It was back in June of last year that we first learned of Beast of Reincarnation — a new action RPG from the team behind the Pokémon games of all things — and it was announced at the time to be coming to Xbox Game Pass.
Today's Xbox Developer Direct 2026 showcase has given us a bigger idea of what to expect from Game Freak's new title though, including how the two protagonists interact with each other in this "one-person, one dog" adventure.
Emma is the human's name, and she has the power to manipulate plants, while the dog ("Koo") is a malefact that technically is supposed to be hunted down. Here's a bit more about this from Xbox Wire:
"Emma was born afflicted by “blight,” which has granted her the power to manipulate plants. Void of both memory and emotion, Emma is shunned and feared by those around her, living a life of total isolation.
Koo, on the other hand, is what’s known as a “malefact”: a creature that poses a dire threat to this world. Emma bears the burden of a “sealer,” a role that requires her to hunt these malefacts and absorb their blight into her own body."
When they cross paths, Emma and Koo go on a journey to confront the Beast of Reincarnation, described as "the source of all blight". In combat, Emma uses her "fast-paced katana action" while Koo uses a command-based system to trigger "powerful skills", and their ultimate goal is to absorb the power of giant malefacts known as the "Nushi" in order to defeat the Beast of Reincarnation.
All of this should make a lot more sense when the game releases in Summer 2026 — and that's a brand-new release window, by the way! Here's hoping for an official release date at some point in the near future.
"We placed a high priority on this sense of “tempo.” Rather than forcing players to rely solely on split-second reflexes in high-pressure situations, we wanted to create moments where you can pause, think carefully, and fight with the tactical mindset of a command-based RPG."
"Beast of Reincarnation is launching this summer. We absolutely cannot wait for all the players to discover our world! Furthermore, Beast of Reincarnation will be playable from day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Please be sure to wishlist now and stay tuned for more updates coming soon!"