In the Jan. 2026 broadcast of Xbox’s Developer Direct, Pokémon developer Game Freak reviews their official second update on their fantasy soulslike, Beast of Reincarnation. Lead director and writer Kota Furushima gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look at its progress. What was expected to be their version of Dark Souls suddenly changed gamers’ minds when the wolf, Koo, was given battle commands. And some viewers may recognize his mechanics from the Pokémon Legends series.

Beast of Reincarnation’s Gameplay Analysis

When gamers think of soulslikes, they imagined an open world that provides enemies opportunites to fight or flight. Dark Souls,Bloodborne, and Elden Ring are the top 3 games people referred to. Their mechanics work by adapting a player’s skill tree and weapon set to tread through the dangers lurking.

They also pair well with their narrative style based on the game’s worldbuilding. Few developers have attempted to capture the essence of soulslike in and outside of horror. Not many have gained success due to a lack of narrative progression, or too much attention to gameplay.

Silent Hill f is one of the unfortunate titles to suffer from it. Despite its thrilling paranormal story, the Silent Hill community felt it soulslike mechanics made the game feel less scary than Konami wanted it to be. Beast of Reincarnation’s Summer Games Fest 2025 trailer featured Emma fighting the blighted creatures in her path using her vine growth and katana. Pokémon fans feared that its gameplay may already be a sign of its downfall as an attempt to be a non-From Software RPG.

The Jan. 2026 Xbox Developer Direct behind-the-scenes look has now piqued their interest with the role of Koo. Lead programmer Masayuki Onoue explained that winning battles relies on the cooperation between Emma and the wolf. Emma will focus on the traditional soulslike mechanics, while Koo concentrates on his strikes called Blooming Arts.

He has a bloom meter on the bottom right corner of the screen, so his attacks are limited. They can be used as a deadly finisher or to assist Emma by inflicting enemies with status effects. Thankfully, Koo’s commands will slow down time for players to choose the attack, then enter an interactive event to land the hit.

Beast of Reincarnation implemented a three-tier skill tree. Both Emma and Koo will each have separate upgrades, with some leading to follow-up combos. The roots represent the growth of skills, while the branches of the tree represent a new fighting art. According to creative director Erika Kuga, the duo’s gameplay also reflects thematically nature and the affected Japanese ecosystem, which works well for the narrative.

We Have to Thank Pokémon Legends

Looking at Koo’s gameplay, his mechanics would not be possible without Game Freak’s contributions in the Pokémon Legends series. Pokémon Legends: Arceus first experimented with the idea of the player moving freely while giving their Poké partner commands to use against foes. They use certain fighting styles for a stat boost in defense, speed, and strength. The game became a success because the developers broke out of their traditional turn-based combat.

Fast forward to 2025, Pokémon Legends Z-A opened more opportunities for Game Freak to improve the combat to be more reactive. Pokémon no longer stood still during battles, and timing attacks became more crucial than in previous titles. It’s almost exactly what the playerbase wanted since the anime showcased the possibilities of real-time strategy rather than relying on type and stat buffing.

Beast of Reincarnation went through six years of development before the Pokémon Legends sequel was announced. It has adopted and integrated Legends Z-A gameplay into Koo’s mechanics. The slowdown screen gives new players a feel of familiarity, while veteran soulslike players can appreciate a refreshing take on the genre.

Game Freak Gives More Story Information

In the year 4026, Emma the Sealer is tasked to destroy the Beast of Reincarnation by the Capital. Those who encounter its path will be infected by the parasitic infection known as Blight. Its dark spores will cause large beasts known as Nushi to behave ravenously and trap their prey, including humans, into a forested terrain. The Malefacts, or the blighted creatures, may not all be influenced by the Nushi.

Emma’s Blight causes plants to grow around her, whether by will or in her sleep. She keeps her distance from the Japanese colonies to prevent overgrowth on their land structures. Koo the wolf shares a similar blight power with Emma that forges a bond between them.

And it appears they are not the only duo on the search for the Beast of Reincarnation. Joining them is a sealer named Kunai, and her Malefact partner is a unicorn. Also in hand is the mysterious masked traveler named Brad, who’s currently assumed to be an American investigating the blighted land of the sun.

And the Malefacts are not the only foes Emma and Koo will have face. Roaming through post-apocalypse Japan are the malfunctioning Golems. 2000 years ago, these metal bodies contained the souls of humans who did not want to be infected by Blight. They mastered different combat arts to defend themselves against the Malefacts, but now their life energy is draining. The souls have little control over their bodies and threaten anyone in sight.

Furushima is heavily guarding additional information, so as not to spoil surprises for future players, but it seems he slipped in one more crumb about Beast of Reincarnation’s post-apocalypse worldbuilding. In the developer interview on Xbox Wire, he said that Emma’s and Koo’s journey holds many secrets. The director then hinted,

“There is one thing in particular I want everyone to remember. It is a vital rule concerning this world: “Never look up at the sky.” An ancient legend of this world warns that “something” is floating up there. But please…for your own sake, do not try to see it for yourselves.”

Beast of Reincarnation is set to launch in Summer 2026 on Xbox Game Pass, Steam, and PlayStation 5.