Given its huge PS2-era catalogue, Atlus’ choice to revive Satan Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Military is a little bit of an odd one. One thing of an experimental foray into the realm of motion RPGs, it isn’t essentially a sport that springs to thoughts when wanting again on the developer’s most prolific console era.
However possibly that is why it is getting a second probability. For Atlus’ fashionable viewers — those that acquired began with the Persona collection, maybe — Raidou presents a singular glimpse into the studio’s previous, and, in the end, it is a story that is worthy of being retold.
Regardless of its title, Raidou Remastered: The Thriller of the Soulless Military is actually a remake. Whereas it does stick with the unique sport’s story and construction, the visuals have been given a whole overhaul utilizing 3D property, and core gameplay techniques have been considerably reworked.
The result’s a surprisingly spectacular revival — a far cry from 2021’s disappointingly primary Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocture HD Remaster.
You play because the titular Raidou Kuzunoha — a freshly established Satan Summoner who journeys to the Japanese capital in pursuit of probably sinister forces. Mainly, Raidou’s a peacekeeper with ties to those that defend the nation from the shadows, using Shin Megami Tensei’s typical roster of demons to help in his investigations.
It is an intriguing premise proper from the off, and the general plot twists and turns in some actually bizarre instructions. Outdoors of some pretty flat characters, we might say that the story holds up fairly nicely. It isn’t what we might name a very tight narrative, however they merely do not make oddball plotlines like this anymore, and so the entire thing finally ends up feeling fairly memorable.
Raidou’s story is advised in episodic trend — full with title playing cards for every chapter — which creates a significant sense of tempo throughout what’s a comparatively quick marketing campaign. Certainly, in comparison with Atlus’ more moderen outings, Raidou Remastered’s 30-ish hour runtime is refreshingly brisk.
There are two sides to the title’s construction. The primary boils all the way down to detective work, as our caped protagonist hits the streets so as to set up leads on the present case. The second, in contrast, includes dungeon delving right into a type of spirit realm the place demons roam free.
For Remastered, the investigation aspect of issues has been streamlined. Goal markers and extra outstanding hints all however erase the unique sport’s obtuseness, which we expect is in all probability for the very best.
Granted, taking part in the function of a detective is arguably extra fulfilling should you’re truly having to think about your choices, however Raidou was by no means actually about unearthing clues and accurately questioning witnesses. If something, the target markers simply make the expertise much less tedious; you are now not combing complete districts simply to seek out the one NPC that triggers the following a part of the story.
Having stated that, there are occasions when the discharge exhibits its age. Backtracking turns into a slight annoyance in a while as Raidou bounces between areas for the sake of only a few strains of dialogue, and the (solely elective, fortunately) aspect quests are little greater than a guidelines of largely boring chores.
This criticism would have virtually actually continued by way of to the sport’s fight system, had Atlus not redesigned the entire thing for Remastered. Again in 2006, the fundamental motion fight was a serious sticking level for many critics, with repetitive hack-and-slash mechanics all however cancelling out the sport’s cool demon-based concepts.
Right here, battlefields have been reworked into totally 3D arenas, and Raidou controls like a correct motion character, boasting combos, counters, and particular strikes which can be mapped to button shortcuts. On a foundational degree alone, fight has been dramatically improved each in performance and really feel.
The system itself has all the time been attention-grabbing, however Remastered’s tweaks enable its strengths to lastly shine. In a combat, Raidou is joined by as much as two demon companions, who’re managed by the AI. Because the Satan Summoner, it is your job to keep up momentum; your customary sword assaults generate SP, which fuels your demons’ skills — and it is by way of these skills that you’re going to exploit enemy weaknesses.
Hitting a weak point briefly staggers the opponent, and in flip, Raidou will get to elongate his sword combos and get well but extra SP, making a satisfying loop of destruction. It is a system that is still somewhat distinctive to this present day, the place the participant acts as a type of catalyst for his or her allies, versus being the primary injury supplier.
And naturally, that is the place constructing a crew of all-conquering demons turns into a precedence. Raidou can ensnare enemies of a decrease degree than him throughout fights and repurpose them as allies, however fusing demons collectively is the place the true magic occurs.
Very like in Persona, a demon’s abilities and traits may be transferred to a brand new kind, letting you experiment with and create every kind of highly effective companions. Atlus has clearly been repurposing this fusion stuff for many years, however the sense of development continues to be so addictive.
It is also necessary for Raidou to assemble a different crew outdoors of battle. Throughout investigations, demons with particular skills are wanted to affect folks or objects, resulting in extra pronounced relationships between our hero and his quirky companions.
We’re not saying that Raidou’s demons are nice characters, however small interactions and the odd line of comical dialogue instills some welcome character. The demons really feel far more concerned, and subsequently partaking, than they do in Atlus’ different works, to the purpose the place you virtually really feel unhealthy about throwing them into the fusion blender.
Conclusion
Raidou Remastered provides one in all Atlus’ most experimental PS2 outings a deserved second probability. Higher described as a remake, an enormous record of enhancements, together with a perfectly reworked fight system, make this a must-try for the developer’s fashionable viewers. Raidou stays a uniquely bizarre and compelling motion RPG, and that is its definitive kind.
