By Khloe Wilkerson

What happens when the world you are trying to save has already been taken over by nature? Beast of Reincarnation answers that question with a version of post-apocalyptic Japan that is mysterious and strangely beautiful. Ruins disappear under forests, machines wander through abandoned lands, and huge creatures move through areas that once belonged to humans. It’s clear that this game wanted me to pay attention to its world instead of just the gameplay.

Set in the year 4026, Beast of Reincarnation follows Emma, an 18-year-old Purifier living in a world affected by the Blight. That Blight has transformed nature into something dangerous and unpredictable, leaving humanity scattered throughout a world that looks nothing like the Japan that existed centuries before. Emma begins her journey without memories or emotions, which immediately makes her feel disconnected from both the people around her and the world she strives to protect. Her situation changes when she meets Koo, a mysterious, blighted dog-like creature who becomes her companion.

I believe Koo is easily one of the game’s strongest elements because he is much more than a sidekick following Emma around. The two are connected both through the storyline and gameplay, and the game uses their relationship to slowly explore Emma’s understanding of connection and emotion. As Emma travels farther from the world she knows, Koo becomes someone she can depend on, and watching that relationship develop gives the story some of its emotional weight. Together, they hope to confront the Beast of Reincarnation, which is connected to the source of the Blight, while fighting huge creatures known as Nushi along the way. These creatures tower over Emma, with odd and almost unsettling designs that make every encounter feel much more intimidating.

What makes the story more interesting is that the world itself constantly reminds Emma of what happened to humanity. The game isn’t only about defeating increasingly daunting monsters. It also asks questions about identity, humanity, and what remains of a person after the world they knew has collapsed. The golems Emma encounters were created in an attempt to help

humanity survives the apocalypse, only to eventually become corrupted and turn into threats themselves. It is a small detail, but it makes the enemies feel like more than obstacles standing between Emma and the next objective.

The game’s visual identity is immediately shown through overgrown wilderness surrounding what’s left of civilization. Ruins, vegetation, traditional Japanese scenery, and technology all exist alongside one another, making the world feel both ancient and futuristic at the same time. The environments have a strong sense of realism to them, while the character and creature designs have a slightly anime-inspired look that brings everything together. You can see this especially in the way the game mixes traditional Japanese architecture with technology and the rampant nature that has completely taken over.

At the same time, the presentation has some rough edges. Some of the facial animations during conversations feel stiff, and certain movements in cutscenes can make the characters feel less natural. These moments don’t ruin my overall immersion, but they are noticeable, especially when the environments themselves look so detailed.

Additionally, exploration gives the world another reason to keep moving through it. Emma’s traversal abilities are one of the more unusual mechanics because her hair can transform into vines that function almost like a grappling hook. She can use them to cross gaps, create pathways, and gain added vertical movement. It takes a little time to get used to, but once it clicks, moving around the environment becomes surprisingly fun.

Defeating enemies gives Emma experience and skill points that can be used to improve her attributes and unlock abilities. Both Emma and Koo have their own skill trees, meaning their progression isn’t exactly the same. Emma can find new finishers and improvements to her ranged weapons, while Koo can learn and equip abilities that affect how he assists Emma during combat. Emma can also collect different weapons and equipment. Some swords have effects that activate when she lands a perfect parry. In addition, cooking provides added stat bonuses, and upgrading the mobile base gives access to more resources and weapon upgrades, giving the player plenty of reasons to keep searching the world.

During combat, instead of simply attacking until an enemy’s health bar disappears, the game encourages the player to actually pay attention. Beast of Reincarnation heavily emphasizes timing, especially through its parry system. A parry means blocking an enemy’s attack at the exact moment it lands. A perfect parry is even more important because it fills Emma’s combat meter and activates the special effect attached to her equipped weapon. Those charges can then be used for stronger attacks and Koo’s abilities. Learning an enemy’s attack pattern, waiting for the right moment, landing a perfect parry, and immediately following it with an ability creates a satisfying experience. Koo makes this even more interesting because Emma’s successful combat actions can lead into his abilities, making the two feel like a team rather than two separate characters.

However, once I got a decent way into the game, familiar enemies started appearing again and again, sometimes with only small changes. Several levels reuse bosses which can make fights that should feel exciting start to feel predictable. I kept thinking how much more rewarding some of these fights could have been if the game wasn’t as repetitive. The progression system continues to give players reasons to explore and become stronger. But eventually, it becomes easy to predict the rhythm: explore, fight familiar enemies, collect resources, reach a boss, and move on to another area that may look similar to the last.

On the other hand, the sound design works in the game’s favor. The quieter environmental sounds work especially well during exploration. Walking through an abandoned area with little more than the sounds of nature in the background creates this feeling that Emma is completely alone, which makes the sudden shift into combat feel even more intense. Ultimately, both the sound and visuals work together to bring the moment together.

Overall, I think Beast of Reincarnation is a good game, especially for players who enjoy challenging, timing-based combat. Its visuals are easily one of its biggest strengths, and its story becomes much more compelling once Emma’s relationship with Koo begins to develop.

It isn’t just another game built around sword combat. It has a strange and beautiful world, a companion who actually matters to both the story and gameplay, and a combat system that can be genuinely satisfying once it’s learned. In Beast of Reincarnation, there is still something memorable about traveling through its ruined Japan alongside Koo, learning to read the movements of a massive Nushi, and slowly watching Emma rediscover what it means to feel. When everything comes together, Beast of Reincarnation shows exactly what it is: a beautiful, challenging, memorable journey through a world that feels both comfortable and unfamiliar.

Bronx native Khloe Wilkerson is in her second year of high school. In Middle School, she won our college scholarship twice in a row after completing our games journalism and narrative classes.

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