by Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation is a title we've been hearing about for some time now — it even played a major role in the Xbox Developer Direct showcase back in January — and it's almost ready to release on August 4th, 2026.
With just a few weeks to go, IGN has been hands-on with the game for a couple of hours as part of a new preview, and it certainly sounds like it could be a must-play Xbox Game Pass title for anyone with an Ultimate or PC subscription.
The best version of the preview is in the video up above, but there's also a written version that we'll share a few quotes from below. In a nutshell, they're very impressed and intrigued by what they've played so far, but it's still early days.
"I’m happy to report that based on the opening chapter of Beast of Reincarnation’s story, Game Freak seems to have successfully switched from catching ‘em all to violently dispatching ‘em all in this gripping new adventure that follows a deadly dynamic duo. Beast of Reincarnation hooked me from minute one."
"Actually maneuvering your way around the wilds of Beast of Reincarnation is a consistent blast."
"I spent much of my hands-on with Beast of Reincarnation blasting enemies with fireballs from my furry little friend, but I was also able to draw roots up out of the ground to shatter the shields of more heavily armed opponents, and even tangle around the ankles of some of the bigger beasts I faced, binding them to the spot and allowing me to sneak in a few sword strikes with Emma’s katana while the monster struggled to be free."
"Beast of Reincarnation may feature flashy combat and enjoyable exploration, but there’s clearly quite a lot more going on beneath the surface..."
"There’s still a lot to dig into here, from its skill trees to crafting and cooking systems, but based on its opening hours I can say that Beast of Reincarnation has already got its claws into me. And before you ask, yes, you can absolutely pat the dog."
It's well worth checking out the entire preview to get the full picture on Beast of Reincarnation if you're interested, and again, keep in mind this game is being developed by Game Freak - the developer behind the vast majority of Pokémon games over the years, including all of the mainline titles going back to Pokémon Red and Blue.
Could this be their most ambitious title ever? It's certainly shaping up that way, and we can't wait to see how it fares when it releases in August. Don't worry if you're not an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass member, either - it's already available for pre-order on the Xbox Store right now at a price of £49.99 / $59.99 for the base version.