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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  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 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
  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 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
  3. Frodomar2002
    Feb 17, 2020
    0
    I never played the original but even I know this one is no good. The controls are confusing and inconsistencies and the gameplay is terrible. Avoid
  4. Hackattaque
    Jul 12, 2022
    4
    New to the anime-style ‘visual novel’ genre? This game really might not be for you. Watch some Let’s Plays or wait for a sale to try it out. The universal acclaim does not tell the whole story.

    The premise for AI is intriguing: You play as a futuristic cop with an artificial intelligence in his eye socket who is called in to investigate a murder. But this is a ‘visual novel’ game, meaning    New to the anime-style ‘visual novel’ genre? This game really might not be for you. Watch some Let’s Plays or wait for a sale to try it out. The universal acclaim does not tell the whole story.

    The premise for AI is intriguing: You play as a futuristic cop with an artificial intelligence in his eye socket who is called in to investigate a murder. But this is a ‘visual novel’ game, meaning the story isn’t told from A to B — you have to run through it several times to view all the endings.

    This would be fine if the story were entertaining and the puzzles strong, like in ‘999’. But here, there are no puzzles — just a few QTEs and a handful of trial and error dream sequences.

    Which leaves the story. And in my view it’s an utter mess. Instead of sticking with the murder, the game jumps off into all sorts of confusing non sequiturs and plot distractions: parallel universes, double and triple crosses, secrets and hidden pasts and a stream of boring characters.

    At no point do you actually solve a crime: Instead of finding clues you run from location to location and exhaust dialogue options. The dialogue is crushingly dull and the anime tropes so tiresome: High school girls are there to stir adult male loins, erotic mags are thrown to distract gangsters, etc.

    Instead of wanting to find every ending to uncover the full truth behind all these bizarre deaths, resurrections and conspiracies, my first run through left me bored and frustrated. If you aren’t sure what you’re in for, I would steer clear.    … Expand
  5. Phuz
    Nov 3, 2020
    1
    I played the demo of this and there was absolutely nothing in the demo that made me want to play on. The interaction was a bit annoying. I just wanted to know where the story was going, everything felt disjointed and uninteresting. Didn't like the characters and the bit I played all just felt very forced.

    After playing video story based games like Beyond Two Souls and Late Shift etc.    I played the demo of this and there was absolutely nothing in the demo that made me want to play on. The interaction was a bit annoying. I just wanted to know where the story was going, everything felt disjointed and uninteresting. Didn't like the characters and the bit I played all just felt very forced.

    After playing video story based games like Beyond Two Souls and Late Shift etc. Things like this just feel like bargain bin games. I can play ancient games with 8 bit sound and graphics, I don't care as long as there is substance but this had none.

    I played a little bit of a demo of a low graphics game, it might have been called Coffee Shop and I found that to be way more engaging. Even though it was ancient graphics and had a weird thing of making customer's drinks, it actually pulled me in to its world a bit. A.I Somnium was just strange and did nothing to draw me in to its world like Coffee Shop did and man it is so expensive it just can't be justified.

    If it was cheaper (like 50 quid cheaper) I might up the score to a 2, or 3 but £54, someone is having a laugh. No one in their right mind would pay that for this rubbish.    … Expand
  6. bighair79
    Dec 19, 2020
    1
    Everything bad about video games. I love adventure puzzle games but this is a poorly written "visual novel" loaded with super sexist language and themes. I wish I could get a refund. Terrible game.
  7. Nintendist
    Jun 29, 2022
    0
    this game has a big lack of content. and u do the same thing over and over with no stop
  8. lucinhagamer
    Aug 26, 2022
    0
    this game is very ugly i hate it so much. this is not a good game. not fun found here
  9. GRAFAIAI
    Sep 1, 2022
    0
    this game is so terrible, the gameplay is cheap, lazy and very terrible. very bad

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.
    Read full review
  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
See all critic reviews »