There was a point in time where Shin Megami Tensei was more genre than game- ATLUS was exploring just how many games could have a devil-summoning main character, applying it at different intensities across games like Persona, Digital Devil Saga and the mainline SMT games.

Well, it looks like those times are upon us again. Raidou Remastered The Mystery Of The Soulless Army is a bizarre FireRed-style remake of the original Raidou vs the Soulless Army game, and it's indulgent in how good it is at spinning the SMT flavor.

Title: RAIDOU REMASTERED: The Mystery of the Soulless Army

Developer: ATLUS

Publisher: SEGA

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch

Shin Megami Tensei May Cry

Look, when you're talking about the SMT brand, you're usually talking about one of two things: punishing gameplay and meticulous crafting. In Pokemon terms, its like imagine if Egg move breeding was a pre-requisite for clearing gyms. That's the flavor of intensity we're dealing with.

To that effect, Raidou Remastered accomplishes this amazingly well. It's an action game, yes, but it's got so much SMT goodness in it that it's oozing from its pores.

In Raidou Remastered, you're free from the shackles of turn based jail. Equipped with a modern action camera and proper 3D arenas, Raidou is free to jump and dodge and combo to his hearts content. But alas, something stands in front of you: It's those pesky demons!

Thankfully, as a member of the Kuzunoha clan, Raidou can capture these demons, using their power to summon them and have them fight by his side.

Given how much of the combat is improved from the original (even incorporating the two demon system from the second Raidou game), part of me wonders if this is ATLUS testing how much of an appetite the modern ATLUS fan has for genre-hybrids.

I say this because the combat in Raidou Remastered is really good. While Raidou isn't exactly doing high times and bullet storms, it's complex in a much more fascinating way- Raidou's light attacks build up his MAG, which your demons will use with impunity to cast their elemental spells.

It's the kind of thing I used to fantasize as a kid- turn based complexity with an action-based interface. Yes, I've got to make sure my demons are exploiting weaknesses at all times, but that doesn't also mean I'm not going to be reaction-checked as a spinning wheel of tentacles comes flying at me at 6th gear.

This game is probably the most management you can stuff into an action game before people start to complain: while your demons can attack on their own, you still want to command them to build the new Spirit attacks. and in turn you'll also need to command them to disappear when the bosses start throwing out big AOEs. It's absolutely fascinating how much it asks of you, as well as having the occasional difficulty spike just to let you know that this game is incredibly for real.

On top of that, it's got all the trappings of an SMT game, too. Just because you're doing things like perfect dodging and counters, doesn't mean your party composition doesn't matter. I spent 15 minutes fusing the perfect demon for a boss that could both resist its main element, as well as abuse its weakness with an obscenely high magic stat and counter spell. It's the series magic at its finest: rewarding nitpicky obsession with the sound of Jouji Nakata praising you as the XIVth Raidou Kuzunoha.

Of course, there's also the backdrop for the game, too. I'm quite a fan of this kind of gothic tone from the older ATLUS titles. While mainline SMT always leaned in more to the religious side, Raidou's flavor feels specifically paranormal. It's almost like a monster collector DanDaDan.

Without getting into spoilers, the game's story starts off really strong, mixing both Noir elements as well as Japanese occult ones. It makes me hungry for more ATLUS period pieces- it's amazing how much you can accomplish when you don't have a smartphone to answer every query.

Raidou Remastered Is For The New Fans

One big gripe with Raidou Remastered is the ever-present question of who it's for. If you're the extreme minority of Raidou purists who just wanted to see the first game brought back to modern consoles, this might be a bit of a shock. The new demons and combat mechanics are sure to be conflicting- it's like replaying Doom 1 but wanting a Super Shotgun.

As someone with no attachment to the original Raidou games though, I cannot stress how much Raidou Remastered rules. It's exactly the breath of fresh air Atlus fans might need- shorter than games like Metaphor or Persona, with an all-new system and era.

To me, it's a double-down on the pre-Persona ATLUS aesthetics. Seeing a taisho-era high schooler hold mysterious Demon syringes before doing a rider kick on a Tsuchigomo is inherently cool in a way many modern ATLUS games ignore. There's a reason Raidou keeps showing up in other ATLUS games- and this time you get a whole title just you, him and his talking Sol Badcat.

• Presentation: 8/10
• Gameplay: 9/10
• Content: 9/10

Final Score: 8.5/10

Game reviewed on PS5. Review copy provided by SEGA