AI: The Somnium Files

 Switch
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
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  1. RPG Fan
    Sep 13, 2019
    94
    AI: The Somnium Files' story is dark, with a lot of horrific and upsetting moments to be found, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of humor and, dare I say it, heart present in the plot too.
  2. Video Chums
    Sep 12, 2019
    92
    Overall, I'm gushing about how much I loved AI: The Somnium Files. The quality of characters and story mixed with the variety of gameplay and fun investigative segments make it a must-own for fans of Japanese detective games.
  3. GamingTrend
    Dec 31, 2019
    90
    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.
  5. Nintenderos
    Oct 5, 2019
    90
    AI: The Somnium Files is a great game from the creators of Zero Scape. The story promises to keep the player expectant until the end of the adventure. The gameplay goes a little unnoticed and could have had more mechanics to enrich the gaming experience. However, for those of you interested in this type of visual novels, this is an essential title.
  6. Game Rant
    Sep 25, 2019
    90
    For fans of the Zero Escape games, AI: The Somnium Files is an absolute must-buy, and its more accessible story, interesting puzzle gameplay, and slightly muted anime aesthetic hopefully means it can enjoy a more mainstream success and potentially kick-start a new series for Spike Chunsoft.
  7. Cubed3
    Sep 25, 2019
    90
    AI: The Somnium Files is a masterfully crafted narrative that makes the most out of the adventure genre. Choices that matter, and result in shocking outcomes, and the unpredictable story has a fleshed-out cast of characters. While the Switch version does have some technical short comings that can be overlooked, anyone looking for a genre-bending mystery will be sucked in to Kotaro Uchikoshi's latest and greatest opus.
  8. RPG Site
    Sep 19, 2019
    90
    AI: The Somnium Files is a must-play for fans of detective games. It’s risky, creative, fascinating, and feels like the next step for the visual novel medium. There are plenty of valid worries I’ve seen pop up from people who felt burnt by ZTD, but I feel like all of those were addressed here. It’s far from perfect, but the flaws are incredibly minor and it still delivers the strongest narrative I’ve seen from a game all year. Fans and newcomers will find a lot to Love with AI, don’t Sleep on this game.
  9. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 30, 2020
    85
    After a comparatively slow couple of hours at the start, AI: The Somnium Files takes off and never slows down. [Issue #44 – January/February 2020, p. 74]
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  10. Multiplayer.it
    Oct 25, 2021
    83
    AI: The Somnium Files is another brilliant adventure from Kotaro Uchikoshi, that deepens its narrative structure at the price of loosening a bit of its puzzle design. All in all, it's a compelling interactive story that deserves to be played.
  11. Screen Rant
    Oct 21, 2019
    80
    It's not the most substantial adventure game in terms of puzzles or comedy, but AI: The Somnium Files has it where it counts: the story and characters.
  12. NintendoWorldReport
    Sep 13, 2019
    80
    A lot of my interest in Ai was due to the writing talent: though he’s done things since, this is the first post-Zero Escape project from Uchikoshi that I’ve had the chance to play. I definitely want to see where Ai is going next, and just hope that the experience is a little smoother when it goes wide.
  13. Nintendo Life
    Sep 12, 2019
    80
    AI: The Somnium Files starts out slow but once you've traversed a few of its delightfully surreal Somnium dreamscapes and got to an ending or two, working your way back through your flowchart and striking out in different directions, it becomes an engaging and tense affair. Fans of the Zero Escape games will feel right at home here, and director Kotaro Uchikoshi’s talent for putting the player into increasingly unsettling circumstances ensures everything takes flight in a very satisfying way as you work your way through the many strands of the loopy central mystery towards its various different endings.
  14. GameCritics
    Nov 12, 2019
    75
    While the oversexualization is disappointing and even distracts from the story at points, I’ll still sing the praises of AI: The Somnium Files because it respects the player’s time, offers interesting characters, and the Somnium sections are great to explore. It’s recommended with a slight caveat, but it’s still recommended.

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best Switch Game of 2019
10
#10 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019

User Reviews

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User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 603 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 527 out of 603
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 603
  3. Negative: 56 out of 603
  1. BulgarianCritic
    Oct 26, 2019
    4
    The Ai:Somnium files was truly something else but that doesn't mean that it was either good or bad.The game 70% of the time was incrediblyThe Ai:Somnium files was truly something else but that doesn't mean that it was either good or bad.The game 70% of the time was incredibly boring and tedious with most of the characters being cliche one sided heroes where you can see in any game.There were some parts where you felt a strong emotion to characters and their story was great(like the dementia mom but that was like 1-2 times in the entire game where you felt any strong emotions to the game and its characters .Everything else was so boring,tedious and predicable and most of the characters that you were supposed to cheer(or hate) were one dimensional and cliche where you can see in every other game.I understand that the director who made one of the best series(999, and the zero escape series) which had serious and had loveable characters with an amazing story .He tried to make a more humorous game this time and failed big time. The characters were boring,the humor was stale(even for japanese audience) and the story was tedious,boring and predicable that i barely kept attention to it and still understood everything.This game was just not really fun or interesting and it barely had any emotional and good parts.Characters are bland and cliche and the gameplay was just boring and i was wondering when the game was gonna end.It had some good parts but they were not worth waiting and enduring 80% of the games boring and predictable story.I suggest you buy this when its on a huge discount if you loved the zero escape series but were looking for some more comedic and chill.… Full Review »
  2. 278weh238ne782n
    Feb 4, 2020
    0
    The Ai:Somnium files was truly something else but that doesn't mean that it was either good or bad.The game 70% of the time was incrediblyThe Ai:Somnium files was truly something else but that doesn't mean that it was either good or bad.The game 70% of the time was incredibly boring and tedious with most of the characters being cliche one sided heroes where you can see in any game.There were some parts where you felt a strong emotion to characters and their story was great(like the dementia mom but that was like 1-2 times in the entire game where you felt any strong emotions to the game and its characters .Everything else was so boring,tedious and predicable and most of the characters that you were supposed to cheer(or hate) were one dimensional and cliche where you can see in every other game.I understand that the director who made one of the best series(999, and the zero escape series) which had serious and had loveable characters with an amazing story .He tried to make a more humorous game this time and failed big time. The characters were boring,the humor was stale(even for japanese audience) and the story was tedious,boring and predicable that i barely kept attention to it… Full Review »
  3. GraysonWayne
    Sep 21, 2019
    10
    To start, this game is well directed with loads of good work done into characters and the comfortable flow of what they put into the gameplayTo start, this game is well directed with loads of good work done into characters and the comfortable flow of what they put into the gameplay style in terms of concept. Despite it being what most would call a visual novel, AI: The Somnium Files takes the concept of it to another level by putting in interactive segments that are full of humor, character, symbolism, and aesthetic while still retaining it's full value of being a "Visual Novel" style story and character driven game that will throw you for loops with branching paths. Like many visual novels, it's a very laid back experience and it pulls off what it's supposed to do really well while somehow still having you on your feet with highly unique and dialogue centered interactions that you wouldn't want to miss.

    Gameplay: Consistent, Voluntary and Detail Oriented:
    In most parts of the game, you're playing a social first person dialogue oriented point and click interactive novel. For the people who like design and detail, the amount of interactions you can have within these areas and scenarios is done perfectly and done well enough to keep you interested into every single detail of every frame of the game. Plus, with me personally, I had fun with just the characters dialogue and the personalities alone.

    You can choose to blaze through the story like a regular visual novel, or you can choose to take in the small details in the environment and take in more of the personalities of the characters that I am sure many players would grow to enjoy. There are segments that are physically interactive in the third person as you roam the Somnium (deep sleep recess of the mind), and interact with items in the room that you move in while controlling Aiba, your AI False Eyeball Companion that literally lives in your head. Explore the Somnia, interact with items, and solve puzzles. It's quite simple and the developers did it well.

    The soundtrack is amazing. The characters are unique and amazing, and although there are some that are "cliche" in scenario, the way that they are interpreted and put into the story is well done. The physically interactive segments are a really good fun new touch to what one would expect from a Spike Chunsoft "Visual Novel". In all fairness, it's an interactive dialogue centered game that is a rare combination of being BOTH character (in terms of interactions and personality) and story driven. I am very happy I got this game. Definitely a must buy for anyone who is looking for a laid back yet highly enjoyable mystery solving aesthetically pleasing AND YET on your toes unique experience. Another amazingly directed game, and I hope it gets the recognition it deserves in my opinion.    … Full Review »
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