Beast of Reincarnation Review: Game Freak’s Gritty Action RPG Hits PS5, Xbox, PC

Beast of Reincarnation, the latest ambitious action RPG from Japanese studio Game Freak, puts players on the hunt through a post-apocalyptic Japan filled with corrupted beasts and android-style enemies—aiming to show a side of the Pokémon creator that goes far beyond monster-catching. The game launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC, and its story centers on Emma, her dog companion Kuu, and a fight against a mysterious corruption that has already wiped out most of humanity.

Key takeaways

• Beast of Reincarnation is an action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world where players battle androids and corrupted animal-like creatures.
• The adventure is described as lasting roughly 25–30 hours, with the test highlighting strengths in gameplay despite story misfires.
• Players control Emma, a largely emotionless fighter armed with a katana, alongside her companion Kuu.
• Combat places a strong emphasis on parrying, enabling major stamina/stance damage, stagger windows, and powerful finishers.
• Emma learns abilities tied to her “magical hair,” while Kuu adds tactical options through a slowed-time ability wheel and supporting actions.
• While the skill trees are flexible for builds, the sheer number of unlockable abilities can make controls harder to keep straight later on.

Emma’s hunt for the “bestie of reincarnation”

The game follows Emma as an early-game introduction to her as a skilled but notably emotionless combatant. She travels with Kuu, her dog companion, and fights using a katana while pursuing the creature at the heart of the “reincarnation” premise.

Before Emma can face what she believes will be her main target, she must defeat a sequence of large, corruption-infested animal beings called Nushi. These creatures are framed as key forces behind the “Verderbnis” (corruption) that has already eliminated much of humankind.

As the story progresses, the test notes that players learn more about the corruption itself, Emma’s role in the situation, and the relationship between Emma and Kuu. However, the overall narrative is also described as never fully gripping the reviewer through to the end, leaving both the character work and plot feeling flat for much of the journey.

Visually and tonally, the review compares the game’s style to works like Princess Mononoke and games such as NieR, but concludes that Beast of Reincarnation doesn’t reach the same level of quality—so the reviewer ends up traveling through the ruined Japan with less emotional attachment than they expected.

Parries, magical hair, and Kuu’s tactical slowdown

Where the game shines most is its combat design, which blends a grounded melee core with distinct character abilities and companion mechanics.

At the start, players learn a fairly standard katana combat framework: chaining different close-range attacks, while blocking, parrying, and dodging to survive enemy pressure. The standout element is a heavy focus on parries. Successfully parrying deals significant stance-style damage to machine enemies, corrupted bear-types, and other foes, creating openings for lethal finishers or temporarily stunning larger threats.

Emma’s kit expands beyond swordplay. Over time, she can use abilities connected to her magical hair—such as binding enemies, shaping a spear to deal damage, or growing plants that can serve as jump platforms. Kuu also contributes his own set of skills, but the review specifically highlights the tactical component of how his abilities integrate into fights.

When Kuu’s ability wheel is opened during combat, time slows down significantly. Players can then plan their next move before a quick-time-style challenge must be completed to execute the action. If successful, Kuu can carry out effects like firing plant seeds at enemies and also healing Emma in the process. The result is a combat flow that mixes aggressive parry-based melee with companion-driven control windows.

Both Emma and Kuu can be strengthened with attribute points, but the more impactful progression comes from unlocking and improving abilities. The game’s build system uses ability trees for both characters, allowing players to adjust their playstyle. Emma can lean toward melee, ranged, or magical combat approaches, while Kuu can specialize in roles like healing or dealing damage. The review also notes that hybrid builds are possible, rather than locking players into a single identity.

A practical concern appears later: as the number of abilities grows, it becomes difficult to remember all the necessary key combinations. Still, the reviewer says the game doesn’t force players to juggle every skill at once, and that it remains possible to succeed using a smaller, familiar loadout.