Game Freak, the studio most known for its work on the Pokémon franchise, has officially unveiled its new title, Beast of Reincarnation, during the latest Xbox Developer Direct. As announced, this is an all-original story, inspired by the studio’s collective desire to experiment, and work on something entirely different from Pokémon.
In its first major trailer focussed on gameplay and story, Beast of Reincarnation looked stunning.
Beast of Reincarnation first look – quick links
Beast of Reincarnation follows a woman and a dog on a quest to save a future world
As revealed, Beast of Reincarnation follows a woman named Emma, who’s blessed (and cursed) by an ability to absorb and seal a dangerous blight that infects her world. As a ‘sealer’ she must hunt down cursed ‘malefacts’ and absorb the blight in their bodies, to ensure the natural world is free of darkness and rot.
To kick off the events of the game, Emma links up with Koo, a special malefact, and the two then work together to defeat towering beasts and other dangers, including the blight-of-all-blights, known as the Beast of Reincarnation. Along the way, they meet an array of allies and enemies, many of whom are bound by deep, dark secrets that must be dealt with.
Players control both Emma (fast-paced sword-fighting) and Koo (command-based special attacks), and wield their individual abilities to fight through ‘blighted forests’ filled with all manner of strange creatures, eventually restoring them to their original forms, and allowing nature to take over once more.
Combat is designed to be strategic, with a focus on tempo
As detailed by Game Freak, it aimed to create unique, layered combat experience for Beast of Reincarnation, with a focus on the interplay between Emma and Koo, as well as rhythm and flow.
‘We placed a high priority on this sense of tempo,’ Kota Furushima, director at Game Freak said in a new Xbox Wire blog. ‘Rather than forcing players to rely solely on split-second reflexes in high-pressure situations, we wanted to create moments where you can pause, think carefully, and fight with the tactical mindset of a command-based RPG.’
Given context, it appears the game will not take inspiration from the Souls-like genre, but will rather allow players to take their time and plan carefully. Frantic swordplay will play a role in taking down each beast, but you’ll need more finesse than simply swinging and dodging.
There are also other elements which will come into play in combat, including the option to deploy special ‘Spirit Stones.’ These can ‘grant various effects based on your actions during battle’ and allow you to change up your abilities. New katanas and charms will also reshape your fighting style.
Beast of Reincarnation is set to launch mid-2026
As confirmed by Game Freak, Beast of Reincarnation is almost ready for release, after several years of quiet development. It’s set to launch in Summer 2026 [Northern Hemisphere] for Xbox Series X/S and PC, so we’re likely to hear much more in the coming months.
In the meantime, there’s lots of new details to pore over and get excited about, particularly given Game Freak’s history. It’s great to see the studio branching out in this fashion, and we’re certainly keen to see how Beast of Reincarnation demonstrates the team’s prowess.
