AI: The Somnium Files

AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative is an exceptional game that hits the same beats as the original, while introducing plenty of fun new characters and a winding, complex plot that is going to keep you second-guessing right to the end. If only we had more games that respected the intelligence of their players like this one does.

GamingTrendElisha Deogracias

90/100

With an endearing, violent, and engaging story, AI: The Somnium Files is an adventure game that fans of the visual novel genre should not miss. With a novel puzzle-solving mechanic and impressive voice performances, this game is a dream come true.

GameGrinRichard Shivdarsan

9/10

A murder mystery that is masterfully told to keep your eyes on the screen until the very end. The visuals are lacking when it comes to the environments, but you quickly forget about them when you discover what plot twist is introduced next.

TheSixthAxisReuben Mount

9/10

AI: The Somnium Files has to be easily one of the best visual novels I’ve ever had the joy of playing, maybe even ranks as one of the best games I’ve played this year. With superb visuals, engaging gameplay, likeable characters, and a twist-filled story to rival that of M. Night Shyamalan, this is definitely not a visual novel to be slept on (sorry).

Impulse GamerAbdul Saad

AI: The Somnium Files is one of the most interesting and entertaining visual novel/puzzle game series I've played. The first game, released in 2019, was one

XboxEraJesse 'Doncabesa' Norris

8.6/10

AI: The Somnium Files is a fantastic game. Visual novels normally aren’t my thing, but I quickly found myself engrossed in the mystery. It has one of the best scripts I can remember in a game, and truly stellar voice acting. While this one is on Game Pass if it sounds at all interesting to you then I implore that you check it out.  “Shadows!” “Threat, silhouette, A-set!”

VGChartzChristian Evans

8.5/10

Everything but the kitchen psync!‘Perfect murder, sir? Oh, I’m sorry. There’s no such thing as a perfect murder. That’s just an illusion’ Participants [...]

GameSpewChris McMullen

8/10

Questionable humour aside however, the icing on the murder cake is the way that AI: The Somnium Files has you revisit scenes, following different plot branches to produce a different outcome (sometimes radically different) without needing to start all over again. Date may not be a great detective, but there’s no doubting that AI: The Somnium Files is a great detective game. It blends humour and human horror to deliver an engaging, mind-bending experience that’s a cut above most visual novels.

Nintendo World ReportDonald Theriault

7.5/10

I didn’t mention it during the original game’s review, but a good portion of its playtime was while waiting for power to return after my hometown got clobbered by the remnants of a hurricane; this time, the worst it got was some pretty heavy thunderstorms. And just as the weather wasn’t as extreme this time, nirvanA Initiative gets close to the levels of the original but just falls slightly short.

GamerBravesKit

4.5/10

From the mind of Zero Escape series writer Kotaro Uchikoshi comes AI: The Somnium Files. The basic premise has you play Date Kaname, a detective who starts off investigating the killing of a woman at a long abandoned park. He knows her, as his Boss helpfully tells us. “I had to tell you. You deserve to know.” So it begins.

CBRLee Russo

0/10

As silly and strange as this game is, it's not without heart, which is probably best exemplified in Mizuki and Date's relationship. Both of them are dealing with internal issues: Date questions his own identity because of his amnesia and Mizuki blames herself for her parents' recent divorce and why they needed Date to take care of her.

MonsterVineSpencer Legacy

I want to specifically point out that AI has a stellar soundtrack, with themes that can evoke emotions of every kind from you as you play the game. I’ve had the “Date’s Apartment” and “Hifumi” themes stuck in my head for the last few days, though almost the entire soundtrack could be mentioned in the same regard. Keisuke Itō is a master of his craft, as AI proves in spades.