Game Freak has an epic new game, and it’s not Pokémon. The studio’s newest project, Beast of Reincarnation, is now out and receiving some mixed reactions in reviews. Regardless of what you think about it, it’s certainly an ambitious game. Beast of Reincarnation follows Emma and her large dog companion, Koo, on their travels across a forsaken, post-apocalyptic Japan.
The world is ravaged by a mysterious blight, and it’s up to Emma to cleanse it. The game strays as far from the Pokémon formula as it possibly could. It’s an exploration-based RPG with elements of base keeping, as well as cooking and a hunger system. In fact, Beast of Reincarnation has more in common with games like Nier and Sekiro than with the studio’s usual fare.
And yet, it’s hard not to see parallels between this epic new RPG and Game Freak’s legendary Pokémon series. Koo himself acts somewhat like a Pokémon, especially as seen in the Pokémon Legends games. He fights alongside Emma, but you can also slow down the action mid-fight to select active skills and attacks for him to use. The enemy and boss designs wouldn’t look too out of place in a Pokémon game. Some would even be exciting additions to the franchise.
Golem Would Be Right At Home Next To Regi-Mon
As Emma and Koo adventure through the desolate far-future Kanto region, they encounter many blighted enemies, known as Malefacts. One of the most common forms these Malefacts take is as Golems, or android-like, robotic creatures. These robots are left behind by humanity and the blight makes them aggressive, attacking Emma on sight.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because the Pokémon franchise has its own version of the Golem myth, in the Regi Pokémon. In Pokémon mythology, Regigigas was an ancient golem that created five other giant golems: Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Regieleki, and Regidrago. These giants, like the robotic golems in Beast of Reincarnation, once lived alongside humans.
The BoR Golems stand out as enemies because they are not, like most other living creatures, overrun with plants. They would make excellent Metal-Type Pokémon, and even have several different forms that could set them apart as different Types or regional forms. The BoR golems also go with the franchise’s love of making humanoid Pokémon. It wouldn’t even be the first time that a Pokémon was created from what was once a human being.
The Nue Malefact Doesn’t Need A Face
Many of the original Pokémon from the Kanto region are based on Japanese animals and mythology. As such, the Nue Malefact would fit right into the Pokédex among other mons inspired by ancient Japanese folklore. The Nue was a Yokai—a Japanese supernatural spirit—that was said to have the head of a monkey, the limbs of a tiger, the body of a tanuki (Japense racoon dog), and the tail of a snake.
In Beast of Reincarnation, the Nue Malefact is a monster you encounter in the second area. Instead of having the head of a monkey, the huge Malefact has a flower. This flower can open and close for a very Demogorgon-like appearance, and even changes form when you face it again (perfect for a built-in evolution or regional variant).
You might think the flowery Nue would be a Grass Type, but its fiery whip attack makes it more likely to be a plant-based Fire Type. And if you believe something that has no face or eyes can’t possibly look cool or cute enough for the Pokémon franchise, just look at Zubat.
Rangifer Nushi Would Make An Epic Deer Pokémon
In Beast of Reincarnation, extra large and foreboding Malefacts are known as Nushi. Emma’s task is to travel around the world looking for Nushi to defeat. She can then absorb the Nushi’s special skills to use in her own battles.
Many of these Nushi take the form of animals that have been overtaken by nature. That’s the case for the Rangifer Nushi, which is like a massive, antlered deer made of branches, with a flower sprouting from its back. It’s also specifically modeled after a reindeer, hence the name—Rangifer is the scientific genus name for reindeer.
Pokémon already has a number of deer-like Pokémon, so Rangifer wouldn’t be out of place in the series at all. The creature is like a cross between Xerneas, Deerling, and Sawsbuck, but with a body made entirely out of plant matter. Besides, like any traditional Grass-Type Pokémon, the Rangifer Nushi is already weak to fire.
Lacerta Nushi Could Take Pokémon In A Scarier Direction
There is already a Pokémon based on a newt in the franchise: the adorably derpy Quagsire and Paldean Clodsire, Wooper’s evolutions. Lacerta Nushi is what would happen if the cute Pokémon were transported into one of FromSoft’s Souls games. The creature lives in a boggy swamp and its name simply means “lizard,” though its semi-aquatic lifestyle and appearance specifically make it similar to a newt.
Like the other boss monsters in Beast of Reincarnation, the Lacerta Nushi is covered in green growth. It’s weak to lightning, making it a likely Water Type in Pokémon franchise, but its tendency to infect Emma with Poison and Slow would also imply that it doubles as a Poison Type.
The Lacerta Nushi is a terrifying creature with far too many teeth. If Pokémon ever creates a grittier, more mature spinoff or mainline game, this would work well in it. Imagine walking through a swamp when the very ground you walk on begins to move. Terrifying!
Ursa Nushi Could Be The Long-Awaited Grass Bear
It’s an ongoing joke that Pokémon has many different types of bears. There’s normal bear (Ursaring), panda bear (Pancham), red panda bear (Stufful), cold bear (Cubchoo), martial arts bear (Kubfu), lazy bear (Snorlax), and the list goes on. But the one thing the series doesn’t have and fans desperately want is a Grass Bear.
There are many fan mockups of what a Grass-Type bear would look like, but one has yet to appear in the series. Which is why Usa Nushi would be welcomed into the series with open arms. The enemy’s limbs resemble tree trunks, and it has a bright pink flower around its neck which would make a delightful neck ruffle if it were cutesified a little for the Pokémon style.
The Ursa Nushi would be primarily a Grass-Type Mon if it appeared in the Pokémon franchise. Its AOE of sprouting blue flowering vibes make it a great contender for moves like Vine Whip and Leaf Storm. That said, the Nushi’s tendency to throw boulders at Emma and create pillar of rock when it pounces mean it also makes sense as a dual Rock-Grass Type.
The newest Pokémon generation is fast approaching with the Gen-10 Pokémon Winds & Waves. While it’s not likely that any Beast of Reincarnation monsters will make it to the next generation, it’s possible that some designs might be inspired by the monsters in this post-apocalyptic RPG. At the very least, we wouldn’t be surprised it fans finally got their grass bear in the next series. And it has a flower collar like a frilled lizard, we’ll know where Game Freak likely got the idea for it.
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