AI: The Somnium Files

 Switch
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
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  1. 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 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 stillTo 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.    … Expand
  2. 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 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 1-2The 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.… Expand
  3. 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 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 inThe 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… Expand
  4. scorching_blue
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    After the Zero Escape series' conclusion Kotaro Uchikoshi is back in force with another visual novel exploring the nature of intelligence and identity in the post-information age. That this game takes a more obviously humorous approach in its storytelling only makes it more unsettling than Uchikoshi's previous work. Longer than usual load times crept in towards the end of the game, but IAfter the Zero Escape series' conclusion Kotaro Uchikoshi is back in force with another visual novel exploring the nature of intelligence and identity in the post-information age. That this game takes a more obviously humorous approach in its storytelling only makes it more unsettling than Uchikoshi's previous work. Longer than usual load times crept in towards the end of the game, but I still felt like my skull had been caved in.… Expand
  5. Rezenar
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Normally I never play games like this, but the developers and writers of this game have definitely won me over. Will there be a sequel? I hope so! When I finished the game, I was left with so many questions related to the other psyncers aside from Kaname Date, but other than that, this game has won me over
  6. Kaufdrop
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Inspiring game with great storytelling. The Zero Escape series has always been one of my favorites, and this game lives up.
  7. PhantomthiefFox
    Feb 11, 2020
    9
    Great visuals, good story. Love the wholesome bits, and comedy. This game is worth playing. If you like spike chunsoft games, you'll love this one. Or even if you don't, if you like murder mystery that isn't super ultra scary with good story and abit of humor with some feels moments, this is the game for you.
  8. SimplyGabby
    Feb 11, 2020
    9
    AI: The Somnium Files (pronounced like "eye", not "A. I.") is a treasure - while the puzzles can be on the simple side, the characterization and storytelling present in this game is something truly special. I found myself genuinely caring and enjoying the little moments between Date and Aiba, Ota, Mizuki, and Tesa; don't be afraid to mess up or try things that seem wrong in the SomniumAI: The Somnium Files (pronounced like "eye", not "A. I.") is a treasure - while the puzzles can be on the simple side, the characterization and storytelling present in this game is something truly special. I found myself genuinely caring and enjoying the little moments between Date and Aiba, Ota, Mizuki, and Tesa; don't be afraid to mess up or try things that seem wrong in the Somnium segments, that's where the best dialogue is!

    Shoutouts to all the hard workers in the ENG voice cast as well, this is probably one of the best acted games I've ever played. GOTY for me in 2019 without a doubt.    … Expand
  9. Lolaf
    Feb 11, 2020
    9
    A mixture of the strong story telling sensibilities of the Zero Escape series and some good old silly humor this game is great for fans of Visual Novels or slightly fantastical mysteries. The story and majority of the cast are well written and incredibly likeable, and the game's use of a narrative map makes following different routes easy and requires only minimal replaying of specificA mixture of the strong story telling sensibilities of the Zero Escape series and some good old silly humor this game is great for fans of Visual Novels or slightly fantastical mysteries. The story and majority of the cast are well written and incredibly likeable, and the game's use of a narrative map makes following different routes easy and requires only minimal replaying of specific scenes, which is a big step up from the way most route based games handle their various endings. My only complaint is that while the main character Kaname Date is very likeable in his own way he does often ruin the mood with out of place sexual humor, may not bother some but it happened a bit too much for me. Otherwise the rest of the cast is phenomenal and loveable in their own quirky ways. I'd recommend this game for fans of the Director Kotaro Uchikoshi or if you're looking for a good dark mystery that knows when to use levity.… Expand
  10. JoueurCitoyen
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Thank you Mr. Uchikoshi! I subscribed to Metacrtic to share nice words about your games. AI is incredible, it's beautiful, well-written and surprising too. Cheers!
  11. decksid4
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Absolute favorite. Charming, engaging, visually and thematically interesting, with a great cast and story.
  12. spacedaydreamer
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    An incredibly heartfelt experience that manages to be both one of the funnest games i've ever played, as well as one of the tensest murder mysteries i've experienced. it's easily one of the best games I've ever played, and if you like murder mysteries and some light sci-fi then you owe it to yourself to check it out.
  13. Offums
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    A fantastic game! The storyline is well-developed, the characters are well-rounded, the gameplay is easy to pick up. The controls feel intuitive and the puzzles are challenging. The story is well-placed, but easily replayable if one becomes lost. The game handles sensitive topics well, and it satisfies the horror buff in me.
  14. Tomotomi
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Ai: The Somnium Files is an incredibly gripping and hilarious murder mystery story about love and family that explores lots of interesting concepts. There are characters that have more than meets the eye to them, shocking plot twists, and fun puzzles to solve. If you've played any of the Zero Escape games then you probably already know what I'm talking about. I could not stop playing onceAi: The Somnium Files is an incredibly gripping and hilarious murder mystery story about love and family that explores lots of interesting concepts. There are characters that have more than meets the eye to them, shocking plot twists, and fun puzzles to solve. If you've played any of the Zero Escape games then you probably already know what I'm talking about. I could not stop playing once I started it and all in all I think it's a very satisfying self contained experience. 10/10 I loved every second of it.… Expand
  15. BaseballRats
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Aight positive review bomb time This game is phenomenal. I'd have to sit down for at least three hours to sing all my praises for it. The writing is very well paced, all the characters are amazing in their own crackhead ways, and the mystery is captivating. Date and Aiba's relationship is hilarious, there is never a dull moment between the two whether the scene is serious or **** MizukiAight positive review bomb time This game is phenomenal. I'd have to sit down for at least three hours to sing all my praises for it. The writing is very well paced, all the characters are amazing in their own crackhead ways, and the mystery is captivating. Date and Aiba's relationship is hilarious, there is never a dull moment between the two whether the scene is serious or **** Mizuki and Date work so well as a "found family" and Mizuki END is so sweet it's tooth rotting. Pewter? Outstanding, finally a big brain character that isn't all science lingo and can't crack a joke. Even Shoko, who is absolutely horrible as a person, is a good character that serves her purpose. Mizuki's trauma is presented very well and it's obvious that heavy research was done to make sure nothing was being misrepresented. It would be a crime to not give a passing mention to the LGBT representation from Mama, Pewter, Renju, Date, and Kagami.

    Every route has its charms and even with one route being the cause of my nightmares for two days, I can't say there's anything negative about it. I can confidently say the Annihilation Route scared me **** and I was not prepared for any of it. As the name suggests it isn't the happiest by any stretch of the imagination but it delivers in every department. The soundtrack in Iris' somnium properly freaks you out, you get very clear insight to the past Cyclops Killings, and so much of the story starts coming together.

    Fans of the Zero Escape series and other Uchikoshi works (such as myself) will definitely like this absolute masterpiece and will understand just how underappreciated it is, much like all of Uchikoshi's games. Not to sound like elitist garbage but they're just too ahead of their time. I know for certain people will look back at ZE and AITSF and think "how did we miss such incredible games?" I know the review bombing came from some bitter Ota kinnie who's too far up his own ass to understand Iris' treatment in the game and is blinded by his loyalty to a fictional idol and not Reddit's speculation of hate on the LGBT speech Mizuki gives in Marble (which drove me to tears) but regardless of the situation, AI: The Somnium Files does not deserve any hate, from pathetic Ota kinnies or not. At this point, I'm pretty sure Uchikoshi could predict the future and wrote Ota **** around that sad lump of **** because there are too many similarities between the two. I'm not kidding, he's smart enough to put together the plotlines for the ZE trilogy and AITSF with minimal plotholes, who's to say he didn't base SHIFTing off his real life experiences? Is Kotaru Uchikoshi the second coming of God? I certainly wouldn't deny it.    … Expand
  16. Jacob-Z
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    The game tells a great story, and I think people who give very low scores just signed up a brand new account to express their anti-LGBT attitude.
  17. ZhongjianAJIATE
    Feb 11, 2020
    9
    Way much better than my expectation, one of the best script-based games in the past at least 5 years.
  18. hfuhah
    Feb 19, 2020
    10
    Really compelling and brilliantly told murder mystery story. A great intro to Uchikoshi's works with a 10/10 ending
  19. stimkyrat
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    I was gonna copy and paste bible verses and replace any parts about God with Uchikoshi but that's not something I could achieve so instead I'll give that beautiful son of a gun all my love and support with positive reviews to balance the rating out and just generally being an avid fan of his works
  20. 1000Minus7
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    This game is one of my favorite games I’ve played so far. There’s so much emotion and suspense packed into this much underrated game. Uchikoshi never fails to amaze me with his games and his passion really shines through with this one! You can tell that a lot of work went into the creation of the game, and that’s one of the many reasons it’s such a great play.
    You’re guaranteed to get    This game is one of my favorite games I’ve played so far. There’s so much emotion and suspense packed into this much underrated game. Uchikoshi never fails to amaze me with his games and his passion really shines through with this one! You can tell that a lot of work went into the creation of the game, and that’s one of the many reasons it’s such a great play.
    You’re guaranteed to get invested in the story, the characters, and making all kinds of theories about what’ll happen next. The suspense really leaves you on the edge, making it nearly impossible to put down!    … Expand
  21. Dragnir
    Feb 19, 2020
    10
    A friend recommended me this game because I liked the Ace Attorney and Danganronpa series. I fell in love directly, amazing characters, humor and plot twists. It took me only 2 weeks to complete it. I'm making this review because the game is review bombed again and I'm disappointed since this game is truly amazing. I hope people will play and enjoy it as much as I did !
  22. Linker357
    Feb 19, 2020
    10
    I was eyeing this game for a while now, had seen a couple of things about it here and there not nothing much. Being a fan of the Danganronpa series, as soon as I found it AIÑ The Somnium Files was made by Spike Chunsoft I knew I had to play it. so far I have been absolutely loving it: great characters and a storyline that keeps you on your toes, would definitely recommend to anyone lookingI was eyeing this game for a while now, had seen a couple of things about it here and there not nothing much. Being a fan of the Danganronpa series, as soon as I found it AIÑ The Somnium Files was made by Spike Chunsoft I knew I had to play it. so far I have been absolutely loving it: great characters and a storyline that keeps you on your toes, would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good thriller… Expand
  23. baerenknuddler
    Feb 23, 2020
    10
    This was my first visual novel and I fell in love with this game. I love whodunits and this game gives me everything I want from this genre.
  24. Terrorgod
    Feb 28, 2020
    9
    The AI somnium files is a murder mystery that has you follow the main character Date and his AI partner as you uncover the truths behind the new cyclops serial killings. You do this by going through point and click segments interacting with items in the world, talking to the people on screen, and later doing one of the core gameplay segments, psyncing (diving into someones dreams). As youThe AI somnium files is a murder mystery that has you follow the main character Date and his AI partner as you uncover the truths behind the new cyclops serial killings. You do this by going through point and click segments interacting with items in the world, talking to the people on screen, and later doing one of the core gameplay segments, psyncing (diving into someones dreams). As you do these dives, you learn that there is a branch in peoples minds where the story will diverge into different routes, this is all reasonably well maintained in a flowchart and allows for you to experience the events of a single day in different fashions.

    While this gameplay loop isn't very intensive and relatively simple, I feel like it combos really well making an interactive story that I was able to sit down with and enjoy while being tired. The relaxing yet intense vibes as you are constantly trying to make sense of all that is happening in this world really got me going to the point I did screw up my sleep schedule just to achieve a route ending out of sheer curiosity. Overall I loved the characters and story.

    Mentioning the story, I feel that it was structured very well. The mystery was well laid out, the characters all accomplished their roles very well, and it was a fun journey with just the right amount of chaos. There were some minor inconsistencies but i don't feel like those take to much from the overall experience. If I have anything to really complain about, its probably any of the action scenes. They were almost all poorly executed, extremely random, and definitely aiming at just being fan service (and the only one i actually even semi liked was one having the mc deciding if saving a life is worth the porn in his jacket).

    In conclusion, I give this game a 9/10 for the fact that I was hooked throughout the entire 25ish hour experience. It was a good ride that was I was able to relax with and I absolutely loved the style of writing in most cases. This game will is definitely not for everyone as its catered towards "weebs" but if that isn't going to phase you, I would humbly recommend giving it a shot. A-set you bet.    … Expand
  25. CaspianX
    Feb 18, 2020
    9
    AI: The Somnium Files is a Graphic Adventure with strong Visual Novel elements that places you in the role of an investigator in a futuristic police force that uses AI-augmented vision and subconscious-exploring technology (a la Inception) to solve crimes.

    This game's story and presentation is one of its strongest elements. It starts with a gruesome murder, and you're immediately    AI: The Somnium Files is a Graphic Adventure with strong Visual Novel elements that places you in the role of an investigator in a futuristic police force that uses AI-augmented vision and subconscious-exploring technology (a la Inception) to solve crimes.

    This game's story and presentation is one of its strongest elements. It starts with a gruesome murder, and you're immediately introduced to protagonist Date (pronounced Daw-Tay), a member of a special police task force with bizarre futuristic technology, including the aforementioned Inception-esque dream technology. Date has been assigned to investigate the crime in part because he knows the victim, and the investigation will soon come to involve others in his life as well.

    The story is told in a manner that's very reminiscent of an anime, with the game taking place in Tokyo and characters fitting into standard anime archetypes, although they're depicted with enough depth here, and the story itself is so engrossing that it really pulls you in - the game really makes you want to learn more about this world, and discover just what could have led to such a horrifying murder.

    However, one of the more inventive ways the game draws you into this world is when the game has the player go into Somnium, the game's term for a person's dream state or subconscious. Here, players take control of an avatar of Date's AI companion, who must navigate the dream state to not only uncover clues to the mysteries at hand, but also possibly heal the mental trauma of the subject.

    During these sections of the game, things play out like a warped Graphic Adventure, where players are observing the environment, looking for clues, and using items to solve puzzles, but since this is taking place in a dream state, the logic of everything doesn't follow real-world rules, and players have to try to wrap their brain around the strange logic this presents, often with symbolism playing just as much an element as traditional storytelling.

    These sections are also presented in a way that limits a player's time to move around and interact in this state, forcing players to be selective about which actions to take in this limited time. I was initially wary of this gameplay element, but players can at any time simply stop moving and look around to think about what they'll do next, and the clock stops with them, meaning that feeling of being rushed isn't as much of a concern, and instead the limited time means that players will have to be sure that every action they take is one they're fairly sure will help them accomplish their goals. I really appreciated how this encouraged taking a measured, thoughtful approach to this game's mind-bending puzzles.

    Outside of the Somnium sections, the game plays out more like a Visual Novel, with players observing environments, having conversations with various characters, and using the protagonist's artificial eye (itself a major character in the story) to dig up information.

    If there was one part of the game that I felt was a bit lacking, it was this part of the game, which comprises the majority of the game. It's not bad, by any stretch, as there is some very good story conveyed through this part of the game. However, there's nothing here that compares to the puzzle-solving found in the Somnium sections, and often I found myself wondering if my choices in these sections mattered, something that never seemed in question in the Somnium sections.

    Graphically, this game is good, using subtle cel shading to give this game an anime-style look that fits the story. It's not perfect - the environments could do with a bit more detail and the characters' mouths not moving in time with what they're saying feels a bit off, but on the whole this game looks pretty good visually.

    The sound on the other hand, is pretty fantastic, and in particular I have to give credit to the voice acting in this game, which is pretty excellent. Even though the writing at times dips into the cross-cultural awkwardness that's often typical of anime localizations, the voice acting does a great job of conveying the characters' feelings and giving us a good feel for them as actual people.

    I really enjoyed AI: The Somnium Files, thanks to the great story and presentation, and in particular the Somnium sections of the game, which are so surreal and with such unique puzzle logic that there doesn't seem much else out there like them. It's a shame that the rest of the game's gameplay isn't quite as engaging and imaginative as these portions, but the story generally picks up the slack. Fans of Graphic Adventures, anime, and sci-fi who don't have a problem with creepy, violent imagery should consider this game a must-buy.    … Expand
  26. Raspbryl
    Feb 23, 2020
    10
    Having played the zero escape series I more or less knew what I was walking into... A string of escape room puzzles with an extremely complex plot and while the former was exactly as good as I expected the former was a bit of a letdown.

    I admit the latter part of the zero escape series (VLR-ZTD) had a hugely unfair difficulty curve but this feels like a massive over-correction. The    Having played the zero escape series I more or less knew what I was walking into... A string of escape room puzzles with an extremely complex plot and while the former was exactly as good as I expected the former was a bit of a letdown.

    I admit the latter part of the zero escape series (VLR-ZTD) had a hugely unfair difficulty curve but this feels like a massive over-correction. The puzzle sections feel a bit too easy.. indeed its no longer about carefully combing the environment and taking your time its about managing it. Every action in a puzzle section costs you time even walking. You can stand still if you need time to think but I found myself brute forcing these sections more often than not.

    I think I get what they were trying to do. Zero escape definitely had trouble conveying urgency through game play. You weren't ever solving puzzles under the gun, you had all the time in the world. So you'd have characters yelling at you to hurry but you quickly figured out there was no penalty coming. The new system... sacks interesting puzzles in favor of trying to add tension and I'm not sure I approve, I like being challenged and the puzzles just weren't doing it for me the way this director previous work has and while I enjoyed playing it I'm sort of hesitant to re-play it over 999 or VLR.

    That said I still wholly recommend it for its story aspect and while that too is was way more simple than I'm used to I was sort of okay with that by the end.    … Expand
  27. Akacry
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    I really really enjoyed this game! It really was fun and beautiful, it can be slow at points because of reviewing of past events but that’s something that comes from a visual novel like game. The puzzles are fun and the story is really interesting! I’ve never experienced a game that made toy go back and forth between two routs to get the best and worst ending. Please please look at theI really really enjoyed this game! It really was fun and beautiful, it can be slow at points because of reviewing of past events but that’s something that comes from a visual novel like game. The puzzles are fun and the story is really interesting! I’ve never experienced a game that made toy go back and forth between two routs to get the best and worst ending. Please please look at the critic reviews and not the numbers, the game was just reviewed bomb and I found this out right after I beat the game so I had to come and let you know that most of those negative reviews are fake!… Expand
  28. MJJean
    Feb 11, 2020
    9
    An amazing game with memorable characters, **** twists, awful sex jokes that come up way too often, horrible singing, weird ass mechanics, bizzare interactions, and the strangest metabombing story ever. I loved every minute of it. I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you for so many amazing games, Uchikoshi.
  29. ArtifexQ
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Fantastic game with an engaging story that keeps you guessing. Follows the classic Uchikoshi story telling style of completing a number of different branches before unlocking the true path to the ending.
  30. Lotusdrop
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Its Wonderfull! The Characters were all fascinating and the routes were very interesting!
  31. MadScientisto
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Really good game, intriguing gameplay with compelling characters and story. As usual with Uchikoshi, the humor resonated a lot with me.

    P.S Hope you're happy bomb reviewers, the people that actually played the game easily outnumbers you.
  32. daijo
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    If you're a fan of Uchikoshi's previous work, you won't be disappointed. It's a different style of storytelling and vastly slower paced than his previous games, but the characters are extremely well developed and branching storylines continue to converge and resolve in meaningful and satisfying ways.

    Fantastic ending and definitely worthy of a 10.
  33. En_Bonj
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    One of the better games of the year, especially if you like strong narratives like Zero Escape and Danganronpa. I didnt think Ukisoki would be able to make something as special as his last few games but he hit it out of the park with some special characters I will remember for a long time.
  34. Supergeneric
    Feb 12, 2020
    9
    The game starts off a little slowly, but it is well worth the wait. The characters are expertly developed throughout the story and the twist will have you reaching for each next chapter. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys visual novels or high stakes puzzle solving. I only wish that the game would have more puzzles throughout, but I understand the focus on storytelling. Overall, itThe game starts off a little slowly, but it is well worth the wait. The characters are expertly developed throughout the story and the twist will have you reaching for each next chapter. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys visual novels or high stakes puzzle solving. I only wish that the game would have more puzzles throughout, but I understand the focus on storytelling. Overall, it was a fantastic experience. 9/10… Expand
  35. garden0127
    Feb 12, 2020
    10
    it is a game full of the style of Kotaro Uchikoshi. it is a pretty wonderful games with puzzle elements. if you like the series of Zero Escape, you will like this game.
  36. kaki_100
    Feb 12, 2020
    10
    A real good open-ending story game except loading time length. You can experience many different minor cultural factors while enjoy the various sides of charming characters and funny memes. Oh this is really a meme festival LOL
  37. TriotheHoly
    Feb 12, 2020
    9
    Great game, a weird experience, has me crying by the end. I really enjoyed the mystery, and felt like I had enough information to solve it before the game explained it.
  38. Chika
    Feb 12, 2020
    9
    To get straight to the point: I love this game. Sure, it's not perfect (especially with minor performance issues on Switch), but that's the one way that sums up how I feel about it. I love this game, and very much so.

    I've been a fan of Zero Escape for years, so Uchikoshi's new work does not disappoint. Expect wild twist and turns and a game world that just sucks you in. I know I    To get straight to the point: I love this game. Sure, it's not perfect (especially with minor performance issues on Switch), but that's the one way that sums up how I feel about it. I love this game, and very much so.

    I've been a fan of Zero Escape for years, so Uchikoshi's new work does not disappoint. Expect wild twist and turns and a game world that just sucks you in. I know I definitely lost sleep over it, in a good way. I couldn't put it down once I got into it, and I'm sitting here two months after I beat it being completely unable to still stop thinking about it. The mystery keeps you captivated and I'm enamored with so many of the characters. I'm sure it's a game that I'll keep very dear to my heart for years to come.    … Expand
  39. Amurter19
    Feb 12, 2020
    10
    This game is equal parts a charming and silly adventure to find the truth, and grizzly murder spree where no one can be trusted. Animation and graphics are huge step up from previous Uchikoshi games, and probably most VN's. English cast is also amazing.

    Wait for a sale if you need to, but please do check it out.
  40. IvoryBlood
    Feb 13, 2020
    10
    Absolutely my game of the year of 2019. Being a visual novel, it's of course not everybody's cup of tea, but if you want a great murder mystery with great characters and a mind-bending plot, you've come to the right place. Anyone who's a fan of Uchikoshi's work or wants to get into his stuff would do well to check this one out
  41. Lozzu
    Feb 13, 2020
    10
    AI: The Somnium Files was my game of 2019. It was the Ace Attorney formula done right. Characters and scenery were all selectable in a 3d environment and the puzzles in the somniums engaged you based on the characters' personalities and how to solve them.
  42. QuailSpinch
    Feb 13, 2020
    10
    A dark and humourous detective VN with a loveable cast and a thrilling story.
  43. Peachielixir
    Feb 13, 2020
    10
    I adored AI in every way . The characters were endearing . The plot was intriguing and it kept mr and my friend guessing up till then end. It was ride I would go on a million times and never get bored.
  44. Zalezagoon
    Feb 16, 2020
    10
    Made an account to make for the sore loser who bombed this game;
    I'll admit I haven't actually played the game, but I did watch an entire lp of the game itself and I enjoyed it greatly. It's sitting in my wishlist at this very moment to play with some friends for our next get together,, just waiting for payday. The twists of this game are great, I loved the humor so much, and the    Made an account to make for the sore loser who bombed this game;
    I'll admit I haven't actually played the game, but I did watch an entire lp of the game itself and I enjoyed it greatly. It's sitting in my wishlist at this very moment to play with some friends for our next get together,, just waiting for payday. The twists of this game are great, I loved the humor so much, and the characters were all great and absolutely memorable with their own unique characteristics. The voice acting is amazing, which isn't something I usually praise. I Highly recommend playing this game.    … Expand
  45. tobyfathom
    Feb 16, 2020
    10
    One of the best games I’ve ever played! The story is enthralling, nearly every character is fleshed out and sympathetic, and the twists are genuinely surprising while being hinted at and foreshadowed frequently. It’s not the most traditional game ever, but I would recommend it to basically who can handle a little blood/murder. I haven’t been this emotionally involved in a game in a longOne of the best games I’ve ever played! The story is enthralling, nearly every character is fleshed out and sympathetic, and the twists are genuinely surprising while being hinted at and foreshadowed frequently. It’s not the most traditional game ever, but I would recommend it to basically who can handle a little blood/murder. I haven’t been this emotionally involved in a game in a long time. There are some minor flaws (the switch version has some trouble playing some of the dialogue, Date’s Percy nature gets overstated and becomes a bit annoying, etc), but I’m willing to forgive them because of how thematically tight and well crafted the story is. Absolutely recommended.… Expand
  46. cNeq
    Feb 16, 2020
    10
    AI Somnium Files was a masterpiece and one of the most underrated visual novels.
  47. Lightning_Chasr
    Feb 16, 2020
    10
    Absolute masterpiece, one of my new favorite games of all time.
    If you're a fan of Zero Escape, Danganronpa, or murder mysteries in general, please play this.
  48. lancermonna
    Feb 16, 2020
    10
    I am a huge fan of Uchikoshi's works and was immediately interested in playing Ai: Somnium files the minute I heard about it coming to the switch. Let me just say, thank God I gave this game a shot because I adored this game from opening to closing credits. If you are a fan of solving murder mysteries or even crime mysteries with an amazing plot, loveable characters that are well definedI am a huge fan of Uchikoshi's works and was immediately interested in playing Ai: Somnium files the minute I heard about it coming to the switch. Let me just say, thank God I gave this game a shot because I adored this game from opening to closing credits. If you are a fan of solving murder mysteries or even crime mysteries with an amazing plot, loveable characters that are well defined and an amazingly funny story, then all I have to say is, stop what you're doing, pick up this title and PLAY THIS GAME!! You will not be disappointed. In fact, I can personally guarantee that you will not be able to put down. It's that f**king good! You will be blown away with just how much love and attention the entire team, from development to localization, gave to this project. Everyone literally put their blood, sweat, and tears into making sure that we got everything we could ever hope for in a well-polished game and it clearly shows.
    I know that I am repeating myself like a broken record, but that is just how damn happy I am to have played this work of art!! The plot was so well written and engaging that it kept me eager to find out what happened next. The twists and turns were just enough to keep you on your toes without becoming too convoluted or boring. And when all is said and done, I could not find a single character that I did not give any f**ks about. . . . Well, there was 1 or 2, but this is not due to poor character development. The characters were just that believable. The ending is satisfying and did not come off as a Dues Ex Machina or a mary sue. Lastly, I have to say that both voices acting in both Japanese and English were A+ grade. I actually loved the English dub and Japanese equally. This is rare as I usually only play or watch anime in Japanese only so that I can have the original context of a story as it was originally intended. But, the translation was so great that I was left grinning from ear to ear at the cleaver dialog and banter between characters.

    In the end, thank you, THANK YOU Uchikoshi and everyone involved in creating and releasing this gem to the masses!    … Expand
  49. rcpleo
    Feb 17, 2020
    10
    This game is truly amazing. I was super impressed by its story and characters. The suspense and mystery throughout the game kept me playing, and some parts even made me a bit emotional. I highly recommend this game, and it is a must play on my list.
  50. KobeBeef
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    Great game. Very good story. Spent hours on this game and couldn't stop it before I finished it.
  51. Waii
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    Colocando Nota Máxima pq um corno veio e deu um bomb review. Espero q esse jogo ainda faça muito sucesso pela frente
  52. CatsuneNiku
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    I could go on and on about how much this game did right. It was exactly what I wanted from the project and more, with creative and fun character writing, a unique premise that immediately got me hooked, and constant twists and turns along the way. I couldn't recommend this game more.
  53. Getscaredgirl
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    Fantastic game with an amazing story, characters, atmosphere and soundtrack. Great for people who want to get into other visual novels and fans of Zero Escape and Danganronpa.
  54. pixelhavokk
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    Quite possibly the best VN, and certainly the best mystery-centric game I've ever had the opportunity to play. Uchikoshi's newest work (999, VLR) is also quite possibly his best, in no small part due to a more restrained focus, tighter story, greater opportunities to flesh out his cast of lovable characters, and a presentation leagues beyond any of his DS and 3DS offerings. Is the gameQuite possibly the best VN, and certainly the best mystery-centric game I've ever had the opportunity to play. Uchikoshi's newest work (999, VLR) is also quite possibly his best, in no small part due to a more restrained focus, tighter story, greater opportunities to flesh out his cast of lovable characters, and a presentation leagues beyond any of his DS and 3DS offerings. Is the game perfect? Of course not, no game is. Some performance issues plague the game, it has crashed on my a few times (a generous autosave system prevented this from being anything beyond an annoyance) and some of the jokes didn't land quite as well as intended. However, it contains some of the best writing I've seen in any game to date, unforgettable characters, and a mystery that's still managing to worm it's way around my head. I wouldn't change a moment of it.… Expand
  55. cf12345
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    Definitely one of the best games I've played from 2019, the story is fantastic and gripping, and the characters are incredibly memorable. 100% going to play again soon!
  56. Randomkomand
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    Ffs can people stop bombing this thing, its a good spike chunsoft game.....
  57. danielgusa
    Feb 20, 2020
    10
    Great game. I'm a Nonary Game fan, so this game scrateches the itch well. Great characters and story. Puzzles may seem a bit easier than past games, but they are generally ok.
  58. cdog2700
    Feb 20, 2020
    10
    Great game for anyone into puzzle games and deep stories. Although some of the storylines are a bit lacking, the better storylines makeup for it. Especially the true ending storyline.
  59. VixelPixel
    Feb 21, 2020
    10
    When I heard about this game, I immediately knew it would be something I would enjoy. I had never played an Uchikoshi game (well, I played an hour of 999 but that doesn’t count) but that didn’t stop me at all. As soon as I heard it was out for Switch, I bought it, and got the Day One edition with cute little stickers (One of which I slapped onto my laptop after finishing the game). TheWhen I heard about this game, I immediately knew it would be something I would enjoy. I had never played an Uchikoshi game (well, I played an hour of 999 but that doesn’t count) but that didn’t stop me at all. As soon as I heard it was out for Switch, I bought it, and got the Day One edition with cute little stickers (One of which I slapped onto my laptop after finishing the game). The first time I got it though, the cartridge was missing, which really bummed me out. Luckily, we got the game replaced and I was so excited to play it. I stayed up way to late playing the game because it was just so good! There were times when I had to remind myself to eat because I was so engrossed in the story. It’s not a long game, it took me 4 days of playing to finish it for a total of 24 hours spent in game. While the switch was a bit slow at loading some of the bigger scenes, it’s not that big of an issue. I could feel how hard the system as trying, as it was often really hot after coming out of docked mode. That said, the story, characters, and soundtrack charmed me so much. I really do love this game. If you have a love for murder mystery and humor, you’ll likely enjoy this game. Give it a shot!… Expand
  60. DonChalant
    Feb 22, 2020
    10
    My absolute favorite game of 2019. I've loved all of Kotaro Uchikoshi's previous works but these is easily his best game in my opinion. Anyone that likes mystery games definitely NEEDS to check this one out. By the very end of the game it truly becomes something special.
  61. PigMacLord
    Sep 27, 2021
    10
    To start I'd like to explain that just because I gave the game a 10 doesn't mean that the game is flawless. It's just that from my perspective I find it to be a masterpiece. AI: The Somnium Files is one of my favourite games/game experiences of all time. To start I'll praise what the game did undeniably well. As expected of Kotaro Uchikoshi, the writing of this game is superb. Both theTo start I'd like to explain that just because I gave the game a 10 doesn't mean that the game is flawless. It's just that from my perspective I find it to be a masterpiece. AI: The Somnium Files is one of my favourite games/game experiences of all time. To start I'll praise what the game did undeniably well. As expected of Kotaro Uchikoshi, the writing of this game is superb. Both the unraveling of all the story elements as well as every single mystery in the game was mind-blowing. If you like the mystery genre even a little, this game has a fantastic one to offer you. Now I'd like to talk about the other elements of the game that had a mixed reaction with the general public. Personally I've found the characters to be very strong. Each of them had a quite complex personality that shown through in their interactions with one another throughout he game. However, I've noticed many people have had a problem with the characters. I do see their perspective as some of the characters could be found annoying, or foolish at times throughout the story. But in my opinion this made them seem someone more believable than characters I've found in other stories, as it seemed that the characters' perspectives on situations were wholly unique. There are also many emotional moments that resonated with me and that's why I didn't dock anything when it came to characters. Next, I'd like to explain the humour in this game. This seemed to be another divisive point when it came to this game as there are a TON of perverted jokes when it came to this game. Now I wouldn't say that I am personally a huge fan of perverted jokes but I'm not a prude when it comes to them. When it comes to the humour in this game I feel like it was really well done. Let's take a look at another game in the mystery visual novel genre, Danganronpa. I am a big fan of the Danganronpa series but one thing that bugged me was the humour. Often times the serious moments would be thrown off course in the middle of them with random bits of humour. I found that this was very intrusive, and a fault of the game as it wouldn't let some emotional moments resonate. However in AI: The Somnium Files, despite a dark gritty theme, the humour is properly timed and kept out of areas of the game that it would be inappropriate. Actually, I found that the humour was actually beneficial in AI: The Somnium Files due to the timing as it alleviated the tension when needed. Even if the humour is not to your liking, it played a great narrative purpose and so I believe it to be another good point. The gameplay wasn't anything incredible, but the interactivity of the puzzles added a certain layer of immersion. Whether it be the funny bits between Date and Aiba during the Somniums, or the emotional impact of other moments (which would be spoiler-ish if I mentioned them), I found the gameplay, while not particularly impressive, to be nice.

    TLDR
    So despite the minor kinks in an otherwise amazing game, since the theming, mystery, characters and humour were all to my liking. I found AI: The Somnium Files to be a masterpiece and it has definitely secured a spot as one of my favourite games of all time.    … Expand
  62. Khaz
    Apr 29, 2020
    10
    This has become my favorite Visual Novel of all time. Having played Uchikoshi's other VNs I expected to like it, but I figured that there would be at least one character I didn't enjoy. Every character felt well developed, so that even the ones I didn't like I could enjoy disliking. Also, this game was so much funnier than I expected! I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. The storyThis has become my favorite Visual Novel of all time. Having played Uchikoshi's other VNs I expected to like it, but I figured that there would be at least one character I didn't enjoy. Every character felt well developed, so that even the ones I didn't like I could enjoy disliking. Also, this game was so much funnier than I expected! I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. The story is well developed and critical information is delivered at a good pace to give you the chance to make guesses and keep revising as you learn more. The important twists are well constructed, so that you have all the information you need to have guessed them and whether you did figure them out ahead of time or not the reveal is satisfying. All in all, it was a fantastic mystery experience front to back and I fully recommend it.… Expand
  63. Tortor
    Oct 25, 2021
    10
    Probably the best interactive story game I've ever played.

    It was a chunky one too, took me several weekends to finally get through it. The gameplay can be a bit tedious though, wasn't a huge fan of the system set up to dive into someone's mind. Everytime that would occur I kinda dreaded it because sometimes these can get lengthy for a sliver of plot that you get in return. Also I'd be    Probably the best interactive story game I've ever played.

    It was a chunky one too, took me several weekends to finally get through it.

    The gameplay can be a bit tedious though, wasn't a huge fan of the system set up to dive into someone's mind. Everytime that would occur I kinda dreaded it because sometimes these can get lengthy for a sliver of plot that you get in return. Also I'd be constantly worried that I'd get myself killed and have to repeat something. Once I started understanding how the branching paths worked though this got a lot easier to speed through. The game did a good job letting you know what decision caused it to branch out.

    The story and character in this, I absolutely loved. The story is absolutely bonkers. It's all sorta confusing at first and I can totally seeing it being nonsensical at first but towards the end things make sense. This also took some story paths that I did not see coming and was pleasantly surprised with. It waz very drama heavy but broke up that drama with some humor.

    Humor is super subjective but I found the humor used here was amazing. I definitely laughed out loud a few times with some of the jokes and cuteness. It got kinda silly in such a fun, high camp sort of way. If you appreciate camp then this will definitely work for ya.

    Overall I had such an amazing time with this, I felt so fulfilled by the end with my experience. You know it's good when months later I still recall how fun of an adventure this was.    … Expand
  64. capedavenger
    Apr 20, 2021
    10
    I make it quick. This is an absolute masterpiece. Incredible. It's tough and gruesome to get through (emotionally)...but believe me it's a journey you should make...and you have to make it to the very end. That's all.
  65. Sunshadow87
    Aug 7, 2022
    9
    No soy especial fan de las Visual Novels, aunque he disfrutado algunas, por ello este juego ha pasado por debajo de mi radar hasta recientemente, poco antes de lanzarse la secuela que descubrí que el desarrollador era el mismo equipo detrás de la saga 999 y me lance a por ella.

    He de decir que a nivel de historia, seguramente sea una de las mejores VN, poniéndote en la piel de un    No soy especial fan de las Visual Novels, aunque he disfrutado algunas, por ello este juego ha pasado por debajo de mi radar hasta recientemente, poco antes de lanzarse la secuela que descubrí que el desarrollador era el mismo equipo detrás de la saga 999 y me lance a por ella.

    He de decir que a nivel de historia, seguramente sea una de las mejores VN, poniéndote en la piel de un detective con un trasfondo de ciencia ficción que te tiene dando vueltas y comiéndote la cabeza durante todo el juego, mientras hace buen uso del "efecto mariposa" en las distintas bifurcaciones que podemos tomar. El juego te mantiene activo mentalmente intentando encajar las piezas del puzzle y resolver el caso hasta el increíblemente apoteósico final verdadero, donde ya sabes como va a acabar todo y aún así es imposible no emocionarte. Eso sí, hay algún personaje que se me hizo bastante insoportable durante el juego, sobre todo en algunos caminos...Ota...

    Sin embargo, como digo no soy especialmente fan de las VN, y aquellas que más he disfrutado son las que son capaces de integrar de forma orgánica el gameplay de la VN con otro genero, generalmente el de puzzle. Esto es algo que la saga 999 hace a la perfección (así como otras como la saga ace attorney o el profesor layton). Sin embargo, aquí la dinámica de puzzle esta integrada cuando entramos en los sueños de otros personajes. Esta mecánica orgánica es, pero justamente al trabajar en sueños, las soluciones de los puzzles resultan realmente aleatorias, y la mayor parte del tiempo los resolveremos por prueba y error (aunque hay excepciones, y hay algunos sueños realmente interesantes). Aparte de esto, el juego incorpora momentos de "quick-events" que le aportan variedad y resultan cuanto menos cómicos.

    Otro problema de mecánica (y este si que es de la parte de VN) es que la habilidad de pasar rápido el texto no esta del todo bien implementada... solo permitiendonos pasar una línea de texto si la hemos escuchada en la bifurcación que actualmente estamos, pero no si ya la escuchamos en otra, haciendo la exploración de varias rutas un tanto tediosa a veces (aunque la capacidad de saltar al momento que queramos de las rutas desbloqueadas se agradece a cambio). También existe un bug que aparece a veces que te permite saltar texto que NO HAS VISTO previamente. No es molesto, pero si no te das cuenta puede hacerte pasar líneas de dialogo importante y hacerte abrir el backlog para leerlas.

    También cabe mencionar, de que aunque no influya apenas por el tipo de juego que es, la versión de switch al menos tiene problemas de rendimiento. Ocurren a veces, que tarda unos segundos en mostrarnos la siguiente línea. Solo ocurre en algunos momentos en algunas rutas (especialmente hacía el final), y sí que puede llegar a resultar algo molesto a veces.

    Así pues, el juego tiene fallos, y personalmente esta por debajo de 999, pero no en su historia que es en última instancia, la parte más importante aquí.    … Expand
  66. Bromareo
    Aug 23, 2020
    10
    To put it simply, a beautifully crafted game. This game makes you feel every emotion there is in a stunning story with characters that feel like real individuals.
  67. nicktlk
    Oct 29, 2021
    10
    wow. I've been putting off this game for way too long until I finally gave it a try. And I've been blown away. At first sight the game looks simplistic, but the story is just so amazingly written you just cannot get enough of it. Even after several hours in, you still have no idea what exactly is going on. Curiosity and the masterfully crafted plot keep you glued to the screen.
  68. tom974
    Sep 19, 2022
    8
    To be brief : great story, nice artistic direction, original gameplay but poor technic and optimization. The game lacks a bit of polish on certain aspects (technic, optimisation, rythm, somnium phases gameplay) but it really is a must try at least for those who like the visual novel genre.
  69. Pheenic
    Jan 21, 2021
    10
    God, please play this game. When I played it at the end of 2019, it was a long while since a game sucked me in like this one did. Hell, I haven't had a game SINCE this one that drew all my attention. The characters, the music, the story are all phenomenal! And the TWISTS. I won't bring it up but man... MAN.
  70. andresitobboy
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    very nicee perra..esta de puta madre y ojala gane un oscar y logre armar todos os cubos de rubik de tony fisher y de oscar y le reviente la puta madre a lilou en el bc one y todo eso ..los quiero
  71. zkyevolved
    Feb 12, 2020
    8
    The game is really good. I think sometimes it's a bit slow, but I was quite surprised about how much I enjoyed it! Thanks developers!
  72. Joshu09
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gosh, this is an absolute Masterpiece!
    I mean, everything Mr. Uchikoshi does is pure quality, but this is just... Outworldy uwu

    The "Familiar" atmosphere in Ota's route, the shock in the Annihilation route and the True Ending...Simply Masterful.    … Expand
  73. Kashiblood
    Mar 2, 2020
    10
    Best game i've ever played. Literally. The story and characters are amazing and I cried so much at many points in the story.
  74. hereticgrim
    Mar 14, 2020
    10
    AI is a fantastic story, with a lovable cast of characters and plot twists that will blow your mind. Any fan of visual novels, mystery, and thrillers will love this game.
  75. SatouSatou
    Apr 29, 2020
    10
    One the best games of uchikochi, the game is asome and the animation is best, the game is so long and the puzzles they are very well achieved
  76. Hiroshichen
    Jun 13, 2020
    10
    For the new comer who are interesting in AVG games, this one is worth to try. Extraordinary story and fascinating characters would not disappoint you.
  77. kiyo_komaeda
    Jun 27, 2020
    10
    This game is 10/10. The plot, the characters, the music and the visuals are amazing. Gameplay was also really refreshing and nice. I really liked it. It is really sad that this amazing game is so underrated. Just play it you won’t regret. Especially if you like murder mysteries.
  78. Anonime
    Jul 10, 2020
    9
    Its authors succeeded again, another great game.

    Although it does not measure up to Zero escape, this game gets you hooked just the same, with its puzzles, its timelines, its charismatic characters, its very good soundtrack ... There is little that can be negative about this game , perhaps that made me a little predictable in some things, and that its ending left me with a WTF face ...    Its authors succeeded again, another great game.

    Although it does not measure up to Zero escape, this game gets you hooked just the same, with its puzzles, its timelines, its charismatic characters, its very good soundtrack ... There is little that can be negative about this game , perhaps that made me a little predictable in some things, and that its ending left me with a WTF face ... In the sense of ... What am I seeing now?

    But hey, it's great, I highly recommend it.    … Expand
  79. kayaahiko
    Jul 30, 2020
    10
    This game is going straight to the top of my favourites. You can see that so much love and effort has been put in this game, with great dialogue between characters (the comedy was great), a gripping story line/mystery and enjoyable puzzles between. Would definitely recommend.
  80. caysjose
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    GREAT GAME, I picked this while on 50% sale. I would really like to have amnesia just to play this game again! The story is Dark with some surprising twist. Sometimes complicated but very interesting and the game try their best to tell you so you won't get confused. There's a lot of joke too, and it's hilarious and random. If you try to interact with everything in this game, you may beGREAT GAME, I picked this while on 50% sale. I would really like to have amnesia just to play this game again! The story is Dark with some surprising twist. Sometimes complicated but very interesting and the game try their best to tell you so you won't get confused. There's a lot of joke too, and it's hilarious and random. If you try to interact with everything in this game, you may be rewarded with jokes and sometimes it's pop culture jokes u may reckon from another things. The Gameplay is a thing u can't find anywhere else. Mainly, You'll play in a "Somnium" where you must interact with something to trigger a Memories of someone in cost of Time, Time out you lose. The character is memorable. I love Mizuki! I love the Music and A-Set Song. The VA is also very good, but I always prefer Japanese to make authentic experience.

    There's a minor problems tho. Sometimes the graphics looks blurry (Switch), I think this is the area where game dev can actually make more efforts. In a cutscene where you'll move to another location, hiccups framerate will happened (Switch), but this won't affect your gameplay. I mentioned earlier that this Story is complicated, Some people may not enjoy and can't follows the plot. Some may be will complained with lack of gameplay.

    But overall this is GREAT, if you're looking for Story based game / Visual Novel kinda like game with Unique gameplay! I really hope they'll make a sequel with more added engaging gameplay...    … Expand
  81. RedXVIII1987
    Aug 15, 2020
    10
    This is the only VN that i have liked, not just liked, i really enjoy it so much, and love the ride of emotions this game has. All the characters are interesting and well written. I love how the 3D characters interact or react to comments or while others are talking. The mystery in this game is so good, you will enjoy trying to figure the case, the music is amazing too. This game is moreThis is the only VN that i have liked, not just liked, i really enjoy it so much, and love the ride of emotions this game has. All the characters are interesting and well written. I love how the 3D characters interact or react to comments or while others are talking. The mystery in this game is so good, you will enjoy trying to figure the case, the music is amazing too. This game is more for mature people , yes it has ridiculous jokes but is necessary to balance the sad moments. This became my favorite game and my favorite game ending.… Expand
  82. SeeSunRun09
    Sep 5, 2020
    9
    An engaging and entertaining mystery story. Has a bit of a slow start; and it can at times feel tonally jarring, switching between scenes of cartoonish action and horrific drama. The ending brings it all together, and it retroactively makes the story/game feel much more cohesive and satisfying.
  83. Overprogi
    Oct 15, 2020
    9
    You can always trust Taekoshi Kotaro-this genius producer can always bring us amazing works, such as this game. The exquisite plot setting and funny language bring a brand new experience.
  84. HuTTreses
    Jan 8, 2021
    10
    Great game perfect gameplay and beautiful graphics, the game has a good story I recommend you play
  85. SagiR1
    Jan 24, 2021
    9
    AI: The somnium files is an awesome games. Great direction and great story. Lots of twist and turn. This game is futuristic of our time and could be said to be Ai: The Somnium Files 2077

    Story: It is amazing story that you should play by yourself. The branching path story with several endings. A little predictable but when it all come together. You will felt surprised and even impressed    AI: The somnium files is an awesome games. Great direction and great story. Lots of twist and turn. This game is futuristic of our time and could be said to be Ai: The Somnium Files 2077

    Story: It is amazing story that you should play by yourself. The branching path story with several endings. A little predictable but when it all come together. You will felt surprised and even impressed by the creativity and innovativeness of the story.

    Gameplay: It is visual novel style when progressing the story but turned into escape room during somnium or dream world investigation phase. Visual novel phase is similar to Professor Layton where you can touch to learn more about it which also lead to funny and unexpected dialogue. There are quick button press event that is wacky and very fun to watch. Anything is possible which make it funny and make you felt wow. It is true meaning of Cyberpunk if you ask me. For somnium world is the reason to play this game. Aiba and Date interaction in this phase is full of emotion with every choice you make. Every choice are full of references. Somnium dive are awesome as every somnium is different. I always want to play this mode more and more. It is very creative and innovative for this mode.

    Music: Overall composition and song during gameplay are great and match to all story. Yes, the one song with lyrics is quite a cringe. They try to make VTuber style character but lyrics and the song is no match for each other. The lyric is important as it tells story but please make the song listenable next time for English audience. I played this game in Autumn 2019, if I knew VTuber such as Hololive or Nijisanji exist at that time. I would just open their song on tops of it happens. They have one in the ending as well which is double-edge sword, you want to listen to it because it is the ending song and lots of interaction between characters in the game but the song is just screeching to the ear and make my music sense worse for 3 months after listening to it.

    Conclusion: This is true cyberistic experience, Many impossible things became possible, Unique and intense story and gameplay which will blow your mind. Funny and humorous game but can be get tense and full of emotion. It is MSG of gameplay that will spice things up and make it looks awesome. Awesome game    … Expand
  86. Yunadesu
    Feb 13, 2021
    10
    Loved the story and plot twists for this game. If there is anything I feel like that could've been better its probably the gameplay during the somnium. Since everything was random it makes the playthrough tedious and frustrating.
  87. igolrum
    May 25, 2021
    10
    Very good characters, humor and a "wtf is going on?" kind of murder mystery story that still manages to make sense in the end.
  88. Ventu
    Apr 9, 2022
    8
    AI: The Somnium Files es una novela visual muy interesante y con un marcado sentido del humor constante. La jugabilidad es más amplia que lo habitual dentro del género, ya que podremos investigar los escenarios y resolver los puzzles del Somnium. La historia sigue siendo guiada, y no puedes saltarte nada importante, más allá de las habituales rutas para diferentes finales de este género.AI: The Somnium Files es una novela visual muy interesante y con un marcado sentido del humor constante. La jugabilidad es más amplia que lo habitual dentro del género, ya que podremos investigar los escenarios y resolver los puzzles del Somnium. La historia sigue siendo guiada, y no puedes saltarte nada importante, más allá de las habituales rutas para diferentes finales de este género. Los personajes son muy carismáticos y bien desarrollados, siendo lo mejor del juego. Los gráficos son muy buenos dentro de este género, con unos controles y músicas muy correctos. Lo mejor, la historia y los personajes, con un gran final, y siendo necesario hacer todas las rutas para comprender la historia en su totalidad. Lo peor, las fases del somnium, al ser necesario ensayo y error en nunerosas ocasiones, se pueden hacer pesadas, y durante toda la historia las bromas sexuales son continuas, aunque en su mayoría pueden resultar graciosas, a veces se siente excesivo. En definitiva, totalmente recomendable si te gusta este género, ya que implementa mecánicas novedosas y originales, acompañadas por una buena historia y grandes personajes.… Expand
  89. IcyRice
    Feb 15, 2022
    10
    Really quickly only have 2 slight issues with AI: The Somnium Files. The pacing can be a bit slow rarely and the game can get a bit buggy but it honestly doesn't happen to often. Shame it got review bombed at release.
    If you haven't played a vn yet start with something easy like Ace Attorney before diving into this, if you have played a few vns you will appreciate how much of a    Really quickly only have 2 slight issues with AI: The Somnium Files. The pacing can be a bit slow rarely and the game can get a bit buggy but it honestly doesn't happen to often. Shame it got review bombed at release.
    If you haven't played a vn yet start with something easy like Ace Attorney before diving into this, if you have played a few vns you will appreciate how much of a masterpiece this game is.
    The story, characters, dialogue, suspense, twists, gameplay, soundtrack and puzzles are incredible. This is a very psychological driven story with complex characters who are unique, honestly enough said. I rarely say a game is perfect, but damn this is oh so close to that. Spike Chunsoft games in general are well done. Since this game is so complex (multiple endings, non-linear format etc.) someone new to vns may not understand certain elements well    … Expand
  90. KanmuriDavid
    Apr 22, 2022
    10
    Great character design, awesome soundtrack, gripping story with plenty of twists!
  91. Leiaviathan
    Jan 27, 2023
    10
    The first 2 hours or so felt really slow and I kinda forgot about the game after that. However I continued playing about 2 weeks later and I was hooked! The last couple of days I didn't wanna play anything other than AI - The Somnium files and after ~25 hours playtime I completed the game and immediately ordered NirvanA Initiative. I usually wait for games to go on sale but if the secondThe first 2 hours or so felt really slow and I kinda forgot about the game after that. However I continued playing about 2 weeks later and I was hooked! The last couple of days I didn't wanna play anything other than AI - The Somnium files and after ~25 hours playtime I completed the game and immediately ordered NirvanA Initiative. I usually wait for games to go on sale but if the second part is anything like the first I won't regret paying full price for the psysical copy.… Expand
  92. Bellonintendo
    Sep 18, 2019
    10
    If you love mind hunter, if you love true crime, if you love true detective, definitely you must go and play this game!!!!
  93. Benjullb
    Feb 15, 2020
    10
    Amazing mystery, amazing characters, tons of touching moments, an original puzzle system and at the end of the day one of the most unique experiencies of this year.
  94. Okiepokiesmokie
    Sep 28, 2019
    10
    For fans of story based games: I must fully recommend with all of my being Ai: The Somnium Files!! I don't think I've ever left a story game more satisfied with the experience and the ending. It will keep you constantly on the edge of your seat, speculating, guessing. I couldn't put it down! I will play every game Kotaro Uchikoshi puts out for the rest of my life because of how much IFor fans of story based games: I must fully recommend with all of my being Ai: The Somnium Files!! I don't think I've ever left a story game more satisfied with the experience and the ending. It will keep you constantly on the edge of your seat, speculating, guessing. I couldn't put it down! I will play every game Kotaro Uchikoshi puts out for the rest of my life because of how much I enjoyed Ai. There were some moments that I think were meant to be funny that I didn't understand and I'd call those the low points, but luckily they were few!… Expand
  95. buttman333
    Sep 25, 2019
    10
    All of Uchikoshi's games are CRIMINALLY underrated. I am bummed and disappointed that no gaming websites seem to cover these games. The zero escape games are all amazing and this game is no different. If you like weird, touching, and intriguing stories then you gotta pick this one up. Performance is great, a few stutters here and there but less common than in a game like Fire Emblem: ThreeAll of Uchikoshi's games are CRIMINALLY underrated. I am bummed and disappointed that no gaming websites seem to cover these games. The zero escape games are all amazing and this game is no different. If you like weird, touching, and intriguing stories then you gotta pick this one up. Performance is great, a few stutters here and there but less common than in a game like Fire Emblem: Three Houses. This game is also hilarious. I don't think any other game has made me laugh out loud as often as this one has. Please pick this one up!!… Expand
  96. ianhsieh2008
    Oct 30, 2019
    10
    Kotaro Uchikoshi hits again with his mind-fxcking superpower. I manage to see part of the twist by the end of a route, but still amazed by the twist when it hit. Great puzzle solving with some "dreamy" quirkiness, but I don't like the time constraint. The humor in the game is awesome, with some easter eggs point to other games/anime, and some real world people. Not sure about how it wentKotaro Uchikoshi hits again with his mind-fxcking superpower. I manage to see part of the twist by the end of a route, but still amazed by the twist when it hit. Great puzzle solving with some "dreamy" quirkiness, but I don't like the time constraint. The humor in the game is awesome, with some easter eggs point to other games/anime, and some real world people. Not sure about how it went down in the other languages, but my Chinese version has an easter egg about Kojima's name being a "small island" when Date is searching for humans in Sojima's mansion.… Expand
  97. RealGameCritic
    Oct 26, 2019
    9
    This is EASILY one of the best written video-games of this generation of gaming, and possibly even better writing than any game from last-gen too. The intricate hallucinating puzzle mechanics combined with the everlasting mystery Date tries to solve, leads to the resolution that left my mind blown after the hectic roller-coaster of emotions each path & scenario this game threw my way. TheThis is EASILY one of the best written video-games of this generation of gaming, and possibly even better writing than any game from last-gen too. The intricate hallucinating puzzle mechanics combined with the everlasting mystery Date tries to solve, leads to the resolution that left my mind blown after the hectic roller-coaster of emotions each path & scenario this game threw my way. The characters are immensely memorable and are written incredibly too. You can dive deeper into the somnium of my full review here at the link below!

    https://youtu.be/XkThZ899n9w    … Expand
  98. Buzzard
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    An excellent successor to the Zero Escape series. The writing was spectacular and the puzzles were satisfying to solve.
  99. Nematoad
    Sep 27, 2019
    9
    For a game about solving a grizzly murder its one of the most fun visual novels out there having an amazing cast of characters and great storytelling I'd say it's a must buy for anyone into visual novels.
  100. jagajazzist
    Sep 29, 2019
    9
    Unlike the claustrophobic atmosphere of the Zero Escape games, AI: The Somnium Files is a bright and fun visual novel. The characters are well-written and the plot (relative to other Uchikoshi games) is strong and without too many plot-holes. Though there often are huge tonal shifts between "my friends are all dead" and "hey, look at the boobs!," the sheer comedy of the whiplash works inUnlike the claustrophobic atmosphere of the Zero Escape games, AI: The Somnium Files is a bright and fun visual novel. The characters are well-written and the plot (relative to other Uchikoshi games) is strong and without too many plot-holes. Though there often are huge tonal shifts between "my friends are all dead" and "hey, look at the boobs!," the sheer comedy of the whiplash works in the game's favor. The humor *is* more juvenile than I normally like, yet I still howled throughout.

    AI suffers most in a comparison to Zero Escape when it comes to the "puzzles" (i.e. Somnia). These puzzles are governed by a not-too-generous time limit and some truly nonsensical dream "logic." Again, the nonsense ultimately works because it entertains, despite the initial frustrations of trial-and-error. But if you think you'll get to live out your anime detective fantasies, think again. The game is only non-linear in the classic Uchikoshi sense, with multiple timelines, all of which lead to a "true" ending. Within each puzzle for each timeline, there's only one correct solution with a tiny margin of error.

    Performance in handheld mode is great; it only lags a bit when you use the skip function aggressively. In docked mode, however, the adaptive resolution is downright terrible: it's almost blurry enough to confuse the characters, which — being well designed — is a hard feat to manage. Luckily, I played most of the game in handheld mode and only discovered the terrible docked performance on a lark. Caveat emptor if you want to play this on a big screen.

    The game's design is so haphazard and maximalist, I often thought I was having a stroke. As with most of the above shortcomings, this mess was actually charming. The game held my attention as much as — though for different reasons than — 999 and VLR. When I wasn't playing it, I was often thinking about it. If you're looking for intense and satisfying puzzles, this game has none. If you're looking to play it on your TV, this version is not recommended. But if you're looking for a visual novel overflowing with charm and humor, one with a genuinely mysterious and captivating plot, and one that you can play in your bed or while roaming, buy this game at full price. I reckon that I'll come back to it in a year or so, once I've forgotten most of the story beats.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. 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.
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  2. 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]
  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.
    Read full review
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