In the distant future, the world is in tough shape. Emma, a hero with the skill and fortitude to save the world, wanders a harsh wasteland that is hellbent on eliminating humanity. Beast of Reincarnation, the new action RPG from Game Freak, chronicles her journey and puts players in charge of seeing it through to its conclusion.

The game is tough, and at times its mechanics can feel nigh-inscrutable. Brief opening tutorials walk players through convoluted systems as they deal with the reality that a single blow might mark the end of their progress. At least, that’s how it all works in Normal mode. But there is a “Story” (read: easy) setting that is considerably more forgiving. Thing is, Beast of Reincarnation’s easy mode is not a great fit.

As noted, enemies in Normal mode pose a genuine threat. Emma sneaks through fields of flowers with her dog Koo running by her side. He’s a faithful companion, even if he sucks the fun out of discovering hidden treasure on the battlefield. He’ll typically point out an enemy that is waiting to stab her in the back, but if he doesn’t? Well, that could be the end of her.

Even when Emma has a full life meter, a vicious golem could potentially assassinate her with a single well-placed thrust, before she even knows he’s there. Head-on battles with some of the more elite enemies scattered across the map can also prove perilous. Boss battles with the large and fearsome Nushi monsters Emma hunts might end in mere seconds.

That’s fine, though. I’m not complaining. By default, the game relies on a stiff challenge to make the........

© Polygon