Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation presents a bold option from its outset: a cinematic mode that locks the cutscene frame rate to 24 frames per second. While gameplay remains unaffected, this choice signals an ambition for a more cinematic experience than typically associated with the developer's blockbuster franchises. However, the game struggles to deliver on this promise, with flashy action often hampered by flat performances, robotic animations, and a general lack of polish that undermines its otherwise captivating narrative and art direction.
The game is set in the year 4026, two millennia after a cataclysmic event known as The Blight nearly extinguished civilization. This infection caused both humans and animals to develop plant-like growths. In response, humanity transferred their souls into mechanical bodies called golems to halt the spread, a move that inadvertently conquered death but led to the souls' deterioration and the creation of corrupted golems. The surviving wildlife also mutated into infected beasts known as Malefacts, which now roam the ruins of Japan. This rich lore weaves together elements of biopunk, cyberpunk, and solarpunk fiction, creating a distinct and intriguing world. The art direction effectively contrasts futuristic technology with overgrown ruins, resulting in memorable vistas that reflect the setting's history. The protagonist, Emma, embodies this fusion with a design featuring an angular monochrome outfit accented by a braid adorned with flowers that lengthens as she grows stronger, a subtle nod to player progression.
Emma's journey with her dog, Koo, centers on reaching the capital and confronting the titular Beast of Reincarnation. Their path is punctuated by encounters with Nushi, powerful Malefacts that spread The Blight. These semi-open areas typically involve battling through enemies, exploration, and a boss fight. While optional enemies and loot exist, these environments, often characterized by tall grass fields that give way to deserts closer to the capital, begin to feel repetitive. Much of the map space feels underutilized, despite the presence of interesting hidden areas.
Despite the narrative's potential, the characters, particularly Emma, fall flat. Presented as a vessel capable of absorbing enemy power, she exhibits a distinct lack of personality. Lore explanations for her stoic demeanor do little to alleviate the dullness of her interactions. A scene where she robotically questions the concept of love, met with a dry explanation from a companion, is exacerbated by deadpan voice acting, static animations, and awkward editing that leaves noticeable pauses in dialogue. While the Japanese voice acting offers a slight improvement, the writing remains largely uninspired, devoid of subtext and nuance.
Conversations at the mobile base of operations, the Cleanse Walker, fare no better. Kagura, a young girl who aids Emma by cooking and managing resources, shares the same lack of energy, making their discussions about mundane topics like food or journals a chore to witness. The irony is that Koo, Emma's canine companion, emerges as the most compelling character. Fierce yet adorable, he shifts from a loving presence during exploration to a ferocious hunter of golems. His barks, whimpers, and item-collecting animations provide charm, but his relationship with Emma never truly develops. Emma's indifference towards Koo, even when prompted to show affection, highlights the writing's shortcomings in developing meaningful bonds.
Where Beast of Reincarnation truly shines is in its combat. The parry-heavy encounters are exhilarating, with aggressive enemies capable of quickly defeating Emma. While not as punishing as titles like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice or Lies of P, the game demands skillful play, especially when utilizing the full range of Emma and Koo's abilities. Emma's attacks feel weighty, parries are satisfyingly impactful, and lethal blows are visceral. Similar to Sekiro, enemies have both health and stagger bars; deflecting attacks fills the stagger bar, allowing for a powerful finishing move on basic enemies. Dodging and blocking are available, but mastering the parry window is the most rewarding approach.
Emma also has unlockable skills that can be woven into combos, creating visually spectacular displays of blooming flowers. These skills offer significantly more damage than basic attacks but require careful timing due to Emma's vulnerability during their wind-up. Successfully executing them necessitates learning enemy patterns to find opportune moments. Combat evolves into a spectacle, particularly in later stages, with floral elements accompanying Emma's stylish takedowns.
The unique mechanic separating Beast of Reincarnation's combat is Koo. By pausing time, Emma can issue commands that consume FP, a resource gained through successful parries. Efficiently handling tougher enemies and bosses requires balancing Emma's aggression with Koo's FP management and command execution. Some of Koo's abilities can synergize with Emma's skills; for instance, a command that stuns enemies can create an opening for Emma's powerful combos. The constant introduction of new abilities, commands, and weapons keeps combat fresh. The expansive skill trees for both Emma and Koo offer diverse playstyles, encouraging experimentation by mixing and matching abilities. While the parry-focused combat is central, numerous ancillary strategies can be adopted, such as investing in Emma's Sakura Blade Art for longer combos or focusing on Koo's commands to bind enemies, as favored by some testers.
Boss fights against Nushi, large Malefacts based on real-world animals, are visually striking, with root tendrils and giant flowers adorning their bodies. These encounters, often featuring two phases, demand resource conservation and strategic use of both Emma and Koo's full arsenal. While challenging, bosses generally feel surmountable due to the wide array of skills and commands available. However, the reuse of many bosses in the latter half of the game, albeit at higher levels, diminishes their impact. Identical attack patterns remove tension and the incentive for further strategic experimentation, rendering later high-stakes encounters almost trivial.
Despite the stylish combat, a lack of polish is evident. The camera can be unwieldy, particularly against large bosses, making it difficult to discern attack timings when positioned beneath them. Inconsistent dodge timing can also be an issue, with slowdown effects sometimes triggering inconsistently. Emma's traversal abilities, using her root-like hair to extend reach and cross gaps, can also be unreliable, occasionally failing to extend fully or grapple to endpoints. These minor issues accumulate, contributing to a feeling of messiness in combat.
This messiness is compounded by inconsistent performance and visual bugs. On PC with an RTX 4080, micro-stutters and hitches were noticeable at 1080p and 1440p. Resolution settings were problematic, requiring fullscreen mode, which itself seemed unavailable in the tested build. The PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro appear to be the most stable platforms, while the Xbox Series X suffers from significant frame rate issues that the developer intends to address.
Beast of Reincarnation is an ambitious title that often reaches beyond its grasp. The lack of polish detracts from its versatile combat, while uninspired performances and dialogue hinder its tantalizing story. The repetitive environments also detract from strong art direction. Nevertheless, the core combat loop is enjoyable, providing a satisfying experience when chaining combos and parrying attacks. Despite its flaws, the 25-hour adventure felt engaging, driven by the desire to improve Emma and Koo's skills. However, the elements surrounding this core loop consistently fall short, preventing Beast of Reincarnation from reaching the heights of its high-quality inspirations.