Atlus' MegaTen games are more popular than ever, thanks in no small part to the emergent runaway success of RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army.

The two Raidou games were quite different than what had come before. For one, they traded in the turn-based tactics of most MegaTen games for real-time action combat in enclosed arenas, with demons guided by loose instructions and basic AI. The plot lines centered on an unfolding mystery, a mix of investigative police procedurals and dark fantasy against a backdrop of early-20th-century Japan. The combination was a winner, even though the games remained somewhat niche, already positioned within a lesser-known franchise in North America at the time.

It's a thrill to preview the first two chapters of the new remaster, where I found much, much more than a fresh coat of paint. It could have even made do with a bare-bones repackage for a game that regularly fetches top dollar on internet auction storefronts. Instead, RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army could be the best version of this lesser-played curiosity, finally made available to a burgeoning cultural appetite for all things MegaTen.

Seeing Your Demons in Action

Seeing Real-time Combat in a MegaTen Game Remains A Slick Novelty

The majority of the Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Devil Summoner games share much in common. They trend towards creature-collector RPGs with status-based strategic gameplay, macabre plot lines, and many spunky demons to combat, capture, combine, and converse with. Such is the case with RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army, except everything molds around a charming real-time combat system which, while serviceable in 2006, has thankfully been reimagined and spiced up for modern tastes.

No longer is combat presented in a fixed small arena and primarily static perspective, with the camera now controllable and the player space enlarged overall. The original sometimes felt slightly claustrophobic and prioritized aggressive mash-attacks against each enemy alongside Raidou’s selected demon companion. He's much more maneuverable now, with timed dodges emphasized over face-tanking attempts to parry and defend.

But that’s not all: Raidou can now engage two demon helpers anytime. It might sound like a minor improvement, but fans of the original will find this minor tweak a transformative upgrade (even though it was also first featured in the Raidou sequel). Nurturing and thought-crafting a powerful demon duo is infinitely more compelling than cultivating a pro team of solo benchwarmers, and it makes Raidou feel a bit more like the -class hero he’s intended to be.

All that being said, RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army still isn't a flashy and agile character action game, and control remains somewhat muddy when compared to other ARPGs. However, even with just the first two chapters under my belt, I can safely say that combat feels improved on all fronts, and bumping the difficulty dial up a notch feels appropriate to veterans of the Raidou duology. New bonus Sword Skills, special attacks, and weapon upgrades only sweeten the prospect, and combat feels more mechanically diverse and responsive.

RAIDOU Is A Proper Remaster

Strong English Language Audio and Countless Bells and Whistles Besides

While the full cast of the game manifests later on, Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is more focused and pared down than, say, the Persona series’ tendency towards tight-knit groups of charismatic weirdos. The story is built around this approach, though, with Raidou a carefully selected protector of Japan, empowered by his ability to recruit demons invisible to the populace, utilizing their abilities to solve crimes and mysteries.

The game’s script is still a witty and cozy detective yarn, seemingly updated alongside the combat, though Atlus games have rarely lacked for elegant translation. I tested both the Japanese and new English audio, preferring the former but appreciating the latter well enough, especially Ray Chase's performance as Gouto-Douji, Raidou’s note-taking black cat sidekick/mentor.

The story possesses occasional cutesy humor but is considerably mature overall. Gobs of side quests and skippable content offer bonus items and currency, but I can’t imagine players not combing the streets for the new dialogue opportunities alone. As in the original, Raidou is able to apply different effects to NPCs with contextual demon abilities – it’s restricted to certain cases, so you don’t have to hammer skills on every NPC in town a la Octopath Traveler – and casting "read mind" or "ignite" on the various city denizens is always a fun gag.

It was fun enough to try and find every NPC and interaction in the original game, but RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army also features a slew of QOL improvements that make it less cumbersome to do so. There’s a rail system to travel between neighborhoods instantly, special battles which regularly replenish throughout the map, and even handy teleports at save stations that can shuttle you between legacy dungeons, the Konnou-Ya shop, and Victor’s demon-fusing lab, a Devil Summoner mainstay. Besides, there's much more updated content, and no one could accuse the game of being a casual reissue.

That's A Whole Lot of Demons

Updated Roster of 120 Demons and A Culture-Rich Detective Yarn Seals the Deal

Playing through these chapters after so many years, I focused on one key consideration: Is RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army the kind of game that latter-day Persona fans will want? Group dynamics, as are social gameplay distractions, funky menus, and scheduling stress, are absent here. I wonder if this makes RAIDOU come off as somewhat quaint, with its central vibe and gameplay loop much cozier and less audacious overall.

Still, the unique cultural aspects of RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army remain excellently presented, showcasing daily life in historic 1930s Japan as an imaginative supernatural period piece. Although they often operate separate from one another in the story, the game’s main cast is intriguing and well-written, and its central mystery eventually expands in scope and stakes.

The original Raidou release featured a smaller range of demons to collect and fuse, but RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army bumps the tally to a respectable 120. That’s still shy of the total found in the Raidou sequel, and definitely well below the 250+ summons eventually available in Persona 5 Royal.

I plucked a few dozen in the 3+ hours spent in this preview, all of whom retain that familiar and irreverent MegaTen humor, and yet fighting alongside them in RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army feels special and often more intimate when compared to most Persona or SMT games' turn-based tactics. I can’t tell you for sure that there are 120 painstakingly differentiated AIs in this game, but it feels like there are. Some feel more aggressive or ive, and all can be swapped through at any point in a fight. The remaster also grants XP to the whole squad after combat, a time-saving blessing.

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Is A Promising Prospect

MegaTen Fans Are Going to Eat Good in June

I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the complete RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army. Not just to save a few bucks on a mint copy in the aftermarket – I still retain working PS2 copies of both Raidou games anyway – but because it’s the perfect niche game for the hungry would-be fans who missed it on the first go-round.

I forgot how fun it was to chew through each punchy encounter, or pick and plot out each demon's skill set after leveling up or fusion. By streamlining most of the original’s lesser qualities and adding more gameplay opportunities in virtually every direction, RAIDOU also presents a promising counterpoint to the somewhat contentious remaster of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne back in 2021, even if this game's up-rezzed cinematics remain slightly antiquated.

And, of course, there's the pressing consideration that a third game could possibly be in the works. Even for casual MegaTen players, RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army still features a fresh approach to the franchise's busy demon-catching shenanigans.