RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Review

I completely missed the original Raidou Kuzunoha duology back on the PlayStation 2. I’m no newcomer to the Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series, but Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army somehow slipped past me back in the day. So when ATLUS announced Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army for PS5, I was pretty excited that I’d get a chance to experience this forgotten chapter of SMT history. Along with a fresh coat of paint and modern upgrades.

From the jump, Raidou Remastered exudes style. Set during Japan’s Taisho era—a time of major social and political shifts in the 1930s—the game creates a unique atmosphere that’s unlike anything else in the SMT or Persona universe. The blend of historical Japan with supernatural detective noir immediately sets the tone. You’re dropped into this world and tasked with naming your character, but that quickly becomes symbolic as you’re soon given the mantle of Raidou Kuzunoha XIV, a Devil Summoner sworn to maintain balance between the human and demon worlds.

Partnered with your feline guide Gouto and roped into the Narumi Detective Agency, your first job as Tokyo’s supernatural fixer begins with the disappearance of a young girl. That simple case snowballs into something far bigger, eventually dragging you into a full-blown war involving a mysterious army of soulless soldiers, twisted experiments, and threats on a scale that Raidou was never prepared for when he joined the Detective Agency.

The story has that classic ATLUS flavor—strange, layered, and dark, with mythological and philosophical undercurrents. But what really makes it work is how Raidou’s episodic structure keeps things moving. Each case builds naturally into the next, giving the game a strong sense of forward momentum. It never drags, and clocking in at about 30 hours, it respects your time while still offering a satisfying, meaty experience. Which is a good thing for fans intimidated by the length of a typical Shin Megami Tensei title, this one is far more approachable for those that may not have 80 hours to spare.

Despite being a silent protagonist, Raidou XIV doesn’t feel hollow. His presence is felt through his actions, choices, and the way other characters respond to him. His stoic demeanor plays well off the rest of the cast—especially Gouto, who has the sarcasm and gravitas of someone who’s seen centuries of madness unfold. Narumi, your agency’s namesake, plays the ideal noir detective: world-weary but sharp. Then there’s Tae, a reporter always sniffing around for the next scoop, and Dr. Victor, your eccentric, fusion-obsessed mad scientist tucked away in the Gouma-Den. Everyone adds flavor to the world and makes the setting feel alive.

The reimagined Taisho-era Tokyo is fascinating to explore. The mixture of traditional architecture, early 20th-century modernism, and supernatural elements gives it a distinct identity. Shops, alleyways, and hidden backstreets offer not just items and clues but atmosphere. It feels like a place caught between worlds, which is perfect for the kind of stories Raidou is trying to tell.

Let’s talk about what really makes Raidou Remastered stand out among SMT titles: the combat. This isn’t turn-based. Instead, Raidou introduces a real-time action system that feels surprisingly deep. You control Raidou directly in battle—executing light and heavy combos with your equipped weapon (swords, spears, or axes), dodging enemy attacks with precise timing, and using items and spells on the fly. Alongside you are your summoned demons, which you can issue commands to or temporarily withdraw if they’re taking too much heat or need a strategic shielding.

Combat has a steep learning curve, especially compared to the strategic but slower-paced battles in Persona or mainline SMT. Boss fights, in particular, demand multitasking: dodging incoming fire, watching your demon’s health, capitalizing on enemy weaknesses with the right elements, and landing combos when windows open. If you’re not paying attention, things can spiral fast.

Thankfully, the new remaster adds quality-of-life features that make learning the ropes smoother. There’s a tutorial system that doesn’t overload you, and the new difficulty settings let you adjust the experience if it gets too brutal, or increase it if you like a greater challenge.

Capturing demons is still a cornerstone of SMT gameplay, and here it’s done through confinement—Once a demon is weakened, you’re able to approach it and begin the process of confinement using a button prompt, sometimes it’s a simple process, but if the demon resists, you’ll need to rapidly press the confinement button to increase your capture meter, burning MAG in the process so you’ll need to manage that resource well if you’re going for a capture.

Fusion returns via Dr. Victor’s lab, and the system is as dense and fascinating as ever. There’s a learning curve, sure, but it becomes intuitive over time. The thrill of discovering a powerful new fusion or customizing a demon with just the right resistances and skills never gets old. And this remaster offers almost double the amount of demons to capture and fuse compared to the original PS2 release.

And Raidou himself? Fully customizable. Leveling up grants you points to drop into strength, magic, vitality, and luck, shaping the kind of Devil Summoner you want him to be. Want to focus on physical damage? Dump points into strength. Want to be a spell-slinging tactician? Build out your magic stat. Sword alchemy adds another layer. By using certain materials, you can create new weapons with unique bonuses and elemental affinities. It’s a subtle system, but one that rewards experimentation and gives a satisfying sense of progression. All coming together to let you skill Raidou in the way that suits your playstyle and offering a lot of replayability if you’re someone who likes to playthrough a game multiple times, trying different load outs each time around.

Exploring Tokyo is more than just running from one objective to the next. You’ll talk to locals, pick up clues, and slowly piece together mysteries. The detective elements give the game a different rhythm than most SMT games. You’re not saving the world every second—you’re solving cases. Your demons play a surprising role outside of battle too. You can use their passive abilities in interesting ways. Some can read minds, inspire people to talk more openly, or even reveal hidden items or clues. It’s clever and makes your demon roster feel useful outside of just combat, which is a welcome change.

That said, the fixed camera angles can make navigation a bit frustrating. The environments are beautiful, but I definitely relied on the mini-map more than I’d like to admit. Some areas felt like mazes, and the perspective shifts occasionally made me go the wrong way. Not a dealbreaker, but worth noting.

Performance on PS5 is buttery smooth. Load times are lightning fast, combat flows seamlessly, and I never encountered crashes or bugs. The visual overhaul is mostly strong—character models look great, especially in combat and close-up scenes. Voice acting is a new addition to this remaster, and it’s excellent. Each character has a distinct voice that fits their personality, helping sell the noir-detective tone.

That said, not every part of the game received equal attention. Some background NPCs and cutscenes clearly weren’t redone to the same standard, looking closer to their original PS2 versions with blurry textures and lower-res models. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but the contrast is noticeable.

Final Thoughts

Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a fascinating, stylish, and refreshingly different take on the Shin Megami Tensei formula. For newcomers like me who missed the original, this remaster is a gift. For returning fans, the updated combat, added content, and modern polish make it worth diving into all over again.

The final chapters of the game had me on the edge of my seat, and by the time the credits rolled, I was already looking up the sequel and hoping ATLUS gives it the same remaster treatment—or, dare I say, a brand-new entry in the series. Here’s hoping this is just the beginning of Raidou’s return.

A PS5 review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

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