RAIDOU Remastered Review: The Mystery of the Soulless Army

Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army is the third entry in the Devil Summoner series, part of the Megami Tensei franchise. The game was first released by Atlus for the PlayStation 2 in 2006. Different from the previous series that featured turn-based RPG gameplay, this game introduced an Action-RPG mechanic, where the main character, Raidou, fought alongside two Devil Summons in an arena. This innovation gave the MegaTen series a fresh feel.

Now, Atlus presents a remastered version titled RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army for modern platforms. This remaster offers improved graphics, audio, combat system, and various Quality of Life (QoL) features that enrich the gaming experience without losing the essence of the original game. Let's take a look at the exciting things to be found in this remastered version.

Spoiler warning: This review contains some story details and mechanics from the advanced parts of the game.

The Story of Raidou Kuzunoha, Protector of the Capital City from Invisible Threats

Set in fictional Japan in the Taishou period, the main character has just received the title of Raidou Kuzunoha XIV after passing an exam in his village. Raidou is then stationed by the mysterious organization Yatagarasu in the capital city as a protector against supernatural threats. To disguise his real duties, Raidou along with his cat, Gouto-Douji, work as assistants in Shohei Narumi's detective office.

One day, Raidou and Narumi received a request from a client named Kaya Daidoji, a girl from a prominent family. Kaya surprisingly asks them to kill her. Before further explanation, two red-robed warriors kidnap Kaya and fight Raidou. After managing to escape, Raidou and Narumi begin an investigation to find Kaya.

Raidou searches for clues by interviewing Kaya's classmates. However, the investigation is interrupted when one of Kaya's friends is kidnapped by a demon. Raidou enters the world of "Dark Tokyo", a dark version of Tokyo, where demons roam free. The adventure takes Raidou to various locations, from mansions to mysterious shrines to military bases.

In terms of story, RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army offers an interesting plot, especially the story development at the end which is full of surprises. However, the pacing of the story feels less than optimal as many concepts are not explored in depth due to the limited duration of the game.

In addition to the main story, there are side quests called case files that correspond to Raidou's role as an assistant detective. These side quests vary from finding items to solving mysteries. To complete the side quests, players are advised to regularly check the case files in the menu.

Combat Gameplay: Simple Yet Challenging

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is highly recommended to be played with a gamepad for ease of control. The Action-RPG mechanic in this game is the first in the MegaTen series, with Raidou fighting using a sword (light and heavy attacks) and the help of demon summons. Skills are divided into Raidou and demon skills, where the use of demon skills consumes a resource called MAG. Unlike MP in other MegaTen series, MAG here is filled with landing light attacks on enemies, so players must time attacks and dodges simultaneously.

Raidou can jump and perform dodge rolls to avoid enemy attacks, especially fatal attacks from bosses. Each boss battle has a unique attack pattern, making the combat gameplay challenging and not easy to master.

Exploiting enemy weaknesses remains the key to victory, just like in the rest of the MegaTen series. Raidou and demons can use elemental skills to stun enemies, but on bosses, enemies have elemental shields that must be destroyed first. Skill selection on demons and Raidou is very influential in battle.

Exploration of the Capital City in the Taishou Era

The Taishou period is rarely brought up in games, so players are presented with a unique experience with a Japanese feel influenced by western culture. This can be seen in the architecture of the buildings, the clothing of the NPCs, and the use of taxis. Interaction with NPCs is also dynamic, following the development of the story, so the world in the game feels alive and immersive.

In exploration, Raidou is supported by demons with unique investigation skills, such as reading NPCs' minds, retrieving hard-to-reach items, and changing NPCs' moods. Demons can also conduct independent investigations in areas that Raidou cannot access.

Strengthening the Demon Team: Capture and Combine New Demons

Like other MegaTen games, the demon system is very important in this game. Raidou uses tubes to capture demons that will become partners in exploration and combat. The process of capturing demons is simpler than other games: weaken the demon, use the confinement skill, then press the button as prompted until the bar is full.

The number of tubes increases with Raidou's rank, which is affected by demon loyalty. Demons have exp to level up and loyalty exp that unlocks passive skills. Loyal demons will always follow orders. To speed up the process, sake items are available.

Raidou can also strengthen demons in Goumaden by merging two demons. The new demon will inherit the active and passive skills of the demon used. The number of demons that can be collected in the remastered version has increased from 70+ to 120+. The registry system allows players to summon registered demons using in-game money.

The premium registry feature in this remaster allows the registration of demons with different skill sets. It is recommended to create demons with different roles, as Raidou can now summon two demons at once, for example one attacker and one support.

Faithful to the Original Graphics and Audio Updates

The graphical improvements in RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army are significant. Sharper textures, wider 3D environments, modern UI, and pre-rendered cutscenes are a feast for the eyes. Even so, the retro feel of classic MegaTen is still felt.

Audio-wise, this remaster comes with full voice over (VO) in Japanese and English. The soundtrack is pleasant to listen to, especially during combat. However, the limited number of songs makes the repetition feel fast, especially when grinding.

As a remaster of a classic game, RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army has a number of advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered when playing:

Conclusion

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a remaster worth playing for old fans and new players alike, especially for those who have never tried the Devil Summoner series. Despite some shortcomings, the exciting combat gameplay, visuals, and immersive audio make this game highly recommended. This game also offers nostalgic value for MegaTen fans who have played the original version on PS2.

With an overall score of 4/5, this game is perfect to play in your spare time or when you want to experience a classic ARPG. For the best experience, playing on a handheld PC such as ROG Ally, Steamdeck, Legion Go, and the like is recommended. The game is also available on other platforms such as PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S (physical edition for PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X).

Pros

• The graphics and audio are stunning, creating an immersive atmosphere.
• An interesting story with unexpected plot twists.
• Many QoL features, including quicksaves in various places.
• High replayability value thanks to new difficulty modes. The variety of demons increases, providing freedom of strategy.

Disadvantages

• The main story is quite short, pacing is not good, some aspects are less explored.
• Some features remain difficult to access despite the new UI, especially for solo investigation demons during puzzles.
• It takes more time to grind demon levels and loyalty, especially with the number of demons increasing.