We played 'Raidou Remastered': a detective and demonic adventure

It seems that the guys at Atlus don't know how to do anything wrong, and few franchises in the world of video games can boast such a long and respected history as 'Shin Megami Tensei', the origin of the famous 'Persona' saga, but also of other more forgotten ones such as 'Devil Summoner' and 'Soul Hackers'. At the end of March, and to the surprise of many, Atlus announced the remastering of a classic from the PS2 era—with one of those endless names so typical of the Japanese market— : 'Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner – Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army', which was first released in 2006. It's taken almost 20 years, but Atlus has finally managed to settle its outstanding debt with one of the most unique and charismatic spin-offs in the franchise.

Of course, the remaster isn't a simple nostalgic facelift. Atlus has carried out a thorough overhaul that transforms the cult classic into a contemporary, agile, and surprisingly ambitious offering. What could have been a technical remaster becomes, in many ways, a playable remake with substantial changes that improve both the pace and the gameplay experience, despite still having a few flaws.

In short, we have a revamped battle system, high-definition graphics, full voice acting for the main story, and modernized features that enhance the overall experience of this curious (and very devilish) detective story.

Megaten spin-offs have always been characterized by their wide variety of environments and gameplay styles, and in that sense, Raidou is a real surprise, as we find ourselves facing a detective action RPG, a rare combination for this franchise. The setting is set in the Taisho era and is at times reminiscent of a shonen anime, with a plot where demons that hunt humans run rampant, and a select group of hunters must put an end to them.

Enter our protagonist, Raidou Kuzunoha XIV, who joins a detective agency to explore the streets of Tokyo and solve a few mysteries. We won't spoil much of the story, but it has all the hallmarks of a good RPG and the Atlus seal of quality, so we don't think it will disappoint anyone.

The real meat of the game is the management of the demons, and the wealth of personality each of them possesses. Those familiar with Pokémon will find that the demons here are incredibly foul-mouthed, constantly teasing you, or challenging your kindness.

And in this particular installment, you use your minions constantly as part of your investigations, which is quite a treat. Whether you're reading minds, reaching high ground, or infiltrating places Raidou couldn't, they're an extension of the protagonist, both in and out of combat, and switching them up (and merging them with each other) is a real pleasure.

And speaking of combat, it's clear from the first encounter that this won't be an easy game. The difficulty is high, and we had to repeat several boss fights until we mastered the mechanics, something very much in line with the classic 'Shin Megami Tensei' philosophy. However, this new version includes a wide range of difficulty modes—including one where it's impossible to die—allowing any player to focus on the story if they prefer a more relaxed experience, although it's clear that it wasn't designed for that.

The game features a real-time combat system based on the combined use of sword and pistol, but with a depth unusual for this type of RPG. Raidou can execute light and heavy combos with his katana, block enemy attacks, and dodge with quick movements. He also has special abilities that consume magic but allow him to unleash powerful elemental techniques such as flames or electric shocks. Added to this is the use of a revolver, perfect for maintaining distance and weakening opponents from afar.

The combat works, but we missed more mechanics beyond what's shown in the first few hours of the game. Furthermore, the camera and enemy lock-on have played tricks on us, because no matter how much the exterior has changed, the core is still a PS2 game, and it shows here. If we add to this the difficulty (which corresponds to 'normal' and you can easily be killed in two hits), these details may frustrate more than a few. And be careful, 'Raidou Remastered' is basically a full-fledged remake; and a good game overall. The vibes I get are very positive. However, this is still a 2006 game struggling against its own nature to find it up to current game standards.

For example, the interface, as well as navigating the city and menus, is somewhat awkward, and despite the graphical facelift (we played it on the Switch 2, where it runs at a solid 1080p and 60fps), they're still patchwork patches for a game that's a bit dated for some. We were also not thrilled with the fact that the camera remains fixed when exploring the city and constantly changes planes (as many other games of its time did), which feels a bit archaic in that sense.

If you like a challenge and want to experience one of the most unique spin-offs in the Megaten universe, we recommend keeping an eye on this title. You have to accept its downsides to enjoy all its benefits. The game is fun, challenging, and the story is captivating. If you ignore the technical aspects, which, despite being improved, are still lacking, 'Raidou Remastered' will provide a lot of fun in its 30 hours (or more than 50 if you do all the secondary content).