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. 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. Pedrohso
    Oct 21, 2019
    10
    Another riveting game by Uchikoshi. It has a captivating story perfect for fans of his other games. It made me laugh, cry and be intrigued by the characters and the plot until the very end. I would recommend it for anyone who likes the visual novel genre.
  3. 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
  4. breel
    Sep 29, 2019
    10
    I’m saying it ,kotaro did it again and you must buy this! For me it’s just a MASTERPIECE!
  5. 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
  6. Tyko
    Sep 28, 2019
    10
    From start to finish this game is a masterpiece. The amount of care and planing and writing and design that went into this game is incredible.
  7. 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.
  8. tantei
    Sep 25, 2019
    10
    I am 10 hours in and I can say uchikoshi still got. This game is a lot more humerous and has more sexual references then the zero escape series. He can still write things that will creap you out. And oh boy can he make you cry when he wants to
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. peropify
    Sep 18, 2019
    9
    I went in with high expectations, and for the most part I wasn't disappointed. The story is intriguing, the gameplay is unique in a way that works. I was also pleasantly surprised by the humour, which I thought could be corny at times in previous titles. The game is beautiful, and I'm a fan of the art style and game engine. The only thing that sort of bothered me was that a few instancesI went in with high expectations, and for the most part I wasn't disappointed. The story is intriguing, the gameplay is unique in a way that works. I was also pleasantly surprised by the humour, which I thought could be corny at times in previous titles. The game is beautiful, and I'm a fan of the art style and game engine. The only thing that sort of bothered me was that a few instances it felt like a low budget game, while at others it felt like a triple A game. Same with the music/sound - it was hit or miss, but it grows on you. Once you look past its minor deficiences though, this game truly is a masterpiece for fans of visual novel/point and click games.… Expand
  12. 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!!!!
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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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