Beast of Reincarnation: Chapter One walkthrough
Overview & Key Takeaways
Beast of Reincarnation kicks off with a fast-paced introduction to Emma and Koo's combat skills, along with a dive into the Ogouchi Buffer Zone, a large map with many secrets to uncover and just as many Golems to slay.
There's much to learn in this first chapter when it comes to mastering Emma's hair-extending abilities and parry capabilities, and even though the main story quests are relatively straightforward, it's very easy to get lost in the contours of the map as you chase down the Nushi who's destroying these once-tranquil woods.
This guide serves as a walkthrough for Chapter One of Beast of Reincarnation, giving you an easy-to-follow checklist of how to tackle the Ogouchi Buffer Zone. We'll also briefly touch on the game's Prologue.
Beast of Reincarnation kicks off with a fast-paced introduction to Emma and Koo's combat skills, along with a dive into the Ogouchi Buffer Zone, a large map with many secrets to uncover and just as many Golems to slay.
There's much to learn in this first chapter when it comes to mastering Emma's hair-extending abilities and parry capabilities, and even though the main story quests are relatively straightforward, it's very easy to get lost in the contours of the map as you chase down the Nushi who's destroying these once-tranquil woods.
This guide serves as a walkthrough for Chapter One of Beast of Reincarnation, giving you an easy-to-follow checklist of how to tackle the Ogouchi Buffer Zone. We'll also briefly touch on the game's Prologue.
To see this content please enable targeting cookies.
Manage cookie settings
A note on choosing your difficulty An extra tip from Jeremy
Beast of Reincarnation offers three difficulty levels upon startup - Story, Normal, and Hard. If you've played the likes of Nier or Stellar Blade - both of which are similar to Beast of Reincarnation - or are confident with Soulslikes and parrying, then I recommend starting with Normal and possibly switching to Hard later if you desire a challenge. You can change the difficulty of the game at any time.
Story mode is fine if you have little experience in action games of this sort. Be warned that it will trivialise most combat encounters, which are by far the standout of this game over the comparatively stiff narrative.
Chapter One
Chapter One of Beast of Reincarnation takes place largely within the Ogouchi Buffer Zone map and encompasses the following main objectives. We've also included the Prologue below.
- Prologue
- Investigating the Village
- The Foreman in the Subcity (Part 1)
- Defeat the Malefacts in your Path
- The Foreman in the Subcity (Part 2)
- Defeat the Golem(s) and Open Door
- Defeat the Door Golem
- The Prowling Nushi
- Toward the Nushi's Lair
- Path to the Sealed Lair (Part 1)
- Return to the Cleanse Walker
- Path to the Sealed Lair (Part 2)
This walkthrough is focused on these core objectives in a handy checklist step system, so you can mark off your progress as you go. We will highlight important items that you may unlock along the way, but Beast of Reincarnation is a sprawling game, and you should feel free to explore the Ogouchi Buffer Zone and go off the beaten path.
1. Prologue
The prologue of Beast of Reincarnation is a short section where you'll become acquainted with Emma and learn the basics of her moves, as well as how to use your canine companion Koo. Emma also has a ghostly friend named Violet, so it's really a full cast of unusual characters here.
Begin by leaving the Cleanse Walker and running forward. A few mutated foes, dubbed Malefacts, will confront you as hell rains down from the skies. None of them should take much effort to dispatch, and you can't die, so follow the tooltips on screen to break them apart with your Blade Arts. Be sure to also use Koo's follow-up attacks, which temporarily pause the action in a manner somewhat reminiscent of the Final Fantasy VII remakes.
Eventually you'll leap to higher ground, use your crossbow to shoot flying Malefacts down from the sky, and proceed to a confrontation with a helmeted rival named Shidou. We then go back in time a bit to see how you got here.
Mark Prologue as completed.
2. Investigating the Village
You'll start on the outskirts of a village and receive some dialogue from the guy in your ear, Brad. Pick any dialogue option you prefer and you'll learn that Emma's been sent here to defeat a Nushi, a powerful Malefact wreaking havoc.
Enter the village and follow the map marker to the Village Surroundings Camp. This is the first of several Camps scattered throughout the game, and you can refer to our guide of all Camps in Beast of Reincarnation for a list of each campsite. You can fast travel between Camps, so it's a good idea to unlock as many as possible.
After resting at a Camp, nearby enemies will respawn. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
At Camps, you'll save your game, upgrade your skills via Beast of Reincarnation's unusual skill tree, and enhance equipment.
After you've saved, proceed onwards to search the village for clues. You will encounter enemy Golems and receive a tooltip on Emma's ability to propel herself upwards with her hair, which you'll make great use of throughout the game.
Your objective is a Rusted Golem lying in a house, who will direct you to your next mission - finding the foreman of a subcity.
Mark step as completed.
3. The Foreman in the Subcity (Part 1)
Now you need to locate the subcity, but a bear Malefact will attack you when you exit the house. This is a good chance to learn the ins and outs of parrying, which is pivotal in Beast of Reincarnation for restoring Koo's Fluorescence Points (FP), which power his Bloom Arts.
When the mutated bear is dead, you're free to explore, but be warned that enemy Golems abound. Pay attention to the coloured scent in the air around you - if it's blue, your objective is far, and if it's red, you're close. The scent emanates from Koo, and is always a good way to figure out where you need to go.
Follow the scent and head north, fighting the Golems along the way. You will eventually reach a large ravine; use your hair to create a bridge to cross over. The Village by the Bridge Camp lies on the other side.
Always extend Emma's hair to create bridges to faraway ledges. You can always grapple to the endpoint of the bridge, as well. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
After leaving the camp, the terrain will change around you, with trees transforming and the overall atmosphere becoming murkier. This is due to the effects of Blight, which appears when the sun sets. New enemies will abound, and you'll receive a fresh objective.
Mark step as completed.
4. Defeat the Malefacts in your Path
You'll run into a deer Malefact almost immediately; this foe attacks with an antler charge and a second strike, so be ready to parry twice. Another bear Malefact will also appear to test your parry prowess.
Loot and eat Malefact meat An extra tip from Jeremy
Beast of Reincarnation has a hunger mechanic that's not immediately evident. Emma and Koo naturally regenerate HP outside of fights, but they won't do this if they're hungry. You can get food from Malefacts that you kill - the bears and deer, for instance, both drop raw meat which will automatically be grilled when you're at a Camp.
Later in this Chapter, you'll be able to grow and cook food in your Cleanse Walker base thanks to Kagura, the little girl who basically acts as Emma's sister in the narrative.
You may level up after fighting these Malefacts, so return to The Village by the Bridge Camp to gain new skills. When finished, continue north until you reach a ruined building with multiple storeys. Keep an eye out for a grapple point, which Emma can grab with her hair to propel herself up top. You'll now have an excellent vantage point to tackle the three Malefacts beneath you - two bears and a deer.
Use Emma's hair to get atop that building for a nice view of the Malefacts below. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
One of the bears - the one on the far right if you're looking down - is an Elite Enemy and notably stronger than the other, so be careful. You can extend Emma's hair forwards to form a bridge and then jump down on these foes for an insta-kill sneak attack by pressing RB; unfortunately, this will not work on the Elite Enemy bear, but it will deplete its health substantially.
This trial against two bears and a deer will probably be the first major challenge in Beast of Reincarnation. Make it easier by getting an insta-kill from above, if you can. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
After killing these three Malefacts, the Blight plaguing the forest will dissipate. Be sure to loot all of the bodies before moving forward.
Mark step as completed.
5. The Foreman in the Subcity (Part 2)
Your search continues north to a tent. You can pick up an Onslaught Spirit Stone here, which you should try equipping to boost Emma's stats. A turnable wheel is also nearby; interact with it to open an underground door leading to the subcity.
Descend and keep going until you reach the Subcity 01 Entrance Camp, then listen to the instructions from Brad.
Mark step as completed.
6. Defeat the Golem(s) and Open Door
There are six Golems that must be smashed, and they're patrolling the next few large areas. Koo's scent leads to each one; use your hair to grapple to high points and take them out from above if possible. It's entirely doable to insta-kill all of them without engaging in melee combat.
Stick to the higher ground to make defeating all of these Golems relatively painless. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
One of the Golems carries a shield and is near a tent containing an Electronic Brain, which you'll use later to improve your Cleanse Walker, so don't miss it.
After besting all six Golems, a green door will open and you'll need to contend with an Elite Enemy.
Mark step as completed.
7. Defeat the Door Golem
Before tackling this door guard, propel yourself upwards to the roof of the wooden structure in front of you to find a locked Strongbox, which contains a plethora of great items. You don't need a code to pop these open; simply activate the box and press the correct directions before time runs out. Inside is a Memory Chip, which will improve the Cleanse Walker.
Now it's time to face the Door Golem. This metallic tin-can is fast, and can combo with its sword for up to five hits. Use Koo's Hibanbana: Roots skill to bind it in place if you're having trouble with the parry timing.
Golems wearing these makeshift fur coats are painful opponents who can cleave your health apart very easily. This one is no exception. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
When the Door Golem's dead, enter the next room to find some spoils, including another Strongbox containing lots of Amber. Speak with the hunched-over Broken Golem to learn about your next goal, and obtain the Zangetsu Bow.
A brief shooting sequence where you've got to hit five pots follows. Smash 'em and leave to start hunting down the Nushi.
Mark step as completed.
8. The Prowling Nushi
Leave Subcity 01 and return to the surface to see a cutscene where the Nushi appears, making the forest quake and grow in unusual ways with every heavy step it takes. Your job is to follow it to its lair. Once you get there, you'll spot the Cliff-Facing Tower Camp; there's a Strongbox right next to this campsite that contains Chain Mail, which will boost Emma's defences.
Strengthen your arsenal by finding Keeper Golems An extra tip from Jeremy
You can challenge the Nushi now if you like, as all of Beast of Reincarnation's bosses are beatable once you nail down their parry patterns. If you want more of a fighting chance, however, take a moment to explore the map and find the Keeper Golems. These rusted robots are designed to answer questions and provide Exploration Data, which are instructions to useful weapons and tools.
In the case of this upcoming battle against the Nushi Rangifer, Fire Arrows will help, and one of the Keeper Golems will let you know where they are. Refer to our guide on all Keeper Golems and Exploration Data for more.
When you're ready, drop down and attack the Nushi for the boss fight to begin. Turns out this thing's name is Rangifer, and it's Level 9 - though you can technically beat it at a much lower level if you're careful.
When Rangifer swings its head like this, prepare yourself for a parry. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
Rangifer bears some similarities with the deer Malefacts you've fought thus far. It will charge at you by stamping its hooves, and it will swivel its head back and forth to attack you either once or twice with its antlers. All of these moves can be parried. On some occasions, Rangifer will also toss rocks at you or fire spikes. You can parry these too, but the timing is tricky, so you may need to run left or right to avoid them instead.
Rangifer is susceptible to Fire Arrows (check out the author tip above for advice on finding these projectiles), and Koo's Higanbana: Seeds attack works pretty well to cut this oversized antler-carrier down to size. When the fight is finished, you'll get Blade Art: Sakura Storm.
Mark step as completed.
Brad will deliver some dialogue in the fight's aftermath, and you'll return to the Cleanse Walker (which is actually named Bauera) to heal up and make preparations for the next day. Be sure to explore this mobile base of operations - this will be your home when you're not in the thick of it, and you can buy and sell items with Brad, bond with Koo, and even wash all that grime away in the shower. More stuff will become available to do in Bauera soon enough.
A lengthy flashback sequence will follow as Emma remembers her past, including how she met Koo. This is pretty easy - simply follow the path, defeat the Golems in your way, and enjoy encountering your good furry friend for the first time.
After resting, you can disembark from Bauera and start your new objective. Note that you'll now be able to fast travel back to the Cleanse Walker whenever you desire.
9. Toward the Nushi's Lair
Time to go to a new underground lair - this one's Subcity 03. Near the entrance is a Strongbox hidden within a shipping container that contains x3 Generator Device, which you can use when you're back in Bauera.
Turn the wheel to open the subcity, then descend underground. Keep following the scent trail until you reach the Nushi's Lair: Gate Approach Camp. Then, attempt to enter the door to trigger a cutscene with the Retired Gatekeeper, who tells you that you need multiple keys.
In true video game fashion, now we need to run around picking up keys. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
The Retired Gatekeeper gives you the Red Key - which will also open another door back in the abandoned village at the start of this chapter. (See our guide on the Red Key for more info.)
Mark step as completed.
10. Path to the Sealed Lair (Part 1)
Pick up the cool new Cirrus Sword that lies before you and then get hunting for those keys. If you head back outside and start going north, you can see some reddish smoke on a distant ledge and a tower. Get up there via your hair and you'll find the Blue Key lying next to a Golem's corpse. The Lookout Shack Camp is also very close, along with some enemies on a ledge beneath you.
Now it's time to get the Yellow Key. Follow the marker across the map to the south-east and you'll encounter a whole host of Golems, along with some bear Malefacts (who will potentially attack the Golems if you don't interfere - crouch in the surrounding red flowers if you'd like to watch 'em destroy each other.)
Stay out of harm's way and let the baddies kill themselves. You can do this periodically throughout Beast of Reincarnation. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
Following these battles, use your hair to grapple upwards to Tailwater Village, and beware the Golems on the bridge. Unlock the Tailwater Village Camp, and then follow the marker and scent trail into a cave where a level 10 Elite Enemy bear Malefact awaits. Use your best attacks and Koo's techniques to destroy it and get the Tailwater Key, which opens a nearby door.
Inside the door is a host of good loot and another Golem who gives you the Yellow Key. As you prepare to leave, Brad lets you know that Kagura's awake.
Mark step as completed.
11. Return to the Cleanse Walker
If you haven't guessed by now, Kagura is the epitome of the "emotional anchor little sister" trope. Her purpose is to help Emma learn how to feel...and to cook nice meals, I suppose. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
Fast travel back to the Cleanse Walker to chat with Kagura and enter another flashback sequence detailing how she met Emma. This flashback takes place in Emma's old home, the Ogouchi Colony. Get ready for a lot of dialogue, a few more Golem battles, and some revelations about Emma's duty to slay the Beast of Reincarnation, as bestowed upon her by the Administrator.
The flashback comes to a head when the Nue Malefact attacks Ogouchi and begins to destroy everything. This beast is a whopping Level 16, but you'll still be able to defeat it as long as you avoid its unblockable lightning strikes (telegraphed with a red flash) by dodging. The Nue Malefact will also spin around twice to hit you with its tail, and you can parry these with practice. The only other attack you need to worry about is a close-range swipe.
The lightning can quickly destroy Emma here. When you see that red flash, always go for a dodge. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
When the Nue Malefact is gone, you'll also see how Emma met Brad. Hm, curiouser and curiouser. The flashback will end and you'll be back in Bauera with Kagura, who lets you know about her cooking skills. There are also new Cleanse Walker facilities to play with, including an Incubator and Grow Chamber.
Eat food for stat boosts An extra tip from Jeremy
Growing food ingredients in the Cleanse Walker largely happens in the background in between missions, and if you're not interested in it, you can frankly ignore this mechanic for most of your playthrough.
Nevertheless, you should get into the habit of asking Kagura to prepare meals and eating them at the end of each day both to stave off hunger, and for the simple stat increases that they offer Emma and Koo.
Regularly talking with Kagura is also a way of increasing her Rapport metre, which leads to more cutscenes and more cooking capabilities. (In this same vein, you should always be trying to boost your Rapport with Koo by petting and talking with him.)
Mark step as completed.
12. Path to the Sealed Lair (Part 2)
Now it's time to finish this chapter. Return to Rangifer's lair and note that there are nearby grapple points that lead to the Toward the Nushi's Lair Camp. Save your game and chat with the nearby Golem merchant to stock up on items - Fire Arrows are very much recommended, since Rangifer is still weak to flame. When you're ready, unlock the door and get ready for round two.
Rangifer's second boss battle is a preview of bosses to come, many of whom have a habit of running away and challenging you later. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Freak
This second battle with Rangifer is similar to the first, but the big deer's Level 12 now, and has a second life bar. Nevertheless, the same tactics in the first fight still apply. Watch out for Rangifer's new moves - the most annoying one occurs when the Nushi jumps upwards and its hoofs turn red as it lands. Dodge to avoid this unblockable attack. There's also a four-hit antler combo that ends in another unblockable red strike.
When Rangifer's finally down for the count, you'll get the Blade Art: Sakura for Emma and the Sakura: Javelin Bloom Art for Koo. Watch the cutscenes, then rest back in the Cleanse Walker. Thus ends Chapter One!
Mark step as completed.
That finishes our walkthrough for the Prologue and Chapter One of Beast of Reincarnation. Before heading into Chapter Two, check out our guides on how to roll and how to change the game's language. Our Dragon Vein Shrine locations guide will also be very useful as you forge onwards into the ruins of the Kanto region.
