Beast of Reincarnation has received a new trailer and Game Freak continues to show that there is more to them than just Pokémon. MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes is not only completely fascinated, the game reminds him of an emotional action RPG.
Since its announcement, the gaming world seems to be completely surprised by Beast of Reincarnation. The upcoming action RPG from Game Freak, the Pokémon studio, looks impressive, especially when compared to the Pokémon games.
So far, I have mostly ignored Beast of Reincarnation and was skeptical. Especially the DLC for Pokémon Legends Z-A disappointed me like no other game has in a long time. But the new trailer for Beast of Reincarnation gives me hope that there is more to Game Freak.
You can watch the new trailer here:
More than just Pokémon
Game Freak is primarily associated with the Pokémon series, but occasionally they also ventured into other games, such as:
- Drill Dozer (2005) for Game Boy Advance
- Tembo the Badass Elephant (2015) for Steam, PS4, and Xbox One
- Giga Wrecker (2017) for Steam (later also for PS4, Xbox One, and Switch)
- Little Town Hero (2019) for Switch, Steam, PS4, and Xbox One
These have mostly flown under the radar or received mediocre reception. For instance, Little Town Hero only scored 64 on Metacritic with a user score of 4.2. Beasts of Reincarnation already raises the bar with production values alone.
I am especially fascinated by the robots, as I initially thought of something like Nioh for the setting, but Beast of Reincarnation mixes post-apocalypse with Japanese influences. The new trailer showcases the subjectively best form of a post-apocalypse.
I love the world that seems inhabited by robots and reclaimed by nature. Humans seem to be secondary. Along with the musical accompaniment, the game already evokes flashbacks to NieR: Automata, an action RPG that triggered the strongest emotions in me.
Especially impressive in the trailer is also the gameplay. It not only looks fast and beautifully animated, but also implements the contrast between nature and robots.
Impressive Visual Details
On paper, the gameplay looks simply like an action RPG, but I am impressed by how much confidence Game Freak puts into the visual design. The contrast between mechanical creatures and nature seems to be reflected even in combat. For example, a special move makes gigantic flowers sprout from the ground, but also features futuristic attacks with seemingly homing arrows.
This confidence is also evident in the character design. The main character and an older man may appear to wear traditional clothing at first glance, but small pockets, a green vial, or a jacket that looks more futuristic can be seen. In this trailer, Game Freak manages to organically combine these elements without the visual ideas clashing.
This is not easy and shows that Game Freak has an understanding of character design and a visual identity beyond graphics. In this case, you could mention Pokémon, because despite the mediocre technology, Pokémon games usually have interesting visual ideas.
Important, even if it may not be the best game
If you look at the YouTube comments, the comparison with Pokémon is of course in the foreground. That’s why Beast of Reincarnation is such an important game for Game Freak. It not only attracts attention for them, but they can also differentiate themselves from Pokémon, even if the game may not be the big revelation.
Although I am looking forward to the release now, a fundamental skepticism remains. The story seems to be a major focus, and it will be interesting to see what Game Freak makes of it. Although Pokémon has nice ideas, there hasn’t been a truly serious story since Pokémon Black and White 2 (2012).
However, Beast of Reincarnation stands or falls with the gameplay. The animations look good, but how does it actually play? The flower special move looks impressive but also like a disruption in the otherwise fluid gameplay. After all, a good flow is one of the most important aspects of action combat systems.
However, these are things that are difficult to evaluate based on a trailer. We will likely have to wait for demos, play tests, or ultimately the release. But even just with the trailers, Game Freak has already managed to be more than just the Pokémon studio
and I find that wonderful.
There’s definitely not long to wait; Beast of Reincarnation will be released on August 4, 2026, on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series. MeinMMO author Ody thinks of a FromSoftware title while playing: The Pokémon developers reopen a gaming wound that Sekiro has stabbed into me
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