The combat is demanding by default
Beast of Reincarnation's swordplay is parry-centric: previews consistently compare Emma's deflection rhythm to Sekiro, where reading an enemy's cadence and parrying on beat matters more than dodge-rolling or out-leveling content. Well-timed parries also bank the points that power Koo's abilities — so defense is literally your damage engine (see the Koo guide).
Bosses are the centerpiece: colossal Nushi fights staged as Shadow of the Colossus-style set pieces, mixing parryable strings with unblockable slams (boss structure guide).
Confirmed difficulty options
| Option | What's confirmed |
|---|---|
| Story Mode | A confirmed lower-difficulty mode for players who want the world and narrative without the hardest challenge curve. |
| Adjustable difficulty | Difficulty can be changed rather than being a single fixed setting — Game Freak has stated the game is meant to be finishable by non-experts. |
| Tactical pause | Opening Koo's command menu slows combat, giving you time to read patterns and plan — a built-in pressure valve reflexes-focused soulslikes don't have. |
Can you beat it if you've never finished a soulslike?
Based on what's confirmed: yes, realistically. Between Story Mode, adjustable difficulty, and the time-slowing command menu, this is shaping up as one of the more approachable entries in the genre — closer in spirit to Stellar Blade's options than to Sekiro's take-it-or-leave-it wall. Purists can simply stay on the default setting.
At launch: we'll document every difficulty setting's actual effects (damage taken, parry windows, boss HP), whether you can switch mid-game without penalty, and which trophies — if any — are difficulty-locked (trophy list).
Related guides
Last updated: July 8, 2026