Beast of Reincarnation marks a surprising departure for Game Freak, the studio best known for decades of Pokémon titles. Rather than collecting creatures, players are dropped into a mysterious world filled with strange landscapes, cryptic characters, and fast-paced action combat.
That mystery is almost the game’s undoing during its opening hours.
The introduction throws unfamiliar characters, world beings and events at the player with little explanation, making it difficult to become invested in the world. Even the combat tutorial feels oddly constructed, relying on cinematic camera angles that differ from normal gameplay and making the learning process feel more confusing than it needed to be.
Fortunately, patience is rewarded.
As the session progressed, both the world and the story slowly began to come into picture. The strange atmosphere transformed from confusing to intriguing, encouraging curiosity rather than frustration. Combat also proved to be one of the game’s stronger elements, offering satisfying encounters that demanded attention without becoming overwhelming.
One particularly enjoyable mechanic is the way abilities serve double duty. A power used during combat also becomes a tool for traversing the environment, making exploration feel more open and adventurous.
By the end of the three-hour session, Beast of Reincarnation had successfully won me over.
Unfortunately, it did win me over enough for a busy week. Despite the growing interest, it wasn’t overpowering enough to get me to adjust my plans to check out other new games this week.
Beast of Reincarnation is therefore recorded as Dead.
The beast lives on without me.
Pronouncement: Pronounced dead.