RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army

At a time when Atlus is at its creative peak, with Metaphor: ReFantazio demonstrating its innovative potential and Persona cementing its position as a global franchise, Raidou Remaster arrives at the perfect time. It proves that Atlus's storied catalog is full of unique experiences waiting to be rediscovered.

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is an absolutely first class re-do of what was an already excellent game.

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is the perfect example of how a minor classic should be brought back to life: without distorting its identity, but updating it with intelligence, respect and a healthy dose of courage. The work done by Atlus is not limited to a coat of HD paint: it is a real redevelopment of the original game, which today can be played with pleasure even by those who have no nostalgia to redeem. The new combat system, the more balanced pace and a more modern general direction give new life to a title that, at the time, had brilliant ideas but a rough realization. It is not perfect, nor does it want to be: it is a fascinating piece of a larger story, a bridge between the old Megaten spirit and its more accessible incarnations. In short, Raidou awaits you in better shape than ever, and finally ready to be discovered by everyone.

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.

Raidou Remastered is a satisfying remake that makes a genuine effort to breathe new life into a title that saw its best years nearly 20 years ago on the classic PS2. Its revamped combat system, quality of life improvements, and aesthetic fidelity position it as a worthy remaster, crafted by Atlus.

All in all, RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is an enjoyable update to an already compelling game. Some of the bells and whistles are irritating and the fusion system could be better. But I heartily recommend it to fans of stylish action RPGs and occult mystery titles.

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is not a remaster that relies solely on nostalgia. With fully voiced storytelling and refreshed graphics, the sense of immersion has been deepened, and the Imperial Capital — where modernization and superstition, science and the occult intertwine — feels more alive. Battles have been refined into a polished action experience through a variety of new elements, while the distinctive resource management system feels innovative even today. The one shortcoming lies in the simplicity of ally demon AI, which at times clashes with the freedom of character development. Even so, this work has successfully transformed from an eccentric title into an epic that can truly reach a wide audience.

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army delivers an experience that deeply respects its roots while implementing key improvements to make it more accessible today. Its immersive setting, stylized characters, and agile combat with strategic elements enhance the charm of the title, while the supernatural story keeps interest from start to finish. The addition of new content and customization features also extends the journey's duration and appeal. On the other hand, some limitations from the original still linger. The linear structure, unintuitive exploration, and shallow use of investigation show that the game could have taken more risks in certain aspects. Nonetheless, the balance between nostalgia and renewal works: RAIDOU Remastered is a great opportunity to revisit — or experience for the first time — a unique and intriguing chapter of the Shin Megami Tensei universe.

RAIDOU Remastered is a fun action RPG that successfully revitalizes one of Shin Megami Tensei’s classic PS2 games for the modern era while being faithful to the source material. While its characterization leaves something to be desired, it’s worth the price of admission for its wacky plot, revamped visuals and combat system, especially if you grew up playing the original game.

Action-RPGs, especially ones that didn’t have “Devil May Cry” in the title back in the PS2 games, were an actively evolving genre back in the PS2 days. The rules were still being written, and many games didn’t have the depth or complexity we often take for granted these days. Raidou’s debut was one of those, a niche within a niche within a niche that had interesting ideas but only so much runway to explore them. Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is an attempt to bring an old school, fan favorite character to the modern Megami Tensei fanbase, but one that’s afraid to present the original’s rough, experimental edge while simultaneously too risk-averse to swing with a full remake. So much like the Frankentitle, we have a Frankenupdate. Neither historically accurate nor boastfully made-over, what we have is… weird! Neat, but weird.

There's a lot more good than bad in RAIDOU Remastered, fortunately. It's a wonderful walk down memory lane for fans of the original, and a worthwhile excursion for newer Atlus fans, discovering the studio via games like Persona 3 Reload and Metaphor: ReFantazio. More than anything, this new-and-improved RAIDOU is easy to love, packed to the brim with charming characters, addictive combat, and a wacky, lore-rich world to sink your teeth into, making it easy to recommend to just about anyone.

I'd still rate RAIDOU Remastered higher than the original, both for its refreshed presentation of the MegaTen brand and its greater accessibility.