This complete guide to Beast of Reincarnation will tell you everything there is to know about Game Freak's new action RPG.
First announced last year during the Xbox Games Showcase, the new game launched on August 4, 2027, to a decidedly "mixed" reception on Steam. Our own Beast of Reincarnation review examines how the game plays upon the studio's strengths in a refreshing way, with "plants, animals, and nature" all being important themes at the center of Beast of Reincarnation – not too unlike Pokemon, really. With shades of Nier Automata, and traditional RPG elements at play, it also brings to mind Final Fantasy 7 Remake in the way you can enter commands to slow down the real-time fights briefly to a crawl.
If you're eager to learn more, we've brought together a recap of everything you need to know about Beast of Reincarnation below.
Beast of Reincarnation is out now!
Beast of Reincarnation launched on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X on August 4, 2026.
After being development for six years – making it one of Game Freak's largest and most ambitious projects ever – it's finally available on all above platforms, and and is also on Xbox Game Pass for console, PC, and cloud gaming as part of the Xbox Play Anywhere program.
Is Beast of Reincarnation on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes! Beast of Reincarnation is now on Xbox Game Pass, available to subscribers of the Ultimate track as a day-one release. You can also take advantage of it on Game Pass for PC if you prefer!
Beast of Reincarnation guides
Our hardworking guides team has already kicked off its Beast of Reincarnation guides coverage, so here's where to look if you're trying to get an upper hand in the game's early hours. Whether you're wondering how to upgrade weapons in Beast of Reincarnation, trying to work out the best skills in Beast of Reincarnation, or simply want to settle down for dinner but don't know how to cook recipes in Beast of Reincarnation, we've got your back.
And if you're a little bit further ahead in the story and want to know how to defeat Beast of Reincarnation's Rangifer boss, our guides experts have some top tips of success you won't want to miss out on
Beast of Reincarnation story and setting
Beast of Reincarnation is set in the year 4026, as post-apocalyptic Japan has become overgrown and corrupted by the blight caused by the Nushi, one of many malefacts that spread blight across the land. Cursed as a Blighted One (something to do with her groovy ivy-like hair, I imagine), Emma is humanity's last hope as they hurtle towards full extinction. Forging a bond with Koo, a huge and loyal dog, they need to survive the ruins of Japan as they battle malefacts to cleanse the land.
Along the way, they must also battle against the Golems, a 2000-year old splintering of humanity that transferred their souls into mechanical bodies. Between corrupted nature and corrupted science, humanity is on the brink. While the story centers on Emma and Koo, they will have some support through allies like Brad and Kagura, and will also cross paths with Kunai and her own animal ally. But in a world this far gone, what does it even mean to cleanse it?
Beast of Reincarnation trailers
Beast of Reincarnation was first revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2025, with a cinematic trailer introducing us to the post-apocalyptic Japan of 4026 that Emma and Koo will be fighting through as humanity teeters on the brink of extinction. It focuses on the heroic duo battling corrupted, blighted, monstrous animals called 'malefacts', robots, and other enemies.
The 10-minute deep dive from the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 gives loads more information about the world of Beast of Reincarnation and how it plays as Game Freak talks us through the game all the way from discussing its early development. Described as a "one-person, one-dog action RPG", we get a look at post-apocalyptic Japan and the overgrown areas that Emma and Koo will have to explore. Showcasing several malefacts, the large boss-type enemies the pair will be hunting down, we're also told about the Nushi – the biggest of the creatures that's responsible for spreading the Blight that afflicts the world, and summoning dense Blighted Forests across the land.
Within this demo, we get a better look at the Golem faction, made up of humanoid robots that we only got the briefest of glimpses of before. They're a great foil for the nature-driven threat of the blighted creatures, created when a branch of humanity transferred their souls into "mechanical bodies to survive the harsh world" and have been active for 2000 years already. It seems that Golems will make up a large portion of the standard enemy types Emma and Koo will need to fight through. It's a harsh world, but there are other people out there – we also are introduced to Brad and Kagura who will support Emma and Koo, and a mysterious rival to Emma, swordswoman Kunia, who seems to have her own deer companion.
Beast of Reincarnation gameplay
Beast of Reincarnation is true to the "one-person, one-dog action RPG" promise. Combat heavy, Emma and Koo's abilities power one another up. Parry attacks as Emma, for example, and Koo will grow stronger, ready to unleash an attack. Certain commands will slow time to a crawl giving you time to think strategically, primarily when giving commands to Koo, in a way that's not unlike Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Game Freak specifically liken the slow-down to being like a turn-based RPG, which, as they are the Pokemon creators, is interesting.
Though there's a lot of combat, it's up to you how you want to approach fights. Within the developer walkthrough, we're told that they've already seen players diverge in how they like to do battle. Some always get stuck in using melee, others use long range attacks to hang back, or try to stealthily take care of major threats before full-on combat erupts. You can even send Koo in ahead and use Emma more like backup. Both Emma and Koo have their own skill trees as well, and you'll be able to equip more of them as they level up, finding different synergies between their abilities as you progress. Collectible spirit stones can further enhance the bond between Emma and Koo with special effects.
Beast of Reincarnation development
Beast of Reincarnation had been in development at the Pokemon development studio Game Freak since 2020. The developer might be best known for its creature collecting RPG series, but Pokemon has never been the only project it's worked on. In recent years, Game Freak has also developed the likes of Tembo the Badass Element, Giga Wrecker, and Little Town Hero. Still, Beast of Reincarnation feels like their most ambitious non-Pokemon title to date, a big step forward from their smaller side projects in the past.
The director of Beast of Reincarnation is Kota Furushima, who has worked at Game Freak for a long time. His credits on Pokemon titles span sound management and battle planning, and it's the latter set of skills that definitely comes to the fore in this action RPG. Beast of Reincarnation is a combat heavy experience whether Emma and Koo are fighting groups of small enemies or large, threatening boss battles against massive foes. The pair have an impressive level of ways to synergize skills whether they're approaching fights head-on, at range, or with a pinch of stealth. The flashy, real-time scraps also have a layer of strategy, with time slowing down for you to choose between unleashing certain skills, leaning on Game Freak's turn-based RPG experience.
"Plants, animals, and nature" are core themes for Game Freak in general, whether that's the family fun of Pokemon or grittier sci-fi like in Beast of Reincarnation. The corrupted nature visuals of the blight were the "perfect motif" for exploring the specific flavor of post-apocalyptic 4026 Japan here. Combining overgrown cities with the beauty of rural Japan, concept artist Kazuma Koda helped to create a gorgeous visual style that sets Beast of Reincarnation apart.
