Beast of Reincarnation: review of the RPG action from Game Freak with pros and cons

Beast of Reincarnation went on sale earlier this year. The development was handled by the well-known Japanese company Game Freak, primarily known for the Pokémon series. At the time of release, the publisher imposed an embargo on review publications, which is usually seen as a warning sign.

The gameplay is a hybrid of a soulslike and traditional JRPG. The action takes place in a post-apocalyptic future Japan, where the main character Emma, who possesses magic, along with her aging dog Ku, sets out on a journey to destroy the devastating blight.

According to aggregators, the game scored 73 points on Metacritic (PS5 version) and 76 points on OpenCritic, where 63% of critics recommended it for purchase.

Positive reviews primarily focus on the combat system. Every hit feels weighty, parrying is enjoyable, and the system encourages experimentation with combinations. Journalists also noted the well-developed world, original movement mechanics, and interesting design of the pet Ku.

A feature of the project is the ability to give commands to the dog companion. Executing orders consumes points from a special gauge, replenished by successful parries. Emma's and Ku's abilities easily combine: for example, Ku stuns the enemy, allowing the heroine to deliver a powerful blow. As noted by GameSpot journalist Jake Decker, "the endless stream of new combos, abilities, moves, and weapons keeps the combat system engaging throughout the game."

However, the game has significant drawbacks. The pace of the story development is slow, which may make it difficult for the player to engage in the process. The enemy roster is limited, bosses often repeat, the camera can be awkward at times, and the auto-targeting system works inconsistently. The plot is considered clichéd, the acting weakly conveys the connection between Emma and Ku, and the learning of new mechanics occurs chaotically.

Technical issues

There are performance issues on PC and consoles. On a system with an RTX 4080 graphics card, there are stutters even at 1080p and 1440p. On Xbox Series X, the frame rate drops to 5 fps, although the developers have already released a patch that partially addresses the situation. On PS5, visual artifacts like 'blurry' textures sometimes appear, but overall this platform is considered the least problematic.

Steam users have given a mixed rating: out of 913 reviews, only 56% are positive. Players praise the gameplay and musical accompaniment, but point out lag, uneven pacing of the narrative, and a limited set of languages — there is no Russian localization in the game. One of the pleasant 'bonuses' for some players is the ability to pet the dog Ku.

Beast of Reincarnation is available on PC (Steam, Microsoft Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, including the Game Pass service. Currently, the game does not have an official Russian translation.

Source: StopGame