Beast of Reincarnation

When people talk about developer Game Freak these days, most people's thoughts turn to the Pokémon series. The studio has, after all, been responsible for Nintendo's popular monster adventure for over three decades, but despite a strong focus on Pikachu's wellbeing since the 1990s, it has actually managed to churn out a couple of spin-offs over the years. Admittedly, titles such as Pocket Card Jockey, Tembo The Badass Elephant, and Little Town Hero might not send shivers of nostalgic delight down the average person's spine, but it's clear Game Freak wants to do more than just make Pokémon games, and with their new project titled Beast of Reincarnation, they may well have created one of the studio's most exciting titles in years.

Unlike previous titles, it's clear Beast of Reincarnation is aimed at a more mature audience, with its focus on action and a darker narrative. The story is structured somewhat like an anime series, filled with quirky characters, ambiguous motivations, and epic action sequences that constantly tread the line between gripping intrigue and over-the-top cheesiness. It all feels very "Japanese", for better or worse, and if you enjoy games with that sort of atmosphere and vibe, this should suit you down to the ground.

I won't give too much away about the story itself, but it centres on a young warrior named Emma who, thanks to a form of mutation, can absorb the essence of certain monsters. However, this handy superpower comes with a downside, as Emma cannot experience emotions in the same way as everyone else (she is described, amongst other things, as "heartless"), and it's in the shadow of this she must navigate numerous battlefields and forge new alliances to put an end to an ancient and recurring curse. Ultimately, the story won't go down in history as an immortal classic, but I still appreciate that it's allowed to take its time and is given centre stage amidst the many action-packed gameplay sequences. It serves as a much-needed breather between smashing robots and other nasties, and even minor interactions between different characters help to create a sense of community and belonging in a world you're constantly trying to make sense of.

In terms of gameplay, Beast of Reincarnation feels like a mishmash of several modern action titles, and much of the criticism from early reviews has centred on the game's lack of a distinct identity. For my part, I don't agree with this criticism, even though I can understand where it comes from. Even though the flavour profile is familiar, the combination of ingredients still manages to create something that can be described as "unique", and as long as the result is entertaining, it's hard to complain too much.

For example, it offers a semi-open game world where exploration and action take centre stage, and you can often choose whether to play more tactically (using stealth and sneaking as your starting point) or be more direct in your attacks, where parrying and button combinations are the key to success. One rather unique detail, however, is that you always have your companion, Koo, by your side, this being a white dire wolf who suffers from the same affliction as Emma. It's in the interaction between these two that several of the game's more advanced systems are found. By parrying incoming blows, you can fill Koo's attack gauge, and you can unleash these abilities at any time to gain the upper hand in combat. It all boils down to being able to play defensively whilst still building up your offensive power, and on many occasions (particularly in battles against the game's bosses) it's wise to opt for a more restrained tactic rather than simply spamming attacks without much thought.

Emma's abilities also come in handy when it's time to explore. She can use her hair (think Bayonetta-style) to create platforms and reach greater heights, and this results in a surprisingly fluid experience where you can carve your own path through the many different levels. I've already mentioned Beast of Reincarnation offers a "semi-open" game world, and by this I mean you have relatively large levels to explore in sequence. So, it's not a vast, seamless world you can navigate however you like, but in my view this limitation is actually a positive thing, as the smaller sections provide a tighter focus on the story and a greater sense of momentum in the exploration itself. In vast worlds such as Assassin's Creed or The Legend of Zelda, it's all too easy to get lost and feel overwhelmed by all the content, but Game Freak has instead chosen to serve up its creation in smaller portions, which works rather well in keeping interest alive. Still, the variety between the different environments could have been better, I must admit.

I should also mention there are many similarities in the setup with various "Soulslike" titles, but at the same time, Beast of Reincarnation doesn't really belong in that genre; it should rather be described as an action-focused role-playing game. One major difference from the Souls games, for example, is that you can choose your difficulty level right from the start here, and the challenge itself isn't particularly high when playing on Normal mode. Admittedly, it's still challenging at times, but it never feels as though the game is trying to lecture or punish players for failing, and overall, the developers seem more intent on making your progress easier with meaningful equipment upgrades and new abilities that simplify life on your journey towards the end credits.

When it comes to presentation, Game Freak has its ups and downs. At times, the graphics look striking and crisp, only to appear washed-out and blurry the next moment. For example, textures can bleed slightly at the edges, and lighting effects can make models look flat when switching from dark to light. So-called "pop-ins" also crop up here and there, though I should emphasise I've been playing on a PlayStation 5 (base model) and it's possible these issues aren't quite as pronounced on, for example, the Pro version or on PC. That said, this isn't something that ruins the experience on the whole, but it's clear this is a more budget-oriented blockbuster compared to some of the industry's giants.

Ultimately, Beast of Reincarnation offers an exciting side project from a tried-and-tested developer, and I'll be honest and say I've enjoyed my time with the game a surprising amount. This is the sort of game that's hard to put down once you've started, and if that isn't a good endorsement in itself, I don't know what is. It may come across as a bit of a patchwork of different sources of inspiration, but the combination of Japanese RPG charm and intense action is a formula that leaves you wanting more after ten, twenty, or even thirty hours. The main character may well be heartless and incapable of feeling emotions, but Beast of Reincarnation exudes passion and commitment by contrast, and although there are a few technical glitches here and there, it's easy to recommend this to anyone who enjoys Japanese action RPGs.