multiple [[ElementalRockPaperScissors Wind damage]]. Really useful against the [[ALoadOfBull Minotaur Boss]].
* BonusBoss: [[spoiler:Legion and Nuculais.]]
* BonusFeatureFailure: Unlike in all other games, where you at least have the option of using bonus characters and items in a new game, here the item you get from beating the stupidly difficult and tedious Crazy mode isn't even useable in any other difficulty level, even though it does the exact same thing the one in Lament Of Innocence does.
* CastFromHitPoints: Your Innocent Devils essentially do this, as their health meter consists of Hearts instead of having Hearts and health in separate meters like most Castlevania games, and both casting and getting hit by an enemy will deplete their Hearts.
* CoolChair: All of the chairs you can collect.
* CoolSword: many, including RoyalRapier, KatanasAreJustBetter, {{BFS}}, and even a LaserBlade!!
* CopyAndPasteEnvironments: Not quite as bad as ''LamentOfInnocence'', but still noticeable.
* DamnYouMuscleMemory: The actions in Curse of Darkness are similar to Lament of Innocence (the previous Castlevania for the PS2), but the controls were moved to different buttons. Block went from R2 to R1, hard attack went from triangle to circle (and vice versa) and open door went from square to circle.
* DefectorFromDecadence
* DepravedHomosexual: Isaac via subtext. His behavior towards Hector seems more like a jilted lover than a betrayed comrade, and his confrontation with Trevor has some very rape-like undertones.
* DinosaursAreDragons: the "Dragons" rode by the Skeleton Knights/Troopers are basically small, Fire-Breathing T-Rexes.
* DishingOutDirt: like the spear example, you can unleash earth-based attacks with the two-handed Axe Type weapons.
* EvilPlan: [[spoiler:Dracula via]] Isaac runs one through the game.
* {{Expy}}: Hector is similar in appearance, weapon skills, and his usage of familiars to [[CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight Alucard]].
* FlamingSword: actually a Flaming Spear. [[RuleOfCool For some reason]], it bursts to flame when using finishing moves.
* GlassCannon: The Rasetsu and Cadaver aren't really resilient against damage, but they can rip your enemy a new one with their swords and vicious attacks.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Trevor has Good Scars.
* GuideDangIt: Weapon forging, innocent devil raising, drops (Which you need for the forging), and steals, there's a ''lot'' of stuff that you'll be looking up if you want 100%.
** Some of the steals require maneuvering the enemy into a specific position or waiting for a specific attack, which isn't usually obvious.
* HeadlessHorseman: the Dullahan, minus Horse. He's still pretty BadAss.
* HiddenAgendaVillain: St. Germain, if you consider him a villain.
* IJustWantToBeNormal: Hector. In addition to objecting to Dracula's [[KillAllHumans war on humanity]], the other reason Hector leaves is to try and lead a normal life.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: A bat? A little weird considering the time period, but otherwise fine. A spiked shield? Not exactly conventional but you could see how that would hurt. Using an electric guitar, [[AnachronismStew in the 15th century]], to destroy the living dead through the PowerOfRock? Now ''that's'' just silly.
** Of course, this is discounting the minigun......Did we mention this game is in medieval times?
** The minigun at least has the HandWave that the key ingredient must be taken from St. Germaine [[spoiler:who is a time traveler]]. Still doesn't explain the infinite ammo, though.
** While it isn't a weapon you wield, the Ironside ID has a machine gun built into its arm, and it just requires you to beat up many enemies with Ironside to obtain, unlike the minigun example above.
* InfinityPlusOneSword: The [[SinisterScythe Death Scythe]]; the [[ItemCrafting list of ingredients]] needed to create this weapon is just as absurd as its damage output. This include many [[RandomlyDrops extremely rare ingredients]] (to create ''other'' weapons needed for this weapon), a few [[LostForever one-per-playthrough items]], and one particular item that has a specifically staged ''half-a-second opportunity'' [[VideoGameStealing to steal]] from the penultimate Boss. The [[GuideDangIt sheer difficulty and patience]] needed to achieve this is not even funny.
** AwesomeButImpractical: By the time you can obtain it there isn't anything left to kill with it. The weapon attacks slowly lowering its overall damage output and since it is a dark elemental weapon half the enemies in the game resist it.
* InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons: Despite the Gothic Horror-like settings, there's a huge Wyvern residing on the top of Bahljet Mountains. Also one of the possible final evolution of the Bird Type I.D., specifically the [[PlayingWithFire Carmesi]] and [[AnIcePerson Indigo]].
* InvincibleMinorMinion: In addition to the traditional Red Skeletons, there's one that works for the ''player'': the Fairy type of Innocent Devil. They can't be hit by enemies, but they can't attack enemies themselves; they're meant for healing Hector and opening certain locked chests.
* ItemCrafting: Hector can create weapons and Innocent Devils from the materials found throughout the game.
* JokeWeapon: ''[[ImprobableWeaponUser LOTS]]''! The mentioned infinite-ammo minigun and electric guitar are only a few compared to a deck brush (a spear type weapon), a frying pan (mace type weapon), unlimited shurikens, a [[WhipItGood whip shaped]] [[EnergyWeapon light-saber]], the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Death's Scythe]] (to a certain extent, due to its absurd damage and difficulty to create), and many, ''many'' more...
** Go on, try to whack your opponents to death with the Piko Piko hammer.
* LetsYouAndHimFight: Happens when Trevor Belmont [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYAujbo_cXU mistakes Hector for Isaac]].
* LightningBruiser: [[GameBreaker Corpsey]], [[{{Samurai}} Rasetz]], [[InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons Indigo, and Crimson]] are fast, durable, and strong
* LightIsNotGood: [[spoiler:Legion's second form]], the game's BonusBoss, is one of few monsters in the game that's light elemental.
* LukeIAmYourFather: Julia turns out to be [[spoiler:Isaac's sister]].
* MightyGlacier: the Mercury Golem and Ironclad Innocent Devils are like this. Slow yet very durable. As a bonus, Mercury Golem has a skill that increases its attack power, makes its attacks fire-elemental and makes it aggressive as hell, basically temporarily turning it into a LightningBruiser.
* {{Mons}}: The Innocent Devils are a cross between this, SummonMagic, and AttackAnimal. Hector "forges" them to fight alongside him in combat (and presumably did the same for Dracula when he worked for the Count). You can have one out at a time and they will evolve into different forms depending on what weapons you are using.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Sarcastically lampshaded by Isaac.
* OldSaveBonus: If you have a save file from Lament Of Innocence present on your memory card, a Moai Head spawns near where you start the game: it can either heal you for [[ArcNumber 573]] HP or be sold for ten times as much gold.
* PossessionEqualsMastery
* RedOniBlueOni: Isaac and Hector again. Isaac, the red-haired villain, is shown to be crazed and passionate, whereas Hector is more calm, logical, and collected.
* ReplacementLoveInterest: Julia.
* SdrawkcabAlias: [[spoiler:Zead. Sorta.]]
* SecretCharacter: [[spoiler:Trevor Belmont is playable after beating the game.]]
* ShoutOut / ContinuityNod: Hector's [[SlouchOfVillainy pose]] when sitting in a save point chair is more or less identical to the way Dracula sits in CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight.
** At the beginning in the Abandoned Castle, you receive a Dragon Crest which is needed to advance though. You also climb a peculiar set of stairs. Both reference Walter's Castle from Lament of Innocence. (The only difference is the location of where the crest is used.)
* SissyVillain: Isaac, until you fight him.
* StuffedIntoTheFridge: Isaac gets Hector's wife Rosaly accused of witchcraft and manipulates the trial to ensure her conviction. She's burned at the stake and Hector vows revenge.
* TechnicolorToxin: When poisoned, Hector will turn green and emit green bubbles. However, at least one poisonous attack is a purple liquid spit.
* TimeMaster: The mysterious St. Germain, who gives vague advice to Hector and throws insults at Zead. Some of his ability is showcased during his boss fight, but it's stated that he is not permitted to use his full potential in most instances.
** This is also one of the primary features of the Mage-type Innocent Devils.
* TreacherousAdvisor
* UnderwaterBossBattle: Type II against the Skeleton Diver. It's also a DualBoss
* UnwittingPawn
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: When [[spoiler:Isaac attacks and nearly kills a weakened Trevor]], Julia mentions she found him and patched him up, but after that, he disappears for the entire rest of the game, even the ending.
* WhiteHairedPrettyBoy: Hector.
* TheWorfEffect: Sort of: Isaac's Innocent Devil, Abel, is supposed to be one of the strongest Innocent Devils. Yet, in one cutscene, Hector [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome sends him flying with a single punch]], and later [[spoiler:Trevor Belmont]] got rid of him with a well aimed dagger. May also be CutsceneIncompetence of Abel's part.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness [[spoiler:Death's]] victory quote and general attitude.