Game Review: 'RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery Of The Soulless Army'
Atlus, best known for the Shin Megami Tensei series, revives a classic game from the past with "RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery Of The Soulless Army." It's a refined and beefed-up version of the Action-RPG title "Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Soulless Army," released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2.
The game features Sherlock Holmes-style investigations with a mix of otherworldly, paranormal elements set in Taisho Era Tokyo. Aside from a few whistles and bells, HD graphics, the remastered version has kept most of the features from the original 2006 title.
Improved Real-Time Battle System, Gameplay, and Combat
Players of the original 2006 title will feel right at home with "RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery Of The Soulless Army." While there are a few additions/changes with the controls and combat, veteran and new players won't have a problem adjusting to the remastered version of the game. Players can change the game's difficulty settings, as well.
RAIDOU Remastered uses the Real-Time Battle System like the old version, as players can eliminate enemies in real time. The game now has a lock-on feature for gun/shooting mode, "Stealth Strike," and Raidou can unleash two demons in battle at the same time.
Raidou also uses sword techniques such as Devil's Bane and Spirit Slash. Additionally, players can equip Raidou with three types of blades, like Sword Type, Spear Type, and Axe Type, that can aid him in taking down enemies.
The game also includes a "Growth System", which allows Raidou to learn "Summoner Skills" to help him get stronger in his battles.
As a young Japanese detective who can summon demons at will to aid him in his battles and investigations, Raidou's demons can learn new abilities from "Skill Books". Like the PS2 "Devil Summoner" game, demons are collected using the "Art of Confinement" technique during battle. Demons can be fused to create a more powerful supernatural ally at the research facility known as the Goumaden, which is run by Dr. Victor.
Demons can also level up their skills through their loyalty to Raidou. Once their loyalty meter is maxed out, demons can develop "Passive Skills." Earning "Loyalty" from his demons can grant Raidou more tubes for captured demons and new "Devil Summoner" ranks or titles.
Raidou Remastered now has an auto-save and quick save feature. Players won't have to worry about saving their in-game progress.
A supernatural detective story in Taisho Era Tokyo
Raidou Remastered is quite literally a time-travel back to Tokyo in the 1930s. A detective story set in Taisho Era Japan with dark, supernatural elements is a brilliant move by Atlus. Sure, the game would still be appealing if it were set in modern-day Tokyo, but doing so in the 1930s makes perfect sense for a murky, otherworldly plot.
Interestingly, some of the demons in the game seem to be inspired by Western horror characters. Despite its dark story, Raidou Remastered is a fun game. Demons with funny, quirky personalities make the game lighter, so to speak, despite their appearances.
Upgraded Graphics and Sound
Reviving and reintroducing a classic title for modern consoles like RAIDOU is long overdue. Aside from the bells and whistles, the game looks so much better in High Definition, and the quality of the music has improved a lot.
It looks great on a wide-screen TV, and having both Japanese and English dubs in the game is a major plus. Atlus did a great job of optimizing "RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery Of The Soulless Army" on PlayStation 4; it runs smoothly on the console.
Verdict
Hats off to Atlus for breathing new life into a 2006 cult classic game and releasing it on modern consoles. A game like "RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery Of The Soulless Army" running on the PlayStation 4 is truly amazing.
Raidou Remastered is just one of those games that will keep you playing for hours. Aesthetically, it's dark, but it's really a fun game.
Is "RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery Of The Soulless Army" worth playing for the PlayStation 4? Absolutely. Hardcore fans of the original game and new players alike won't be disappointed. Atlus has delivered once again.
Noob Geek rating: 8.5/10
(Note: Review code provided by SEGA Asia)
