What is Beast of Reincarnation, the new IP coming from Pokemon Developer Game Freak?

When The Beast of Reincarnations first trailer was released, I was immediately floored by the revelation that Game Freak, of all developers, was going to do it. Pokémon fans will no doubt perk up when they see that name, as Game Freak has managed the monster-collecting video game franchise for decades, effectively serving as a factory for mainline entries in the series. The Beast of Reincarnation will be Game Freak's first non-Pokémon AAA games – a historical moment that is difficult to overestimate.

That would be one thing The Beast of Reincarnation was something of a Pokémon clone or spiritual successor, but it certainly isn't. The game looks closer Princess Mononoke than The Pokémon Company's eponymous media giant, with simplified turn-based battles replaced with Sekiro-style to slash, dodge and parry. The tone is significantly darker than anything Game Freak has done before, and the art design is also decidedly grim. It's still pretty mysterious, but its reveal trailer, and the scant story information Game Freak has shared so far, offers a lot to chew on.

What is Beast of Reincarnation about?

The Beast of Reincarnation release date: TBA 2026

Since it is planned for a launch in 2026, one can imagine that more information about The Beast of Reincarnation is forthcoming; as it stands, however, we only have a few superfluous elements to speculate about, one of which is the game's story. The Beast of Reincarnation takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, likely caused by the titular beast itself, which appeared “a long time ago,” according to the reveal trailer. The beast of reincarnation spreads “damage” wherever it goes, “corrupting all living things.” Visually, this beast is depicted as an elk-like creature that accelerates the growth and decay process of any flora it touches.

The Beast of Reincarnation's appearance and birth-rebirth symbolism are extremely reminiscent Princess Mononoke's Spirit of the Forest, to the point where it's likely that Game Freak is deliberately paying homage to Studio Ghibli.

Players take on the role of Emma the Sealer, a “Blighted One” cast out of society. Along with a dog named Koo, Emma must travel through the game's lush world to stave off the extinction of humanity, perhaps by killing the beast of reincarnation itself. Again, this is all pretty vague, though The Beast of Reincarnation seems to prompt some interesting themes, such as the balance between humanity and nature, and the horrors of inevitable death and decay. Needless to say, it seems much more complex thematically than Pokémon.

How is Beast of Reincarnation's gameplay?

Part of Emma's “Blighted” condition is an ability to control plant life, which in turn gives her some advantages in combat and traverse situations. IN The Beast of ReincarnationIn the reveal trailer, we can see Emma growing a thick loop of vines to form a bridge, as well as creating a sort of wing grappling hook to pull herself towards a boss. The grappling hook in the middle of the battle in particular looks like it was pulled straight off Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. It is far from the only parallel between them The Beast of Reincarnation and FromSoftware's 2019 samurai masterpiece: they seem to have very similar swordplay and parry mechanics.

There have been countless Sekiro– like over the years maybe The Beast of Reincarnations plant-based and dog-based abilities will help distinguish it from the likes of Stellar Blade and Lies by P. Worth noting is also The Beast of Reincarnations science-fantasy premise: Emma will encounter grotesquely beautiful monsters and hostile machines in equal measure, it seems. This is likely due to the game's 4026 setting; it would be interesting to see Game Freak flex its sci-fi muscles here, offering a deep, multi-faceted look at this technology in the future.

The Beast of Reincarnation is really far from Pokémonand it seems that Game Freak wants to appeal to new demographics. Players will have to wait and see how it turns out, but for now, The Beast of Reincarnation looks like a pretty solid, if somewhat generic, action-slasher.