If you’ve experienced the studio’s previous efforts like The Pathless and ABZÛ, then you’ll probably know what to expect in terms of narrative and presentation. Sword of the Sea has you controlling a reanimated swordsman who ventures into a seemingly desolate world. Instead of venturing on foot, he uses a mystic sword to surf the dunes and even pulls off some sick tricks. The goal is to bring water back to the world and maybe figure out what led it to this state.

Sword of the Sea is fairly straightforward and may sport a connection or two to The Pathless, but there’s no denying how incredible the visuals look. We reviewed it on PC last year, scoring it a 7 and praising the movement, the environmental design, and the wordless storytelling. It wasn’t a huge gameplay evolution over the studio’s previous titles, and performance could have used improvements. However, it was an ultimately fun, short adventure for those who favor the vibes.

The most recent update, v.1.1.0.1, added new progression options, including the ability to skip the next three zones after the Great Wall Terraces Zone to “hasten” to the Capital. This option is for New Game+ players who want to finish the story faster, though you won’t receive Achievements/Trophies during a regular playthrough.

Other features include a field-of-view setting, hiding the “Skip” prompt during cutscenes, and various improvements to the latter’s pacing and “staging timing.” Issues like soft locks when quickly skipping specific events have also been fixed. Game Freak also improved performance by distributing the processing load from generating effects, and “adjusted” collision boundaries and submersion detection depth in all areas.

Check out the full patch notes here, and stay tuned for more details on tomorrow’s update. Beast of Reincarnation is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Despite initially mixed impressions from players (and some critics), we found plenty to like on the first go-around and gave it an 8. Check out our review here.

The latest update brought in more improvements to the cutscenes and ongoing events in Beast of Reincarnation, making just about every scene and cutscene completely skippable. There are, however, “a very small number of cutscenes” which can’t be skipped, at least for now.

Other quality-of-life improvements include previously viewed Tips no longer showing up in a New Game+ run, DLSS and Frame Generation getting more adjustment options, and button mapping options for “Switch ammo slot 1-3”. Check out the full patch notes below for more details.

As for the future, the developers have said that they are looking at offering players an option to skip Pilgrim’s Zone, Matsukawa Colony Zone, and Fuji Frontier Zone after they have cleared up the mid-game Great Wall Terraces Zone. While the option to play through these zones will remain, the option will likely be a valuable one for those on New Game+, allowing them to get through the title at a quicker pace. The result of this would be allowing players to get to the Capital faster.

Future updates will also include revamps for attack patterns for similar boss types, namely the Nushi variants and Shidou, as well as more difficulty options higher than “Hard” for the first playthrough and even tougher options for those on New Game+. Auto-pickup for enemy drops, dialogue pacing and cut lengths during events, water hazard detection, and invisible boundaries will see adjustments in the future as well.

Beast of Reincarnation is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Check out our review for more details.

Beast of Reincarnation Update 1.0.12 patch notes:

• Ongoing Event and Cutscene Improvements:
  • Almost all event scenes and cutscenes are now skippable. (Note: A very small number of cutscenes remain unskippable for now, but these will be addressed in a future update.)
  • Added a “Skip” indicator to skippable cutscenes.
  • Finishing animations can now be skipped.
  • Previously viewed Tips will no longer display from New Game+ onwards.
• Improved DLSS / Frame Generation settings (PC):
  • Frame Generation options now adjust based on your GPU (RTX 40 / RTX 50 Series).
  • When using DLSS-Dynamic on a monitor with a refresh rate of 120Hz or higher, you can now set a target frame rate.
• Added “Switch ammo slot 1–3” options to button mapping, allowing alternative controls for switching ammo.
• Bug Fixes and Technical Improvements:
  • Fixed an issue where skipping certain cutscenes immediately upon starting caused them to not end properly.
  • Fixed an issue where Emma’s dialogue lines did not always display correctly when the voice-over language was set to English.
  • Fixed an issue where the player remained trapped if they died at the exact moment they defeated enemies in specific event battles.
  • Fixed progression blockers related to event and boss battles across various zones.
  • Fixed an issue on physical disc versions where exploration info markers did not display correctly if playing without installing updates.

Set in Paris, which is facing a demonic invasion, Armatus has you playing as a powerful warrior who helps out the remaining survivors. Easier said than done given the sheer variety of enemies out there, but thankfully, you can augment your powers with each run.

Yes, this is a rogue-lite, and combined with the ability to dodge, the Returnal and Saros comparisons are inevitable. Not that this is a bad thing, especially since the variety of weapons and abilities looks to be solid. Between submachine guns, shotguns and whatnot, there are plenty of ways to fight back against the demonic hordes.

Published by Fictions, who also handled Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation, Armatus will also launch on day one for Game Pass. Having experienced the limited-time demo on PC, there’s definitely potential here. Time will tell if Counterplay Games can capitalize on that and deliver a memorable experience for both action fans and roguelite players.

Among the improvements brought in are changes to the in-game camera, like options for camera distance, and adjustments for how the camera works both in and out of combat. Cinematic camera cuts have also been improved as part of this. Along with this, players who found the number of events and cutscenes triggering every time they switched zones can now breathe a sigh of relief.

As for the future, the developers are currently working on making the events and cutscenes skippable. There seem to be more technical challenges in implementing this, however. In the meantime, cutscenes will start becoming skippable in incremental stages. Support for ultrawide displays is also in the works and is currently in the final stages of testing.

“Thanks again for your patience while we prepared this update! We have multiple additional patches planned, and we’ll continue to make fixes and adjustments in response to player feedback. In upcoming patches, we plan to address several more common requests and points of feedback,” said the developers. Check out the full patch notes below.

Beast of Reincarnation was released earlier this month, and while our own review for it was quite positive, player response has been divided. We noted that, while the road trip vibes of the title and its immersive atmosphere were great, further bolstered by strong combat systems and endearing character dynamics, performance has been a major issue, with consistent frame drops on the base PS5. The PC version came out to “Mixed” reviews on Steam, and director Kota Furushima has acknowledged the game’s shortcomings and apologized to players.

“First of all, I feel there are still things that need to be addressed honestly and sincerely. We apologize for the parts where you haven’t been able to play comfortably enough.

“On the other hand, I also feel that the parts I wanted to convey as a game have truly reached through. However, to ensure you can enjoy it that much, there are still areas that need improvement, so we want to make sure to improve it.”

Beast of Reincarnation version 1.0.8 patch notes:

• Additional camera changes:
  • Added player camera distance options: Close, Medium, and Far.
  • Various further adjustments to the player camera, both in and out of combat.
    • Camera adjustments will continue as needed in future updates.
  • Adjusted certain in-game cinematic camera cuts.
• Adjusted triggering conditions for events/cutscenes to reduce consecutive cutscene plays when moving between areas.
  • Due to this trigger adjustment, players mid-playthrough may experience duplicate playback for a very small number of event lines.
• Adjusted the return cutscenes after defeating bosses.
• Implemented DLSS 4/4.5 (L/M) and FSR 4 support.
  • Frame generation options are planned to be implemented soon.
• Expanded keybinding options to allow the “Interact” action to be assigned freely to any button or key.
• Expanded keybinding settings to support side buttons on mice that have them.
• Added subtitle size adjustment options: Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large.
  • Selected text size will apply to event and cutscene subtitles. However, for in-game gameplay subtitles outside of cinematics, text size will remain unchanged when set above Medium to prevent overlapping with other UI elements.
• Placed additional objective markers along the progression route in the early story to make navigation clearer.
• Emma no longer takes damage from falling or being partially submerged in water.
• Adjusted water submersion detection.
  • This update applies adjustments to select areas only.
• Adjusted combat behavior for some bosses.
• Increased the damage and HP recovery amounts for Bloom Arts.
• Changed one battle that takes place midway through the Fuji Frontier Zone to a scripted event.
• Attacks from surrounding enemies are now interrupted during Execution and Execution Assist animations.
• Attacks from surrounding enemies are now interrupted during Assassination and Assassination Assist animations.
• Adjusted enemy placement in certain areas.
• Changed target lock-on behavior defaults to “OFF” for Auto-Target (Attack), Auto-Target (Parry), and Auto-Target (Switch).
  • This will not affect players who have already configured these settings. If you wish to change them, please do so manually in the options menu.
• Shortened the main route in the Pilgrim’s Zone.
  • You can now proceed directly to the Belfry without passing through the Cave or Stone Chamber areas.
• Fixed an issue with the cloud streaming version of the game where delayed enemy spawns could block game progression.
• Fixed an issue where performance would lag/drop significantly when activating the “End of the Line” skill mod on the Bloom Art: “Kiku: Bloom Strike.”
• Fixed an issue where unintentional audio/visual noise would appear in certain cutscenes.

Amid this, director Kota Furushima spoke to 4Gamer (translation via Insider-Gaming) and apologized to players. “First of all, I feel there are still things that need to be addressed honestly and sincerely. We apologize for the parts where you haven’t been able to play comfortably enough.

“On the other hand, I also feel that the parts I wanted to convey as a game have truly reached through. However, to ensure you can enjoy it that much, there are still areas that need improvement, so we want to make sure to improve it.”

He went on to thank those currently playing, and noted that, “While you enjoy it, there are still areas that need improvement, and we apologize for making it difficult to play. We want to respond thoroughly going forward while listening to the feedback we receive.”

Of course, fans aren’t the only ones who were less than positive on the action RPG. On Metacritic, it scored a 73 Metascore based on 60 reviews for PS5. Besides technical issues, some noted the bland characterization of its cast, the iffy parrying, and the repetitive nature of some boss fights, especially against the Nushi. You can read all about that here.

While Game Freak hasn’t outlined how it will improve all the gameplay aspects, it confirmed that additional camera adjustments, story improvements, Nvidia DLSS 4/4.5 (L/M) and AMD FSR 4 support, and more are on the way. In the meantime, check out our review for Beast of Reincarnation here – we scored it an 8 out of 10, praising the combat, art direction and exploration, despite various other issues.

This guide for Beast of Reincarnation is a complete listing of all 14 Armors with their locations, as well as a quick look at the few cosmetic skins currently available.

All 14 Armors

Light Gambeson

Unlocked by default.

• 17 Defense
• Low Enemy Awareness
• 5 Spirit Stone Slots

Chain Mail

Chapter 1, within a Strongbox in the vicinity of the Cliff-Facing Tower campsite in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone.

• 25 Defense
• 50 Flame Resist
• Extreme Enemy Awareness
• 4 Spirit Stone Slots

Garb of Tranquility

Chapter 2, within a Strongbox right around the Ruins Slope: Approach campsite in the Ancient Civilization Zone.

• 23 Defense
• 60 Acid Resist
• Nonexistent Enemy Awareness
• 4 Spirit Stone Slots

Thick Cuirass

Chapter 2, within a Strongbox in the vicinity of the Tunnel Ruins: Interior campsite in the Ancient Civilization Zone.

• 29 Defense
• 60 Poison Resist
• Medium Enemy Awareness
• 4 Spirit Stone Slots

Floral Wraps

Chapter 3, within a Strongbox near the Old Sagami Colony: Approach campsite in The Great Wall Terraces.

• 31 Defense
• 50 Acid Resist
• Low Enemy Awareness
• 6 Spirit Stone Slots

Insulating Mail

Chapter 3, within a Strongbox in the Mountain Village in The Great Wall Terraces.

• 32 Defense
• 70 Lightning Resist
• Extreme Enemy Awareness
• 5 Spirit Stone Slots

Leather Garb

Chapter 4, within a Strongbox right next to the Cave Depths campsite in the Pilgrim’s Zone.

• 34 Defense
• 80 Flame Resist
• High Enemy Awareness
• 4 Spirit Stone Slots

Scale Coat

Chapter 5, within a Strongbox around the Ruins Approach campsite in the Matsukawa Zone.

• 31 Defense
• 70 Poison Resist
• Extreme Enemy Awareness
• 5 Spirit Stone Slots

Mirror Guard

Chapter 5, within a Strongbox at the Library Hall of the Matsukawa Colony in the Matsukawa Zone.

• 45 Defense
• 80 Acid Resist
• High Enemy Awareness
• 5 Spirit Stone Slots

Dance Attire

Chapter 6, within a Strongbox located midway between the The Branching Nushi campsite and the Collapsed Pipes: Approach campsite in the Fuji Frontier Zone.

• 39 Defense
• 60 Flame Resist
• 60 Lightning Resist
• Low Enemy Awareness
• 6 Spirit Stone Slots

Amber Breastplate

Chapter 7, within a Strongbox around the cargo containers at the Giant Tree: Root Depths campsite in the very beginning of the Giant Tree Zone.

• 49 Defense
• 90 Acid Resist
• Extreme Enemy Awareness
• 6 Spirit Stone Slots

Silver Cuirass

Chapter 7, within a Strongbox located inside a massive nest around the Cableway – Line 2: Terminal Stop campsite in the Giant Tree Zone.

• 52 Defense
• 60 Lightning Resist
• 60 Poison Resist
• Medium Enemy Awareness
• 5 Spirit Stone Slots

Ornate Robe

Chapter 8, within a Strongbox near a gate control panel at the fortress in the Crater Zone.

• 54 Defense
• 80 Flame Resist
• 80 Lightning Resist
• Low Enemy Awareness
• 5 Spirit Stone Slots

God Tree Guard

Chapter 12, within a Strongbox located between two stairways around the Sewage Works: Ingress in The Capital.

• 59 Defense
• 80 Acid Resist
• 80 Poison Resist
• High Enemy Awareness
• 6 Spirit Stone Slots

All Cosmetic Skins

Purifier’s Garb

Unlocked by default for Emma

Oni’s Hat

Exclusively unlocked for Emma through the Deluxe Edition DLC.

Black Shiba Skin

Exclusively unlocked for Koo through the Deluxe Edition DLC.

Brown Shiba Skin

Exclusively unlocked for Koo through the Deluxe Edition DLC, or for Pre-Orders.

Those are all the Armors and cosmetic skins to be found in Beast of Reincarnation.

This guide for Beast of Reincarnation is a complete listing of all 22 Swords, as well as both bows and the projectiles that can be used with them, and their respective abilities and effects.

All 22 Swords

Mechblade (Standard)

Unlocked by default.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Slash

Purifier

Unlocked by default.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Slash

Cirrus Sword

Chapter 1, obtained from the Retired Gatekeeper at the Nushi’s Lair: Gate Approach campsite in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Impact

Mechblade (Light)

Chapter 1, in the tent atop the Ruined Tower in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Rupture

Purity

Chapter 2, either purchased for 4,390 Amber from the Ancient Golem in the Ancient Civilization Zone, or from Brad.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Slash

Mechblade (Heavy)

Chapter 2, post-Lacerta, in the Reservoir in the Ancient Civilization Zone.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Impact

Thunderwave Sword

Chapter 2, upon defeating the Agile Golem in the Ancient Civilization Zone.

Melee Attack: 21

Element: Electric

Bell Sword

Chapter 3, either purchased for 5,850 Amber from Golems after The Great Wall Terraces, or from Brad

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Impact

Hunter’s Sword

Chapter 3, obtained from the Storyteller Golem at the Great Forest: Entrance campsite in The Great Wall Terraces.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Poison

Sunrise Sword

Chapter 4, at the start of the Pilgrim’s Zone in the vicinity of the Scorched Grasslands campsite.

Melee Attack: 21

Element: Flame

Resonance Sword

Chapter 5, within a cave in the Matsukawa Zone.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Slash

Hazebringer

Chapter 5, in a cage at Matsukawa Colony in the Matsukawa Zone.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Acid

Shark Cutter

Chapter 6, in the vicinity of the Bridge Control Room: Approach campsite in the Fuji Frontier Zone.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Slash

Fall Thunder

Chapter 7, upon defeating the boss in the Giant Tree Zone.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Electric

First Moon

Chapter 7, obtained from a Curious Golem in the Giant Tree Zone.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Slash

Spring Storm

Chapter 8, atop the platform in the centre accessible via the Lake Base: Interior campsite in the Crater Zone.

Melee Attack: 21

Element: Rupture

Winterwake

Chapter 8, either purchased for 9,750 Amber from Golems after the Crater Zone, or from the Cleanse Walker.

Melee Attack: 21

Element: Rupture

Silverlight

Chapter 9, in the center of the circular area just prior to the boss in the Inukami River Zone.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Slash

Black Blossom

Chapter 12, obtained automatically at the start of The Capital.

Melee Attack: 21

Element: Slash

Camellia

Chapter 12, upon defeating Kunai and Kirin, obtained from within the Cleanse Walker.

Melee Attack: 21

Element: Impact

Kanzashi

Unlocked in New Game+.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Slash

Big Dipper

Exclusively unlocked through the Deluxe Edition DLC.

Melee Attack: 27

Element: Slash

All Ranged Weapons

Spring Thunder Crossbow

Unlocked by default.

Ranged Attack: 20

Reload Speed: 1.0-1.4

Zangetsu Bow

Chapter 1, after defeating some Golems while in search of the Foreman.

Ranged Attack: 200

Draw Time: 1.0

All Arrows

Acid Arrows

Arrows fitted with tubes of acid. Inflicts enemies with corrosion.

Ranged Attack: 49

Element: Acid

Corrosion Buildup: 50

Limit: 5

Arrows

Arrows that excel at dealing raw damage, especially upon enemy weak spots.

Ranged Attack: 97

Element: Ranged

Limit: 10

Explosive Arrows

Arrows fitted with explosives and a movement sensor. Explodes when enemies draw near.

Ranged Attack: 97

Element: Explosive

Limit: 3

Fire Arrows

Arrows dipped in an incendiary agent. Inflicts enemies with burn.

Ranged Attack: 49

Element: Flame

Flame Buildup: 50

Limit: 5

Poison Arrows

Arrows fitted with tubes of toxins. Inflicts enemies with poison.

Ranged Attack: 49

Element: Poison

Poison Buildup: 50

Limit: 5

Thunder Arrows

Arrows fitted with a charged stone. Inflicts enemies with shock.

Ranged Attack: 49

Element: Electric

Lightning Buildup: 50

Limit: 5

All Bolts

Acid Bolts

Bolts fitted with tubes of acid. Inflicts enemies with corrosion.

Ranged Attack: 4

Element: Acid

Corrosion Buildup: 10

Limit: 12

Bolts

Bolts suited for firing in quick succession. Deals high damage to weak spots.

Ranged Attack: 5

Element: Ranged

Limit: 24

Explosive Bolts

Bolts fitted with explosives and a movement sensor. Explodes when enemies draw near.

Ranged Attack: 10

Element: Explosive

Limit: 8

Fire Bolts

Bolts dipped in an incendiary agent. Inflicts enemies with burn.

Ranged Attack: 4

Element: Flame

Flame Buildup: 10

Limit: 12

Lightning Bolts

Bolts fitted with a charged stone. Inflicts enemies with shock.

Ranged Attack: 4

Element: Electric

Lightning Buildup: 10

Limit: 12

That is every single weapon and projectile to be found in Beast of Reincarnation.

You can expect further adjustments to both in the future, besides changes to the “cutscene experience.” The developer didn’t provide too many details on what the latter could mean, but the story pacing has seen one interesting change. Affinity-building conversations are now limited to once daily, so you won’t face multiple in a row when returning to the Cleanse Walker.

Other notable changes include Performance now being the default cutscene setting instead of Cinematic. The “interact” button can also be remapped, and the parry window has been adjusted. If that wasn’t enough, balance changes have been made to enemies on Normal difficulty. Regardless of which difficulty you’re on, bosses have also seen balance adjustments.

Check out the full patch notes below. Game Freak reaffirmed that it has multiple patches planned and will implement features like DLSS 4, FSR 4, and even DLSS 4.5 (L/M). Stay tuned for more details on that front in the coming weeks.

Beast of Reincarnation is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out our review here.

Beast of Reincarnation PC Patch Notes (v1.0.7)

• Various adjustments to the player camera, both in and out of combat.
• Additional camera adjustments will be made going forward.
• Adjustments to text size throughout the game.
• Further text size adjustments are being planned.
• Story pacing has been slightly adjusted by ensuring that some of the affinity-building conversations that could occur multiple times in a row are now limited to once per day.
• Additional updates are being planned to further improve cutscene experience. We will share more details as soon as possible.
• The default cinematic cutscene setting has been changed from Cinematic to Performance mode. This means that cutscenes will not longer play at 24fps by default, though the option is still available.
• Please note that if you already have this option set to Cinematic, changing it to Performance will apply this change going forward.
• Players can now change the mapping of the “interact” button in settings.
• Adjustments to the parry window when Emma is taking damage.
• Fixed a bug where, if the interact button is mapped to the square/X button, pressing it during the story event where you talk to Kagura on the Walker would incorrectly prioritize “rest until morning”, preventing you from talking to Kagura.
• Various balance adjustments to bosses across all difficulty levels.
• Various balance adjustments to enemy encounters on Normal difficulty.
• Fixed a bug causing button icon type changes to not be saved correctly.
• Fixed a bug causing upscaling settings to reset upon restarting the game.
• Fixed a bug related to V-Sync. Changing V-sync settings will no longer impact the player’s resolution settings.
• Various additional bug fixes including: Fixed an issue where the 6th golem in Subcity 01 was difficult to find and fixed an issue where Emma becomes unable to interact if a Bloom Art is cancelled.

This guide for Beast of Reincarnation is all about farming Skill Points as quickly and efficiently as possible, with minimum effort.

Skill Point Farming Loop

The simplest way to farm for Skill Points is to make use of the Rest mechanic at a Campsite where a manageable number of low-level enemies can be found in close proximity. This allows you to exterminate them and then visit the Campsite to Rest, thereby instantly resetting the same mob for successive rounds. In the unlikely event that you actually sustain damage, it will be healed right up as well.

Each kill is worth a Skill Point, allowing you to rack them up quite easily just by repeatedly slaughtering the same mob spawn with minimal effort.

An excellent Campsite farm for Skill Points can be found in the Matsukawa Zone of the Mountainous Region, specifically the Ruins: Outskirts fast travel point. You can find a spawn of four rat/rodent enemies right near the Campsite, within firing distance. The best case scenario will have you killing them all and resetting them within twenty seconds, while earning you four Skill Points for the effort.

A very early Campsite farm for Skill Points is in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone of the Kanto Region, at the Upstream fast travel point. The enemies here are not as easy as the rats, and you yourself will not be quite leveled enough to make quick work of them.

You will need to tweak your build, whether Skills or Spirit Stones, in order to speed up kills on regular mobs. The ideal weapon you wield would be ranged rather than melee, so as to spare yourself the need to run around hacking away at enemies, and then back again to the Campsite. Be sure to make use of Enhance Equipment to buff your preferred choice of Weapons and Projectiles as well, for maximum damage output.

That is how to farm Skill Points as fast as possible in Beast of Reincarnation.