Game Freak’s upcoming action RPG Beast of Reincarnation surprised many players when new footage appeared showcasing gameplay and the game’s graphics. The game’s photorealistic Unreal Engine 5 visuals marked a major departure from the studio’s work on the Pokémon series. According to director Kota Furushima, the visual style wasn’t chosen to appeal to any particular market. In an interview with Denfaminicogamer, Furushima explained that the team focused on what would work best for the game’s concept.

“Actually, we developed the game without really thinking about whether we’re making it with the domestic or overseas audience in mind,” Furushima said. “We were only seeking a visual style that would best realize our game’s concept, and that led us to photorealistic expression.”

The development process started with Furushima imagining the feelings and atmosphere he wanted players to experience, rather than deciding on a genre first. The realistic visual style came from building around those ideas.

When Furushima first told his team about the photorealistic approach, they had trouble understanding it. “The concept only existed in my head, and it was still at a stage of ‘just a feeling,'” he said. As development progressed, his vision became clearer: “this cruel world can only be depicted in a realistic style.”

Furushima explained that showing a “cruel world” would be harder with an anime-style or exaggerated look. The realistic graphics help emphasize that cruelty. However, the character designs are slightly stylized, similar to manga. This contrast between exaggerated characters and a realistic world strengthens the atmosphere even more. Beast of Reincarnation is scheduled to release in Summer 2026 for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.