Richter Belmont in Dead Cells Return to Castlevania DLC is tricky to unlock as a playable character in the add-on’s special Richter Mode. Before you can start chain-whipping skeletons as Belmont, the game requires that you complete the majority of the add-on and reach a particular room in Dracula’s Castle several times over the course of a few run-throughs.
How to play as Richter Belmont in Dead Cells Return to Castlevania
To play as Richter Belmont in Richter Mode in the Dead Cells Return to Castlevania DLC, you need to find a special lore room in Dracula’s Castle twice.
Once you locate this golden portrait (pictured above), you will be able to reach Belmont who is locked inside a cage. If you reach this golden portrait again in a subsequent run, you can touch the cage again to activate Richter Mode.
Richter Mode will let you play as Belmont, killing harpies and undead with his signature chain whip. You can also destroy candles for hearts that fuel his special weapons like the Cross, and upgrade his movement and jumping ability with upgrades. Sadly, you can’t swap out The Prisoner with Belmont outside of this mode, but it’s a nice diversion anyway.
Note that this golden portrait will only appear in Dracula’s Castle near the end of a run-through, so not after the Castle’s Outskirts but as an option after the second boss. If you’re at all confused about this, we recommend going through our prior guide on how to reach Dracula’s Castle in the second half of the DLC.