The Beast of Reincarnation is easily one of my most anticipated action games of 2026. I'm not quite sure how it will turn out – it's the first project of its kind from Game Freak, a developer whose portfolio consists mostly of Pokémon game — but this uncertainty is a big reason why I'm so excited. Anytime a developer sticks their neck out with a left-field project like this, it's bound to lead to interesting results, for better or for worse.
Make no mistakes, The Beast of Reincarnation looks convincing even without a development context. The game, which has been described as a “one-person, one-dog action RPG,” comes off as a fast-paced, flamboyant fantasy-action experience. It follows protagonist Emma and her dog Koo as they travel through a corrupt, far-future society in an attempt to save it from a total apocalypse. However, this kind of fast-paced melee is a dime a dozen, so why would anyone care The Beast of Reincarnationtaking on the formula? Well, only time will really tell how the game's combat sandbox will shake out, but new information suggests that it will be revamping itself in the same impactful way that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 injected turn-based combat with real-time mechanics, and the results speak for themselves
There's a lot to love Clair Obscurs turn-based combat system. Like many of its greatest sources of inspiration (e.g. Final Fantasy X), each of Clair Obscurs party members have inextricable abilities, strengths and weaknesses, which rewards a thoughtful and knowledgeable party composition. For example, a character like Sciel is great at dealing multi-target damage, while Lune and Monoco are best at targeting specific elemental weaknesses. Various other mechanics, such as each character's distinct progression dynamics in battle, further enhance matters.
But Clair Obscurs gameplay goes from amazing to inspired through the implementation of real-time mechanics, especially with regards to defensive options. Bucking genre convention, every enemy attack in Clair Obscur can be avoided, either by parrying, jumping or dodging, with bonus rewards offered based on success. For example, perfectly parrying a series of punches will result in a counterattack, causing massive damage to the Break Meter, which can culminate in an enemy being stunned and taking extra damage.
The interplay of real-time and turn-based elements is what makes it Clair Obscurs gameplay so phenomenal. It's easy to slip into a state of flow as you engage in the elegant dance of tactical, measured turn-based attacks, momentarily swinging into intense real-time battles. In other words, Clair Obscur presents a masterful balance of active and passive, thoughtful and aggressive, lighthearted and terrifying, through its combat sandbox. It looks like The Beast of Reincarnation decides to do the same, but in reverse.
Beast of Reincarnation mixes turn-based and real-time gameplay, starting from the other side
While Clair Obscur is an amazing turn-based game enhanced by real-time elements, The Beast of Reincarnation hopes to be a great real-time action game elevated by turn-based elements. As Emma, players can engage in typical ARPG fare: slashing, dodging, unleashing special abilities, et cetera. However, parrying allows players to accumulate ability points to be used in Koo's command window, which briefly makes the game feel like a turn-based RPG.
On its face, it sounds a bit like the combat systems in games like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and the original Mass effect trilogy, in that Koo's command screen can be used as a tactical tool to pause the action, assess the battlefield and adapt new strategies. The commands themselves reinforce this tactical mentality, causing the player to slow down and take a step in a given strategic direction. But taking those moments to blend tactics and turn-based mechanics could expand, with Game Freak just showing its hand at the moment. It's not exactly rocket science, but it's a proven gameplay concoction that Game Freak could very well shape into something unique.
The Devil's in the Details of Beast of Reincarnation's Combat System
I did not address the strengths of Clair Obscurs turn-based combat simply to gain additional praise for the game. I mention these strengths because without them the real-time aspects of the game would not have been anywhere near as effective as they ultimately are. Again, it is balance of masterful turn-based fundamentals with real-time mechanics that make the entire combat system work so well. Without careful consideration of things like Break Meters, Pictos and Luminas, and individual party member archetypes, Clair Obscurs parry and dodge features may have felt more like gimmicks than clever extensions of the JRPG formula.
The Beast of Reincarnation will have to do something similar. Layering turn-based systems into a real-time sandbox will almost certainly add depth, but how much depth will be determined by the quality and complexity of real-time combat. For example, since you get Koo's action points by parrying, the parrying mechanic needs to be satisfying, reliable, and responsive enough so that the mechanical back and forth doesn't become unbalanced. In other words, it won't be enough The Beast of Reincarnation to simply have both real-time and turn-based ingredients present. These ingredients must be combined seamlessly and meaningfully for maximum effectiveness. And while it remains to be seen whether it sticks the landing, its unique combination is worth noting.
- Released
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2026
- Publisher
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Fiction
- Number of players
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Single player
- Compatibility with Steam Deck
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Unknown
