The Red Key in Beast of Reincarnation is a required story item in Chapter 1. A lot of players go looking for it across the map after finding a locked door in the Abandoned Village early on. The good news is you do not need to hunt for it at all. It is handed to you automatically as part of the main quest. This guide explains exactly when you get it, what it opens, and what you should do with it before moving on.
- The Red Key is given to you automatically during Chapter 1 — no searching required.
- You receive it from the Retired Gatekeeper when you reach the locked entrance to the Nushi’s Lair.
- It has two uses: one for the Nushi’s Lair gate and one for an optional locked door in the Abandoned Village.
- You need all three keys — Red, Blue, and Yellow — to open the Nushi’s Lair.
- The Red Key cannot be missed.
Where To Find The Red Key In Beast of Reincarnation
The Red Key is located in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone, the first major area of the game. You do not need to find it by exploring. It is given to Emma automatically by the Retired Gatekeeper once you approach the large locked gate leading to the Nushi’s Lair during the main quest.
The campsite nearest to where this happens is the Nushi’s Lair: Gate Approach campsite. When Emma walks up to the massive sealed gate, a scripted scene triggers. The Retired Gatekeeper hands over the Red Key and tells you that the door requires two more keys — the Blue Key and the Yellow Key — which are marked on your map afterward.
There is no puzzle to solve, no chest to open, and no enemy to defeat beforehand to get the Red Key itself. Just follow the Chapter 1 story quest and you will receive it naturally.
How To Get The Red Key Step By Step
If you are not sure where you are in the story, here is the exact sequence of events that leads to the Red Key.
- Play through Chapter 1 and follow the main quest objective markers through the Ogouchi Buffer Zone.
- After your first encounter with the Nushi (the chapter’s main boss), it retreats to its lair and you are tasked with following it.
- Following the main waypoint brings you to a large locked gate that blocks the path forward.
- A scripted scene plays involving the Retired Gatekeeper standing near the gate.
- The Retired Gatekeeper hands Emma the Red Key automatically and explains that the door requires three keys to open.
- The locations of the Blue Key and Yellow Key are then marked on your map.
That is all there is to it. If you do not have the Red Key yet, you simply have not progressed far enough in Chapter 1. Keep following the main quest and you will receive it without any extra effort.
What Does The Red Key Unlock In Beast of Reincarnation?
The Red Key has two uses in Beast of Reincarnation. One is required for story progression. The other is optional but worth doing.
Use 1 — The Nushi’s Lair Gate (Required)
The main purpose of the Red Key is to help unlock the large sealed gate leading to the Nushi’s Lair. This gate has three locks, one for each key. You need all three before the door opens. Once you also have the Blue Key and Yellow Key, return to the gate where you received the Red Key and the path forward will unlock, letting you continue Chapter 1.
Use 2 — The Abandoned Village Locked Door (Optional)
Earlier in Chapter 1, when you first visit the Abandoned Village, there is a locked door inside one of the buildings that you cannot open at the time. That door takes the Red Key. Once you receive the key from the Retired Gatekeeper, you can backtrack to the Abandoned Village and open it.
Behind the door is a Strongbox containing 558 Amber and an Ancient Book. It is a quick and easy detour. The Abandoned Village is not far from the Nushi’s Lair area, and it is worth grabbing this loot before you push through the gate since the game moves the story forward once you do. If you want to pick up the game, it is available on PlayStation Store, Xbox, and Steam.
Where To Find The Blue Key In Beast of Reincarnation
After receiving the Red Key, the Blue Key is the easier of the two remaining keys to grab. Its location is marked on your map automatically.
The Blue Key is at a Lookout Shack northeast of the Subcity 03 entrance. You will see a red pillar in the distance marking the exact spot. To reach it, you need to cross a large gap using Emma’s Hair traversal ability, so make sure you have that unlocked before heading up. Once you cross and reach the other side, approach the purple glowing object on the ground to pick up the Blue Key. There is no enemy fight required for this one.
The Blue Key also has a secondary optional use: it opens a locked door next to the warehouse east of the River Fork campsite, behind which sits another Strongbox.
Where To Find The Yellow Key In Beast of Reincarnation
The Yellow Key is the hardest of the three to get. Its location is also marked on your map after you receive the Red Key, but reaching it takes more steps than the other two.
Head to Tailwater Village in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone and make your way to the cave entrance on the northern edge of the village. Inside the cave, a Grizzly Malefact is guarding the area. This is a mini-boss — not a full story boss, but it hits hard for this early point in the game. Defeat it to earn the Tailwater Key.
Continue deeper into the cave until you reach a locked door. Use the Tailwater Key to open it. Inside the next room is a Golem. Speak with it to receive the Yellow Key.
The Yellow Key also has an optional use: it opens a locked building north of the river in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone, which contains another Strongbox.
How To Open The Nushi’s Lair After Getting All Three Keys
Once you have the Red Key, Blue Key, and Yellow Key in your inventory, return to the large sealed gate near the Nushi’s Lair: Gate Approach campsite — the same location where the Retired Gatekeeper handed you the Red Key. Interact with the gate and all three locks will release, opening the path into the Nushi’s Lair and letting you continue the main story of Chapter 1.
Before you go in, take a moment to handle any optional Strongboxes you have not opened yet. The Abandoned Village Red Key door, the Blue Key door near the River Fork warehouse, and the Yellow Key door north of the river are all worth checking off first. You can return after the story advances too — nothing in Beast of Reincarnation is permanently missable — but clearing them now saves backtracking.
What To Do Before Opening The Nushi’s Lair
Since all three keys have optional secondary uses around the Ogouchi Buffer Zone, it is worth making a short loop before walking through the gate. Here is a quick checklist:
- Red Key door in the Abandoned Village — Strongbox with 558 Amber and an Ancient Book.
- Blue Key door near the River Fork warehouse — Strongbox loot east of the campsite.
- Yellow Key door north of the river — Strongbox in the locked building.
- Check your map for any campsites, Keeper Golems, or Strongboxes you may have skipped. This is the first zone of the game and a good one to complete before moving on.
If you have already finished the Ogouchi Buffer Zone and are heading into Chapter 2, our guide on the Ancient Civilization Zone in Beast of Reincarnation covers every campsite, sword, and collectible in the next area. And if you want to know every trophy tied to Chapter 1 and beyond, the complete Beast of Reincarnation achievements guide has a full breakdown of all 46 trophies with tips for each one. For an overall look at how the game has been received, check out the Beast of Reincarnation review scores.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Get The Red Key In Beast of Reincarnation?
The Red Key is given to you automatically by the Retired Gatekeeper during Chapter 1 when you reach the locked entrance leading to the Nushi’s Lair. You do not need to search for it — just follow the main quest.
Can You Miss The Red Key?
No. The Red Key is tied directly to the main story and cannot be permanently missed. If you do not have it yet, continue progressing through Chapter 1 until the scripted scene with the Retired Gatekeeper triggers.
What Does The Red Key Open In Beast of Reincarnation?
The Red Key has two uses. It is required alongside the Blue Key and Yellow Key to unlock the Nushi’s Lair gate. It also opens an optional locked door in the Abandoned Village from earlier in Chapter 1, which contains a Strongbox with 558 Amber and an Ancient Book.
Do You Need All Three Keys To Enter The Nushi’s Lair?
Yes. The gate leading to the Nushi’s Lair requires all three keys — Red, Blue, and Yellow. The Red Key is handed to you automatically. The Blue Key is found at a Lookout Shack northeast of Subcity 03. The Yellow Key is obtained from a Golem inside the cave north of Tailwater Village, after defeating the Grizzly Malefact mini-boss for the Tailwater Key first.
What Is The Order To Get The Keys In Beast of Reincarnation?
You always get the Red Key first — it comes from the story automatically. After that, both the Blue Key and Yellow Key locations are marked on your map. The Blue Key is easier and closer, so most players grab it second. The Yellow Key requires an extra step — defeating a mini-boss for the Tailwater Key first — making it the most involved of the three.
Where Is The Retired Gatekeeper In Beast of Reincarnation?
The Retired Gatekeeper is found near the Nushi’s Lair: Gate Approach campsite in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone. You will reach this NPC naturally by following the Chapter 1 main quest after your first encounter with the Nushi.
