Normally, one wouldn’t associate sumptuous visuals and fast, kinetic combat with Gamefreak, the studio behind Pokémon, but here they are, front and centre in the first big developer showcase of the year, Xbox’s now annual Developer_Direct. Here’s everything revealed about Beast of Reincarnation!
Set in post-apocalyptic Japan, you play as Emma, who happens to have a very loyal, canine companion, Koo. The land itself has been blighted by a corruption, and it’s filled with all sorts of challenging beasties. But don’t worry – this isn’t a ‘souls-like’. This is, per the developers, an ‘expansive, one person, one dog action RPG’.
Emma has been born with the blight, which has granted her the ability to manipulate plants. She’s alone and isolated, but she does have Koo, her loyal companion. Koo is known as a malefact, a creature that apparently poses a grave threat to the world.
The new gameplay deep dive gave us an extensive look at the game, and it looks in much better shape then we’d seen previously. Per the developers in a blog post over on Xbox Wire:
The gameplay blends two styles: the protagonist, Emma, fights using fast-paced katana action, while Koo supports her with powerful skills triggered via a command-based system, similar to a turn-based RPG.
In this game, you don’t have to rely on raw action skills alone to survive. By performing a parry against enemy attacks with Emma, you earn points that can be used to unleash Koo’s abilities.
You can open Koo’s command menu at any time – and Koo possesses a wide range of skills designed to handle a variety of combat situations. Whenever you’re in a pinch, Koo is always there for you. While you are selecting Koo’s skills from the menu, combat slows down. This gives you the breathing room to assess the battlefield and strategize your comeback.
Beast of Reincarnation is launching this Summer, 2026 – but no specific date yet. It’s coming to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC and it’s Day One on Xbox Game Pass.
Are you more excited for Beast of Reincarnation now you’ve seen more of it? Let us know in the XboxEra Forums or make some noise in the lively XboxEra Community Discord Server. If you’re looking to be a bigger part of an amazing community, then either choice is a good one!
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