Atlus’s unexpected revival of Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army arrives not as a simple remaster, but as a robust reinvention that carefully balances nostalgia associated with the original with modern sensibilities. Renamed Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army, it transforms a charmingly quirky game into a sleek, contemporary action-RPG experience. The smoky Taishō-era Tokyo still crackles with supernatural intrigue, but it’s now delivered through smoother combat and sharper visuals that lean into both style and substance.
From the moment you swap demon fusion systems to embrace the refined action, it’s clear this isn’t merely the same game in HD. Combat is no longer encumbered by rigid lock-on or clunky UI; instead, it unfolds with fluid combos, dodge maneuvers, and strategic counters that mostly hold their own alongside modern action games. The demon fusion now includes skill inheritance, streamlining strategic builds, while quick saving, fast travel, and auto‑save aggressively simplify what once felt obtusely labyrinthine. These additions rarely feel like concessions – they enhance pacing while preserving the curiosity of exploration.
Narratively, Raidou doesn’t provide a standout storyline, but there’s a compelling charm in its episodic detective structure. You follow Raidou Kuzunoha XIV through cases that blend detective noir with supernatural flair, from the streets of real-world districts to the echoing alternate realm behind them. The mystery-driven format is brisker and more digestible in this edition, though some evolving redeemable traits – like the reliance on fetch-quest style objectives – feel a bit worn after several hours. At around 30 hours for the full campaign, the tale strikes a balance between engaging immersion and not overstaying its welcome.
Visually, Raidou Remastered is an undeniable upgrade – turning PS2-era fixed backgrounds into full 3D environments with stylized character models and clean animations. Yet, it can’t fully escape its origins: some angles remain static, and demon models occasionally move with that stiff, pre-rendered way of older titles. It’s not a visual powerhouse by today’s standards, but it’s charming in its own right – a modern homage to its roots.
Audio enhancements stand out more boldly. The addition of full voice acting injects personality into cutscenes that once depended on text alone, and the soundtrack’s lively mix of jazzy detective blare and punchy battle tracks helps tie the experience together sonically. In an almost literal way, it feels like Raidou found its voice here.
Still, the game isn’t without minor flaws. Some boss encounters drag or fail to fully exploit the enhanced combat mechanics, and partner AI can falter in tight skirmishes. The detective elements aren’t as deep as detective sims that lean on environmental storytelling or deduction, sometimes feeling formulaic. Yet these are quibbles in an otherwise confident, polished package.
Raidou Remastered proves that sometimes the forgotten titles, in the right hands, deserve a second shot – one informed by the best of modern design without stripping away its quirky origins. It’s an accessible urban occult adventure trimmed to a solid 30 hours, steeped in period atmosphere and inventive combat. While it may not redefine action RPGs, it revitalizes a once-overlooked classic with enough charm, style, and depth to warrant a place in today’s landscape.
Score: 7.6/10
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