Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Reviews
Everything a fan could want, but maybe not enough to win over newcomers.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is not only a mouthful to say out loud, but it's also a remaster packed with meaningful quality-of-life
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army sets a new standard for remasters by offering more improvements and upgrades than many games that bill themselves as full remakes. As someone who never played the original, it feels like I'm playing a modern Shin Megami Tensei title, even though it still has many of the tell-tale signs of a 2000s game. I don't know how the game could have been playable without such a smooth combat system and the countless quality of life features.
There's a fair bit of tedious backtracking and the detective segments don't require that much actual sleuthing, but those flaws are overshadowed by great art direction, exceptional combat, an addictive demon fusion system, and lots of rewarding, engaging content.
Raidou Remastered is an enjoyable MegaTen curio that needs a few more ideas to give its real-time combat any lasting appeal.
A bright and bombastic remaster of a cult classic that modern SMT fans need to play.
Atlus put so much effort in this new rendition of one of its most obscure PS2-era gems, with significant changes to both the combat system and many other aspects of the gameplay. This is, overall, the best version of the game by far, but a lacking partner AI and by the numbers side quests move Raidou Remastered away from the best of Atlus long-running production.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The remaster’s quality-of-life improvements, like streamlined menus and faster load times, are appreciated, but they can’t fully mask the game’s age. The story, while interesting with its mix of occult conspiracies and historical intrigue, unfolds at a sluggish pace, and the cast, outside of Raidou and Gouto, lacks depth to carry emotional weight. Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a solid effort to revive a niche gem, and its unique setting and demon-collecting hooks still shine. The repetitive and stiff combat and uneven pacing keep it from greatness, but it's still come a long way from its PlayStation 2 origins. It’s a nostalgic trip worth taking for Shin Megami Tensei fans or those curious about its lesser-known corners, but it’s not quite the rousing action game it could be.
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army not only brings back a classic but reverently improves on it. The updated graphics and voice work create a more in-depth story from the original, and thankfully the Switch 2 can handle every aspect with little to no frame drops. With a fancy new move set and an extra battle partner to boot, solving the Capital’s supernatural threats is more refined than ever before. Set your pace with any difficulty and join Raidou Kuzunoha XIV and his trusty black cat to solve the case!
Overworld exploration and combat have both had their edges sanded down to the point that they're a little too frictionless, and I think some of the magic has been lost as a result. It's a detective game where I never felt like a detective, and an action game where the action felt simple on all but the hardest difficulties. It's certainly a fun game, the period piece vibes are immaculate, and I hope it's successful enough to lead to a remaster of the sequel that my sister tells me was even better (or maybe even a third entry in the series), but unfortunately I wasn't quite as wowed by the remaster as I was hoping after twenty years of putting the game off.
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is more than a remaster, it is the version that should have been originally released 20 years ago. It looks better, plays better and is less frustrating. This corrected and augmented version is a worthy return of a game that was eaten by its own obscurity and its original problems prevented it from transcending any further.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is one of the more niche Atlus classics, but the remaster has been well worth the time and effort. There is a dark and culturally interesting heartbeat at the centre of this one, and while I do prefer turn-based combat to this action button-mashy stuff from Atlus, I was more than willing to put up with it for everything else about the game.
If you missed Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army when it originally released on PlayStation 2, this remaster should prove to be a treat. Featuring a revamped combat system, full voice acting, and more, Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army almost feels like a new game, and its mix of investigation, combat and demon-collecting is both engaging and rewarding.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is an excellent remaster of one of the best forgotten PS2 classics and one of the brightest gems in Atlus' catalog. The gameplay, visuals, and quality of life improvements elevate the game and make it even more of a must-have for fans of the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
While the story of Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army may feel far removed from the depth of Shin Megami Tensei's complex plots, or its characters lack the charisma and development of Persona's, its strange twists and pace—chaotic but memorable—make Raidou Kuzunoha XIV's adventure worth a chance.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army may not be a true classic, but it is a very solid action RPG with strong combat and an interesting story. Investigative work may not be a strength, but it gets to be less of a focus as the game goes on, mostly for the better. Shin Megami Tensei fans who missed this one late in the PS2’s life cycle will have a good time exploring an underplayed part of the franchise, but those who have already experienced this story won’t find a ton new to grab their interest.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a great success for Atlus, offering much more than just a technical overhaul. This return of the 14th Devil Summoner skillfully blends nostalgia and modernity, with welcome additions that make the experience smoother, more immersive, and as intriguing as ever. While it doesn't reach the production heights of some of the studio's contemporary titles, this re-release is still an excellent way to rediscover a lesser-known part of the Shin Megami Tensei series. For long-time fans and curious newcomers alike looking for an atypical action RPG with a touch of the occult, it's well worth the journey.
Review in French | Read full review
Raidou Remastered offers a well-paced narrative with intriguing detective elements, a cast of charming characters with equally great voice actors behind them, robust features and quality of life improvements, and a combat system with the Shin Megami Tensei aspects that fans know and love. This is a nearly perfect remaster that sets the standard for RPG remasters due to its breadth of features and quality of life improvements over its original game.
"An action RPG to cure the worst PS2-era nostalgia cravings."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army finally gives the broader Shin Megami Tensei fandom a chance to experience a cult classic that was once out of reach.