Beast of Reincarnation’s Difficulty Falls Between Two Extremes

Beast of Reincarnation makes difficulty a difficult choice

Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation casts Emma as a determined survivor travelling through a devastated future. With humanity under threat, she crosses a hostile wasteland alongside her dog, Koo, in an action RPG built around demanding combat and layered character systems.

That challenge is intentional. On Normal difficulty, enemies can end a fight with almost no warning, while the game’s early tutorials introduce complicated mechanics without always making them easy to understand. The alternative is Story mode, a much more forgiving setting that lets players concentrate on the narrative. Unfortunately, the gap between the two options is enormous.

Normal mode demands preparation

Emma and Koo move through flower-filled areas where danger can be hidden in plain sight. Koo will usually warn Emma about an enemy preparing an ambush, but missing that warning can have immediate consequences.

Even a full health meter offers no guarantee of safety. A powerful golem may kill Emma with one well-placed attack, and close-range encounters with elite enemies can be equally dangerous. The Nushi creatures that serve as major hunts are capable of ending boss battles within seconds.

That brutality is not necessarily a flaw. Normal mode makes equipment, exploration and combat knowledge matter. Better armour, improved weapons and spirit stones help Emma survive, while her skill tree unlocks abilities that can deliver heavy attacks, restore health around temporary flower gardens and allow stimulant use during boss encounters.

Players are expected to experiment, fail and adjust their approach. The game becomes more rewarding once its systems begin to make sense, but the opening hours can be unforgiving for anyone who has not yet learned how its mechanics fit together.

Story mode removes too much pressure

Story mode is designed for players who want to focus on the plot, newcomers to the genre and anyone who does not want to spend hours decoding every system. That is a reasonable inclusion, particularly for players who would rather enjoy the journey than master precise parry timing or complicated skill-tree combinations.

The problem is how dramatically the mode reduces the threat. A monster capable of defeating an over-levelled Emma with a single hit on Normal may remove only a small portion of her health in Story mode. Enemies also fall quickly under attacks they previously resisted and seem less purposeful in battle.

The contrast became clear during an early Nushi fight. After several failed attempts, it was obvious that relying on ranged attacks was not enough. The boss could close the distance almost instantly, leaving little time to switch projectile weapons or use Emma’s strongest abilities.

Changing the difficulty is possible at any time. Moving to Story mode made the encounter dramatically easier, but it also created the unsettling impression that Emma was almost impossible to defeat.

The missing middle setting

A generous easy mode can be valuable. Games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild show how an approachable experience can still encourage players to seek greater danger when they are ready. Beast of Reincarnation appears to aim for that same range of experiences, but its two settings do not provide enough steps between relaxed and punishing.

Story mode also makes some of the game’s optional systems feel unnecessary. Gardening can produce meals that improve Emma’s statistics, while the various skill trees contain abilities intended to help her survive. On the lower setting, however, players can often ignore those systems and still make progress.

That weakens the appeal of exploration and progression. Finding rewards in dangerous areas feels less important when survival is rarely at risk, and skill-tree nodes lose some of their value when the abilities they provide are not required for the next boss.

A difficulty option between Story and Normal could solve much of the problem. Enemies might deal roughly half the damage they cause on Normal while taking twice as much damage themselves. That would preserve the need to learn the combat system without demanding immediate mastery of every mechanic.

A promising adventure caught between extremes

Beast of Reincarnation has an appealing structure for players who enjoy overcoming severe challenges. Normal mode gives victories weight, rewards preparation and makes Emma’s progression feel meaningful.

Story mode, meanwhile, is a useful option for anyone prioritising the narrative or looking for a less demanding experience after a long day. Its damage reduction is simply too generous to act as a satisfying middle ground.

The result is a game that asks players to choose between learning a complex combat system under intense pressure and moving through an adventure where many of its systems become optional. An additional setting could help more players find a comfortable level of challenge without taking away the satisfaction of survival.

What the difficulty settings mean

• Normal: Enemies can inflict devastating damage, including attacks that defeat Emma instantly.
• Story: Damage is heavily reduced for players who want to focus on the story or avoid the most demanding combat.
• Best middle ground: A setting between the two could retain meaningful combat while making the game’s many systems easier to learn.

For readers comparing demanding action games or planning a dedicated gaming space, the RETROCADE Arcade Blog offers more gaming coverage, while the Arcade Machine Buying Guide can help with choosing the right setup. Players building their own cabinet can also explore DIY arcade kits and arcade parts.