Getting your hands on a good remaster can be hit or miss these days. Some games get the bare minimum treatment with just a visual polish, while others receive the full makeover they deserve. RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army falls firmly into the latter category, delivering improvements so significant that it feels almost like playing a completely new game. In this review of RAIDOU Remastered, we’ll explore how this 2006 PlayStation 2 classic has been transformed for modern audiences, covering everything from its unique detective premise to its completely overhauled combat system.

A Different Kind of Demon Hunter

The Raidou series stands out as something special within the Shin Megami Tensei universe. While most SMT games drop you into dark, post-apocalyptic worlds, Raidou takes place in 1930s Japan during the Taisho era. Instead of surviving the end times, you’re playing detective in a bustling capital city.

You take on the role of Raidou Kuzunoha XIV – and here’s something interesting that many players don’t realize. “Raidou Kuzunoha” isn’t actually a person’s name, but rather a title passed down through generations of demon summoners from the Kuzunoha clan. Our protagonist is the 14th person to earn this prestigious title after completing grueling trials.

The setup is genuinely compelling: Raidou lives a double life as both a student and a detective at the Narumi Detective Agency, all while secretly protecting the capital from demonic threats. The story kicks off with the mysterious kidnapping of a schoolgirl named Kaya Daidoji, which quickly spirals into a much larger conspiracy.

The game unfolds like a classic detective TV series, with each chapter presenting its own case while building toward the bigger picture. This episodic approach works well for pacing, though the storytelling does have some rough edges. Character development feels somewhat shallow, and certain story transitions happen too quickly – for instance, we never see how Raidou actually joins the detective agency, making some character introductions feel rushed.

That said, the game makes up for these shortcomings with full voice acting that extends even to minor side characters. This attention to detail really helps bring the world to life and keeps you engaged without having to click through endless text boxes.

Combat Gets a Complete Overhaul

Here’s where the remaster truly shines. The original Raidou game was often criticized for its repetitive and limited combat system. The developers clearly took this feedback to heart, because the combat improvements are nothing short of remarkable.

The changes are immediately noticeable – everything moves faster, attacks look more impressive, and most importantly, you have way more options. The remaster adds manual pistol aiming, enemy lock-on targeting, and a MAG Drain system that lets you restore mana during fights to keep the action flowing smoothly.

Raidou himself feels much more capable now. He can perform devastating finishing moves like Devil’s Bane on weakened enemies, and unleash the visually spectacular Spirit Slash as his ultimate attack. The game also gives you access to all skill slots during combat, letting you customize your playstyle completely. Plus, you can now bring two demons into battle instead of just one, opening up much more strategic depth.

The addition of a free-moving camera during combat might sound minor, but it’s a game-changer. Being able to look around and position yourself strategically makes fights feel much more dynamic and engaging.

Two Worlds to Explore

Gameplay splits between two main activities: investigating mysteries in the real world and hunting demons in the Dark Realm. The Dark Realm serves as an alternate version of the capital city that’s overrun with demons. You access it through the Nameless Shrine, where a character named Yatagarasu performs the Ritual of Entry to let you in.

Think of the Dark Realm as your main dungeon area for grinding experience and advancing the story. You can also find Aril Rifts scattered throughout the regular city – these are quick portal encounters that offer better rewards than normal fights and are perfect for short grinding sessions.

Unfortunately, the real-world investigation segments don’t quite live up to their potential. While it’s cool that you can use demon partners for unique tasks like reading minds or sneaking around invisibly, there’s no actual detective work required from the player. As long as you bring the right demon with the right ability, the game just moves forward automatically. This makes the mystery-solving feel pretty shallow compared to what you might expect from a detective-themed game.

Demon Collecting Gets an Upgrade

No SMT game would be complete without demon collection and fusion, and the remaster delivers major improvements here too. The demon roster has expanded from 70 to over 120 creatures, giving you way more variety to work with. The fusion system is deeper, demons can now learn passive skills, and there’s a Premium Devil Chart that lets you register multiple versions of the same demon type.

One of the best changes is that demons can now gain experience even when they’re not actively fighting. Combined with the ability to bring two demons into battle, this makes team building much more flexible and rewarding.

The demon AI is surprisingly smart too. Your partners will exploit enemy weaknesses, heal you at just the right moments, and draw enemy fire when needed. Fighting without demons makes Raidou feel genuinely vulnerable, which really emphasizes how important these partnerships are.

Fusion still happens through Goumaden with the help of Dr. Victor, but the process is much more streamlined now. There’s even a new Sword Alchemy system that lets you upgrade Raidou’s weapon and unlock more abilities.

A Fresh Coat of Paint and Modern Conveniences

The visual improvements are more impressive than you might expect from a remaster. While the original used pre-rendered backgrounds, the remaster features a fully 3D-rendered capital city that you can explore freely. Character models keep their original charm but with much cleaner textures and sharper details. The UI has been given Atlus’s signature stylish treatment while keeping the original layout intact.

Quality-of-life improvements are where the remaster really shows its modern sensibilities. You get flexible quicksave and autosave options, a helpful minimap with objective markers, fast travel via Express Streetcars, and a new “Sleuth” difficulty mode that removes game overs entirely for maximum accessibility.

Verdict

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army goes well beyond what most remasters attempt to achieve. Instead of just polishing up an old game, it fixes the original’s biggest problems and adds substantial new content. The combat improvements alone make this feel like a completely different game, and all the quality-of-life additions make it much more approachable for modern players.

While the investigation gameplay remains somewhat shallow and the story could use more character depth, these issues don’t significantly detract from what is overall an excellent package. This remaster serves as a great entry point for anyone curious about the SMT universe but looking for something different from the usual post-apocalyptic fare.

For longtime fans, this release might just be good enough to convince Atlus that there’s still interest in the Raidou series – and maybe, just maybe, we’ll finally get that third game that fans have been waiting for.