Beast of Reincarnation has launched, and critics and Steam players can’t agree on its combat

Metacritic lists a 72 critic average on PC and 73 on PS5, while 52% of more than 700 English-language Steam reviews are positive.

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A warrior runs through tall grass as a strange creature approaches near a ruined structure in Beast of Reincarnation.

Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation launched on August 3, 2026, bringing the studio’s realistic, post-apocalyptic action RPG to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Its first wave of critic and player reactions is already pulling in very different directions, especially when it comes to combat.

The game drew attention before release because it represents a sharp change from the Pokémon series that made Game Freak famous. Instead of monster-catching adventures, Beast of Reincarnation focuses on intense melee battles, a ruined world, and a story built around a very different kind of journey.

Critics are split on the action RPG

Metacritic’s current averages sit at 72 for PC and 73 for PS5. There are not enough Xbox reviews recorded to produce a platform average yet.

Individual scores cover a much wider range. Vice awarded the game 9.5/10, praising its combat and the way it combines real-time and turn-based ideas. The review called the combat “not just innovative, it’s incredibly fun” and described the blend as a strong fit.

A separate 9/10 review also praised the firm-but-fair battles, the freedom to shape a build, and a story that leaves room for players to piece things together themselves.

The lower end of the range includes 6/10 scores from both VGC and Eurogamer. VGC criticized the setting and story as unoriginal and pointed to a lack of enemy variety. Eurogamer said the game borrows from Sekiro and Monster Hunter, though the results were inconsistent.

Steam players are divided, too

The early Steam response is just as uneven. Beast of Reincarnation held a Mixed rating, with 52% of more than 700 English-language reviews marked positive at the time of reporting.

One positive Steam review compared the game to Sekiro, NieR Automata, and Princess Mononoke. The player praised the slick combat and the way Emma’s hair moves both vertically and horizontally, calling it a detail that adds another layer to the game.

Other players have had a much rougher time. One review argued that the game looks more ambitious than it plays and described the combat as flat and repetitive. Another called the combat unrewarding and uninspired, while also criticizing inconsistent guarding and parrying and weak-feeling sword impacts.

Emma sits beside strands of her hair in Beast of Reincarnation

That contrast is the clearest thread running through the early feedback. The same mechanics that one player sees as stylish and fresh can feel repetitive or unreliable to someone else. With the game only recently available, its Steam rating may still move as more players spend time with the full experience.

For now, Beast of Reincarnation has neither a clear critical consensus nor a settled player verdict. Its scores show a game that some reviewers see as an ambitious new direction for Game Freak, while others think its combat and world do not make enough of an impression.

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In post-apocalyptic Japan, humanity’s last hope may rest with Emma and her loyal canine companion, Koo. Explore what it means to be human in Beast of Reincarnation, an expansive one-person, one-dog action RPG built around demanding, technical combat. What awaits at journey’s end?