AI: The Somnium Files Reviews

Mind blowing scenario! I strongly suggest to play all the paths of the story. Nothing less than excellent...

Really good game! I started on Friday, got an hour in and suddenly it was Sunday and the game was finished. Don't know how that happened.

Excellent story, great cast, lots of mysteries, and very funny.

God I love all the characters in this game so much, just silly lil goobers. This game is what I play when I just wanna chill out a bit, it's a nice break from very fast-paced stuff, but it's still interesting and I really like it

Great game, great charaters.

Great story and great cast of characters, dialogue was very funny and it kept me engaged throughout the whole game, I'd say that only qte segments of the game are bad but overall definitely recommend

good story, everything comes together nicely at the end :) there's some pacing issues but really not a big deal imo

So first up, keeping it real, this is very much a VN with interactive game sections, but be aware that the bulk of what you'll be doing is listening to speech as the story chugs along, so if VNs aren't your thing, this probably isn't for you. That aside, this is a really solid crime investigation story that kept me guessing throughout. It operates on a flowchart basis similar to previous Spike Chunsoft titles like the Nonary Games, whereby in certain areas the story will branch depending on your actions, and you slowly unveil the entire story through various lines, many of which end badly or are unresolved, but all of which come together for the ultimate timeline. Somnium Files has done this pretty competently, whereby all throughout I was questioning why certain things or characters weren't working quite the same as they were in other routes. I was expecting this to be a criticism, but god damn, when the twists are unveiled and it all comes together it's pretty incredible. It has a few niggles, such as the parallel worlds gimmick not being as soundly explained as in Nonary games, and I think they botched one of the canon moments with the initial murder in the final arc, but these are small niggles in a story that I spent way too much time thinking back on, only to realise that it almost entirely adds up. The event scenes in Somnium are pretty fun to play. There's a lot to mess around with, but for the most part you'd have a hard time going wrong in them. I almost wish they'd have added a few achievements to aim for in perfecting them, but this ties up with the game intended to be more a story than a challenge. The investigation areas are beautifully constructed., though there were issues in later areas where the game crashed and I had to turn the settings all the way down to blitz through them. They could have probably toned the effects down in places to avoid this, but they were still able to be completed, even if it added a small degree of frustration. My biggest criticism is the game is a bit wishy washy on its style. The seriousness ranges from being extremely campy to being pitch-black dark. If you've played other Spike Chunsoft titles you expect the potty humour alongside the brutality, and I'm not one to be offended by or unable to enjoy a bit of cringe here and there, but the way the action scenes in particular played out was on such a ridiculous level, with the same joke being repeated in almost every one, that for me it took away from the story rather than adding a little lighthearted humour to it. Again though, a small complaint in what was otherwise a gripping story from start to finish. Special mention for the Mizuki character, whose sass and burning comebacks on our protagonist are so great that she's risen to being one of my favourite characters of all time.

AI: The Somnium Files is an excellent visual novel that thrives on its inventive dream mechanics, gripping branching mystery, and unforgettable cast of characters. Written and directed by the creator of the Zero Escape trilogy, Kotaro Uchikoshi, this phenomenal visual novel is a strikingly original blend of sci-fi mystery, surrealism, and branching narrative that defies expectations at nearly every turn. It uses an innovative gameplay mechanic called the Psync System, where players can dive and explore the dreamscapes of suspects to uncover hidden memories and secrets. Each vibrant dreamscape is called a Somnium, and each Somnium is symbolic and unique with its logic, rules, and visual language, leading to creative and delightfully unpredictable explorations. Like the Zero Escape games, the story in this visual novel is densely layered and thoughtfully constructed, with each branching route and timeline revealing unique key truths and character motivations, ultimately resulting in mind-blowing but impactful and deeply emotional plot twists. The cast is also distinct, with each character feeling distinct, flawed, and human, and relationships evolve meaningfully, leading to unforgettable emotional payoffs. However, the most significant flaw is how the story undercuts its dark, intelligent mystery with bouts of cringe-worthy humor and excessive pervertedness, especially by the protagonist, Kaname Date. Despite some awkward and perverted moments and scenes, anyone who played and completed the Zero Escape trilogy on the 3DS must check out AI: The Somnium Files.

A little long winded Crime SciFi Comedy. There is a little dissonance between the Comedy and the Crime/Drama that feel out of place, also the final conclusion feels somewhat nonsensical, but it was overall a fun experience if you are into RomCom meets Crime Drama with a lot of Anime Tropes. It is not for everyone though. The English Voice Over is overall really good imo. 99% of all Text is voiced.