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Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation Draws Criticism for Borrowed Gameplay

8/4/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Game Freak released Beast of Reincarnation, an action RPG set 2,000 years in Japan starring Emma, a samurai who absorbs powers and grows vines from her hair.
Director Kota Furushima said the game targets non-action players with selectable difficulty, noting a reviewer logged 20 hours on normal mode.
Critics say the game borrows from titles such as Nier: Automata and Monster Hunter, rendering the story surface-level and the gameplay boring.

History

Historical Context

In February 1996 Game Freak released Pocket Monsters Red and Green (Red/Blue internationally), which sold nearly 3 million copies in five months and topped 1 million by September, launching the Pokémon RPG boom. The franchise grew into a global powerhouse—over 279 million game units by 2016 and the creation of The Pokémon Company in 1998—shaping Game Freak’s business model that the new “Beast of Reincarnation” aims to echo.

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Story summary

Game Freak released Beast of Reincarnation, an action RPG set 2,000 years in Japan starring Emma, a samurai who absorbs powers and grows vines from her hair.
Director Kota Furushima said the game targets non-action players with selectable difficulty, noting a reviewer logged 20 hours on normal mode.
Critics say the game borrows from titles such as Nier: Automata and Monster Hunter, rendering the story surface-level and the gameplay boring.

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