Critics underrated it! This game rocks! This Castlevania came as a mix of dungeon crawler +action +RPG. Best in series!
I am a long time player (since Atari), so I saw (and played) a lot of games since then. At this days, I have few time for playing, however, Castlevania - Curse of darkness brought me back to the joystick everyday. The game provides fun without stress (I tend to avoid highly complex games - they are better on vacations).
You play as Hector, that lost his beloved and wants revenge. This hero is a kind of summoner of friendly beasts (ID=Innocent Devil, this is a good new in this game). He will hunt Isaac, an evil cursed and another summoner. Hector must regain his lost powers in order to defeat Issac. However, a lot of other people takes place in story as well.
Enjoy it, I recommend it.