the saga Shin Megami Tensei It has many faces: from the apocalyptic theological confrontations of nocturnal, even the stylized social dilemmas of Person. But among his strangest, most ambitious and unique titles, is Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army, originally released for PS2 in 2006. With this remastering, Atlus recovers a game that, although it never had the massive reach of other installments, offered something that no other series of contemporary RPGs managed to fully replicate: A fusion between supernatural detective novel, real-time action and Japanese mythology, all framed in an alternative version of Japan from the 1920s.
Raidou Remastered left a mark
The new version — which feels more like a polished remastering than a complete remake — comes to PS5 with modest visual improvements, non-existent load times and very welcome quality of life adjustments. And although the passage of time has left visible traces in some of its mechanics, Raidou Remastered It is still a fascinating, absorbing and strangely endearing experience.
It is important to mention that, although it is a remastering designed for a state-of-the-art console, it is not pertinent to review a game with criteria, considerations and demands with which it would be made for a recent development title. That is, it was reviewed thinking about the work that was done on the improvements of the game as far as possible.
History: A demonic detective in a boiling city
The game puts us in the shoes of Raidou Kuzunoha XIV, the youngest of an old line of “Devil Summoners”, demon summoners who operate from the shadows to maintain the balance between the human and spiritual world. His role is more than mystical: Raidou works undercover as an assistant to Detective Narumi at the Narumi Detective Agency, in the fictional Tsukudo-cho district, in the imperial capital of Japan. The setting, strongly inspired by the Taishō period (1912-1926), is a delight: a Japan halfway between Western modernity and ancient traditions, with trams, jazz, military with imposing jackets and a strong dose of mysticism.
The plot shoots up when a young woman in a state of desperation arrives at the agency and asks Raidou to kill her. From this seemingly isolated event, a complex story that involves Military experiments with the human soul, , A secret unit called the Soulless Army, , Manipulation of dimensions and time, and mysterious figures that oscillate between the mythical and the scientific.
One of the most interesting aspects is that the game deals with issues such as state control, nationalism, dehumanization in the name of progress and the ambiguity of spiritual power. But all this is shown through a detective adventure filter, where every clue and every conversation help weave a bigger puzzle.
Gameplay: Action with tactical touches, exploration and demonology In Raidou
Unlike other SMT titles, Raidou Remastered Abandon the fight in turns and bet on a Real-time action system. When an encounter with enemies occurs, a delimited “battlefield” is entered. Raidou can attack with his sword, use his revolver to weaken enemies, dodge, block and—most importantly— Summon demons for them to fight by their side. It is a gameplay quite close to a hack and slash, only less frenetic and more thought about merging strategy and action.
You can only have one active demon at the beginning (after two), and each has unique combat and exploration abilities. Some are better in magic, others in physical combat, and many have special abilities out of battle: reading the mind of NPCs, teleporting, unlocking hidden zones, or floating over rivers.
The combat system, although innovative for its time, It feels somewhat stiff and repetitive today. Demons sometimes have limited AI and don’t always respond as they should, and Raidou’s control lacks the fluidity that other more modern ARPGs offer. However, there is a layer of strategy in knowing what the hell to use against which enemies, when to fuse them, and how to combine them to get new skills.
The Demon Fusion It is still one of the pillars of the game, as in all SMT. You can fuse demons with unpredictable results, inheriting skills and finding new companions with useful skills for both combat and exploration. This adds depth and a lot of replayability.
Exploration and research: an alternative Japan full of secrets
out of the fight, Raidou Remastered It shines in its facet of interactive and investigative novel. Unlike today’s open worlds, here the scenarios are more limited, but Dense in narrative and atmosphere. Walking through the city’s neighborhoods, talking to merchants, supernatural interrogations, and finding clues or extravagant characters are an essential part of the experience.
Also included are segments where you should choose what to say or what action to take. This dynamic can affect the course of certain events or access to certain areas or demons. In addition, demons can influence the development of research: one can read the mind of a suspect, another can infiltrate a disguised military base.
All this is accompanied by an atmosphere full of symbolism, Japanese folklore and twisted science. You will have references to both Yokai and Japan’s militaristic obsession in the first half of the 20th century.
Technical aspect and improvements in PS5
Visually, remastering remains True to the artistic style of the original version. It has improvements in resolution, cleaner textures and a slightly more polished interface. It is not a reconstruction from scratch as Person 3 Reload. It is a functional remastering that looks good on modern screens.
Sega and Atlus did a remarkable job on the charts. Don’t expect to find state-of-the-art graphics, but you do have a decent and stable job on the FPS. This is excellent, especially in the most saturated parts, as in battles. A lot of color and magic that contrasts with the dark of the scenarios and the enemies, achieving quality work.
On PS5, the game benefits greatly from almost instant load times. An improvement that makes the experience much more fluid, especially when you enter and go out of battle. have also been added Quick save features, Autosave and combat speed adjustments, which allows you to adapt the experience to the player’s taste.
The audio has been remastered more clearly in Raidou. The music composed by Shoji Meguro is one of the strongest points. Mix dark jazz, swing, traditional Japanese sounds and synthesizers. This manages to create a unique sound setting, ideal for the detective and supernatural tones of the game. If this title has been rescued to this day, it definitely owes enough to the incredible music. There is no English dubbing, all the voices are in Japanese, which enhances the immersion at the time.
Duration, difficulty and replayability
The main story can be completed in a 30 to 40 hours. If you decide to explore everything, get all the demons and make the most complex fusions, you can easily exceed 60 hours. The game includes New Game+, where you can keep demons, objects and progress. This encourages new games with different elections.
Conclusion: Is Raidou Remastered worth it today?
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army It is a time capsule: an action RPG that wanted to be different at the time, and that today returns with enough dignity to deserve attention. Although his combat system has not aged well, his Envelope atmosphere, mature story, memorable characters and demonic mechanics They assure you a special place in the hearts of those who value unique experiences.
For fans of Shin Megami Tensei, it is a must buy. For those who enjoy Anime Noir, Japanese mysticism and plots with a conspiracy flavor, too. If you are looking for a modern, fast and fluid action RPG, it may not be the ideal title, but if you are willing to look beyond the old-fashioned graphics or mechanics, You will meet a jewel that deserves to be rediscovered. Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army It will be available from June 19, 2025 for all platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2.
