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. 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
  2. scottxkx
    Feb 15, 2020
    10
    A worthwhile story game experience.
    The developers' strength is in weaving together perspectives and stories of its' characters together in a plot-twisting manner that leaves the player wanting to explore every possibility the universe has to offer.
    I personally don't play many console games anymore, and I really enjoy my personal, single-player experiences. This game is the only    A worthwhile story game experience.
    The developers' strength is in weaving together perspectives and stories of its' characters together in a plot-twisting manner that leaves the player wanting to explore every possibility the universe has to offer.
    I personally don't play many console games anymore, and I really enjoy my personal, single-player experiences.
    This game is the only console game I played, as well as completed, and achieved a 100% completion for in all of 2019 (probably last couple of years now I think about it).
    Worth it indeed.
    Cheers.    … Expand
  3. Sakai
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Juego genial de un creador genial. Cuando uno piensa que es imposible que algo se acerque en calidad a Zero Escape, AI Somnium Files es de una grandísima calidad.
  4. WeedleSenpai
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Easily the best game released in 2019, if not the best game released in the past few years. An excellent find for any fans of the visual novel detective mystery genre. From the mind of the man who brought us the Zero Escape series, fans will see welcome returning elements such as the timeline flowchart, however it does depart from the zero escape formula at times, with pleasing results.Easily the best game released in 2019, if not the best game released in the past few years. An excellent find for any fans of the visual novel detective mystery genre. From the mind of the man who brought us the Zero Escape series, fans will see welcome returning elements such as the timeline flowchart, however it does depart from the zero escape formula at times, with pleasing results. This game is a lot more emotionally charged than zero escape titles ever were, focusing a lot on comedic dialogue, paralleled with some deep and often heart wrenching character development moments. Make no mistake, while this game does seem to focus on emotional impact there is no shortage of clever twists and turns in the narrative, as one would expect from the genre. well… Expand
  5. Daniel_x2
    Nov 12, 2019
    10
    the games is amazing, tjeplot, the carachter, the amazin gameplay & all the diferentess time lines. I really love this game playin in protable mode. An excellente game. For me one of the bes of this year
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. Buzzard
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    An excellent successor to the Zero Escape series. The writing was spectacular and the puzzles were satisfying to solve.
  9. 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
  10. jax-nero
    Feb 15, 2020
    10
    Surprised at every single turn glad I gave this game a chance. Its needs more praise.
  11. Maxman1414
    Feb 7, 2020
    10
    I just bought the game last week and the story was just so engrossing. I found myself wanting to play for a quick 30 minutes and finding myself wondering why 6 hours have passed. It's a relatively short game, it only took me ~20 hours to finish the main story and I'm contemplating trying to go back to find all the secrets in the Somnium stages. I loved all the characters and the dialogueI just bought the game last week and the story was just so engrossing. I found myself wanting to play for a quick 30 minutes and finding myself wondering why 6 hours have passed. It's a relatively short game, it only took me ~20 hours to finish the main story and I'm contemplating trying to go back to find all the secrets in the Somnium stages. I loved all the characters and the dialogue written for them, the little spats between the main character Date and his partner Aiba, or the sassy-ness of his daughter-like roommate and the plenty of jokes within the game. The music honestly wasn't very memorable, the only really memorable song was Iris's song "the invincible rainbow arrow" which the singing performance is mediocre at best and at worst cringe worthy, but it grows on to the player by the end of the game. The game looks fantastic graphically however struggles a bit on the switch, there is a lot of frame drops when loading new areas and the game stops for moments to load a video/cutscene every know and then inside dialogue... which occurs fairly often. Additionally, there was a time where the game failed to load the video/cutscene for over 20 minutes, however closing the game fixed the issue, on the brightside the game frequently auto saves and you can skip most of the dialogue fairly easily. If this makes you cautious of the game, I urge you to just buy a different version of the game. I'm certain that the performance issues are unique to the switch and urge you to try the game on a different platform. Because of these performance issues I would probably have rated AI an 8 or 9, but seeing as these issues seem exclusive to the switch... and that someone just review bombed the game... I'll rate the game a 10/10.… Expand
  12. 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!
  13. WeissSchnee
    Feb 13, 2020
    10
    Ai: The Somnium Files is easily one of the best Visual Novels out there, really recommended game that proves how Uchikoshi is one of the best story tellers in the industry.
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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.
  17. 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
  18. Undisputedera0
    Jan 17, 2020
    10
    Hmmm it's hard to explain this game. If you don't enjoy VN's and QTE then this game isn't for you. If you can look pass that then you have a game that has some many routes and a great story. To get the actual end you've got to go down I believe 6-7 routes. You never have to go back to the start to do each one either which is handy. Honestly if you enjoy horror and a great mystery with manyHmmm it's hard to explain this game. If you don't enjoy VN's and QTE then this game isn't for you. If you can look pass that then you have a game that has some many routes and a great story. To get the actual end you've got to go down I believe 6-7 routes. You never have to go back to the start to do each one either which is handy. Honestly if you enjoy horror and a great mystery with many twists then play this game. Damn emotional as well.… Expand
  19. 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.
  20. Lesh0
    Dec 27, 2019
    10
    This was my first VN game and i really got into this genre thanks to this game. The Characters the story 10/10 the twist is mindblowing atleast for me its a must in my opinion. And if people have never played VN games before this will be the best entry of newcommers hands down GOTY for me. WELL DONE.
  21. ParkerDk
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    So good game.It's better than Zero Escape 999.And the The quality of the game performance has improved a lot.
  22. 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.
  23. MarcosMWL
    Feb 13, 2020
    10
    A great game overall. Funny, interesting and engaging all the way through with great and very real characters who also manage to be fun and complement the story
  24. Pokk_Gon
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    It's from Kotaro Uchikoshi, and that's is enough for give it a chance. A game that truly deserves more attention.
  25. 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!!!!
  26. lazycomplife
    Feb 13, 2020
    10
    Wonderful story with great writing & excellent characters. Kotaro Uchikoshi is the best video game writer, hands down.
  27. 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.
  28. NenJutsu
    Sep 17, 2019
    10
    Uchikoshi has done it again. Created one of the most captivating and well written stories in gaming including bad sex jokes. Zero Escape was an instant cult classic and super narratives in gaming. Ai The Somnium Files is an amazing follow up.


    the GOTY that will never get the attention or buzz it deserves
  29. 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
  30. 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.
  31. 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.
  32. 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.
  33. Real1Gaming
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    This is the pinnacle of VN mystery games. Probably the best one of its kind I've ever played. I do not know why it is getting review bombed but please ignore it.
  34. devillili
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    An excellent game. Probably my game of the year.Best ost , best suspense,best everything
  35. animeUwU
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    This game is amazing. Beautiful Visual Novel with a compelling story. The story can be quite heavy and dark at times, but is also very light and easy to follow.
    Great characters that you can easily relate to.
  36. 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
  37. Marluxion
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Excellent game, improves on the zero escape formula. Memorable cast of characters and excellent writing.
  38. vengeancemeow
    Feb 5, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game. Compelling story with fun puzzle mechanics and a nice plot twist at the end.… Expand
  39. 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.
  40. maddiz
    Feb 6, 2020
    10
    I honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I bought this game. I have played the danganronpa games and was looking for a similar experience and I couldn't be happier with ai. The gameplay is interesting and the idea of delving inside someone's mind was a cool concept. But above all else the game shines with its writing and characters the game does have a mix of both a serious and comedicI honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I bought this game. I have played the danganronpa games and was looking for a similar experience and I couldn't be happier with ai. The gameplay is interesting and the idea of delving inside someone's mind was a cool concept. But above all else the game shines with its writing and characters the game does have a mix of both a serious and comedic tone that can at first feel a little strange but, I personally loved it I definitely recommend this game. (Also note that the game has seen a review bomb so I would honestly recommend looking up the steam reviews as they are a lot more honest rather than basing your opinions on the average user score from metacritic.)… Expand
  41. valenti
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    Amazing game and easily one of the highlights of 2019. One of the best Visual Novels I've ever played.
  42. cecechan
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    This game took me by surprise. I was not expecting to fall in love with the characters, plot, and gameplay. The pacing was spot on and didn't feel like it was dragging. The humor was outstanding and one of the best Ive come across in a visual novel. After playing AI, I tried playing the nonary game series but I couldn't get into it. The pacing was too slow and the story wasn't asThis game took me by surprise. I was not expecting to fall in love with the characters, plot, and gameplay. The pacing was spot on and didn't feel like it was dragging. The humor was outstanding and one of the best Ive come across in a visual novel. After playing AI, I tried playing the nonary game series but I couldn't get into it. The pacing was too slow and the story wasn't as captivating. Honestly, I think AI ruined other visual novels for me because it was that good. I look forward to seeing what else Spike Chunsoft comes up with and look forward to (hopefully) more visual novels from them.… Expand
  43. HappyEndInc
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    Take into account the game has been review-bombed. Before that it used to be a 8.2.

    Whether you enjoy AI depends on whether or not you usually like visual novels. Ushikoshi's style is usually hit or miss - if you dislike it, you'll have an okay experience with the game. If you like it, as I do, then you are in for a hell of a treat. I absolutely loved AI, from the characters, the music,    Take into account the game has been review-bombed. Before that it used to be a 8.2.

    Whether you enjoy AI depends on whether or not you usually like visual novels. Ushikoshi's style is usually hit or miss - if you dislike it, you'll have an okay experience with the game.

    If you like it, as I do, then you are in for a hell of a treat. I absolutely loved AI, from the characters, the music, everything. My only issue is the first moments, as it starts slowly.

    Otherwise, prepare yourself for this hidden gem.    … Expand
  44. SoupWS
    Feb 9, 2020
    10
    Waaaaaaaah!!! I will reviewbomb this game because I smell bad and nobody loves me!
  45. Sigerson317
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    Uchikoshi’s games are always unique in their ideas and execution with a blend of science fiction tropes and solid writing. Fantastic work.
  46. stellamarine
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    This was my first Uchikoshi game and I really enjoyed it!! I've got a really terrible attention span and have not finished any game this quickly in a really long time.. I think i'm replaying it a third time? currently.. Played it on a friend's switch for about an hour and got hooked, then debated on price for about a month and i really regret not immediately buying it after honestly.This was my first Uchikoshi game and I really enjoyed it!! I've got a really terrible attention span and have not finished any game this quickly in a really long time.. I think i'm replaying it a third time? currently.. Played it on a friend's switch for about an hour and got hooked, then debated on price for about a month and i really regret not immediately buying it after honestly. Finished in a week? I'm so glad this game was suggested to me.… Expand
  47. Soeroah
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    Don't let the review bombing fool you; if you enjoyed the Zero Escape saga, you'll love this game. The only issues on the Switch version are some loading time issues and a bit of stuttery animations later in the game, but not enough to get this kind of negative feedback.

    The story is great, the mystery is enthralling, and while some voice choices are a bit strange the characters are all    Don't let the review bombing fool you; if you enjoyed the Zero Escape saga, you'll love this game. The only issues on the Switch version are some loading time issues and a bit of stuttery animations later in the game, but not enough to get this kind of negative feedback.

    The story is great, the mystery is enthralling, and while some voice choices are a bit strange the characters are all great. The ONLY justification I can assume for such a sudden burst of negative reviews is that some dark corner of the internet got wind of the fact that the game makes a pro-LGBT statement, and the snowflakes can't take that lying down.    … Expand
  48. BaconBiscuit
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    This game was awesome, hilarious, and best of all: super weird. It has an incredible story but never takes itself too seriously. The fact that people are review bombing this fantastic game is incredibly disheartening. Don't listen to the bad reviews, check this game out! It will definitely be worth your time.
  49. loveshockers
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    Uchikoshi continues to gift us with incredibly fun thrillers featuring lovable characters and tension that keeps you going pushing through the story late into the night. Great for fans of his other works (Zero Escape and the Infinity series) and for new fans alike, especially if you're into mystery, crime, and puzzle solving. Can't wait to see more from Mr. Uchikoshi
  50. LunarRose
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    This game was a great time. I started it and fell in love with it. I admit that it's not for everyone but that's ok.
  51. Drlemons
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    This is a very genuine and funny game. It has a great mystery, interesting branching paths, and cool characters. It didn't deserve to be review bombed.
  52. GfJohn
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    Fun mistery game with amazing characters. The puzzles are a bit of trial and error but they are still fun. Music is very good.
  53. Melloo
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    Another fantastic game by the Zero Escape devs. Uchikoshi continues to knock it out of the park in writing, storytelling, and gameplay, might be one of his best yet. Highly reccomended.
  54. reksigh
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    Uchikoshi is my favorite developer, hands down. I went into AI: Somnium Files expecting great things, and was not disappointed. The characters are extremely lovable, the humor had me on the floor at times, and the suspense had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. This is my favorite serial killer story, and finishing it left me tearful and telling everyone I knew to play it.
  55. cassiopeia2020
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    There's proof via the waybackmachine that this game has been review bombed. Which is idiotic considering how great this game is; in no way does it deserve its artificially low rating. I both played this game and watched twitch streams of it. The engaging story, gripping plot twists, and surprisingly good characters always drew people into it. It's a VN so the gameplay may not be everyone,There's proof via the waybackmachine that this game has been review bombed. Which is idiotic considering how great this game is; in no way does it deserve its artificially low rating. I both played this game and watched twitch streams of it. The engaging story, gripping plot twists, and surprisingly good characters always drew people into it. It's a VN so the gameplay may not be everyone, but the puzzles were enjoyable and contributed much to the overall mystery of the game. I did have some issue with the way too numerous pervy jokes and odd references and humor, but those were small detractors that were vastly outweighed by the game's positives. I loved being surprised at every plot twist and the final twist made perfect sense. Uchikoshi really knows how to put foreshadowing in the right places with few plot holes. And man, the English voice actors were amazing as well!

    Don't believe the low user score which was mostly just bot ratings instead of actual reviews. Someone was clearly butthurt.    … Expand
  56. epigz
    Feb 10, 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.
  57. shoyz
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    Trademark Uchokoshi storytelling with fantastic characterization and finally a decent enough budget to fully realize the vision.
  58. Acklow
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    This game got review bombed recently by one person. The game, is actually quite good. I would rate it an 8, but for the sake of helping out the aggregate score, I'm rating it a 10.
  59. Hyliabook
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    An amazing work from the wonderful author Kotaro Uchikoshi (Zero Escape series)! If you're a fan of Zero Escape, science fiction, and or philosophy, this is the perfect game for you!
  60. shedvolans
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    An absolute masterpiece of a game from the mind of Kotaro Uchikoshi. An extremely well-plotted murder mystery with phenomenal characters (brought to life by equally phenomenal voice talent), incredible music, and an interesting gameplay loop of exploring dreams.

    Also quite possibly one of the funniest yet heartwarming games I've played in a while, with patently absurd humor spread    An absolute masterpiece of a game from the mind of Kotaro Uchikoshi. An extremely well-plotted murder mystery with phenomenal characters (brought to life by equally phenomenal voice talent), incredible music, and an interesting gameplay loop of exploring dreams.

    Also quite possibly one of the funniest yet heartwarming games I've played in a while, with patently absurd humor spread throughout and a genuine sense of sincerity that occasionally goes intentionally full-cheesy because you know what sometimes cheese is the best.

    If you like good murder mysteries and fleshed out characters that can make you cry both from laughter and from feels, sometimes simultaneously, then get this game.    … Expand
  61. Kyuuchan
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    This game is awesome. The story is very engaging and you can't stop playing. If you liked Nonary Games, this is your game.
  62. Rhizome
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    A good combination of Adventure elements and visual novel ones with an excellent story that worth your time.
  63. delachiempire
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    I created an account to help balance out the review bomb from the sad loser.

    Go play Ai: The somnium files. Do it. It's a great game and the developers absolutely deserve the support.
  64. 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
  65. pauliinun
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Amazing story full of great characters! Only a few games have made me cry and AI is one of them
  66. sgch
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    An awesome visual novel with very high production value. A great plot that kept me guessing the whole way and engaging characters. Great twist too that I really didn't see coming.

    Recommended for fans of Uchikoshi's other games, but also for people who love true crime, sci-fi mysteries and puzzles.
  67. WolfStark
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    It took me roughly 35 hours to beat AI: The Somnium Files and it happened with tears in my eyes. And I mean that in a positive way. I see it as an evolution in terms of VNs. Not one without flaws but definitely a step forward.

    I wasn't too sure how this game turned out, before playing it myself. The ARG and viral marketing with A-Set aka Tesa and her Youtube channel as well as Twitter    It took me roughly 35 hours to beat AI: The Somnium Files and it happened with tears in my eyes. And I mean that in a positive way. I see it as an evolution in terms of VNs. Not one without flaws but definitely a step forward.

    I wasn't too sure how this game turned out, before playing it myself. The ARG and viral marketing with A-Set aka Tesa and her Youtube channel as well as Twitter pages where excellent, yet there wasn't much information about the actual main character Date and his partner Aiba. So I dived into the game without any expectations. Where Kotaro Uchikoshis last game, the finale of the Zero Escape Saga "Zero Time Dilemma" felt rather depressing and left me unsatisfied with many questions unanswered, AI made it pretty clear that it is different on many levels.

    This time around we aren't trapped in a deadly game, instead we investigate a murder case. The victim being an old friend of us and the mother of a child, we took to us a few years ago. We are Date Kaname, a man who lost his memory six years ago and our companion is our left eye - Aiba. An artifical intelligence with her own personality, who helps us in our investigations. The interactions between the two are pure gold, not just well written but also fun. Both characters are fast to grow on ones heart. AI is a rollercoaster of feelings but light hearted in it's core, despite the sometimes gruesome murders.

    Gameplaywise it's similar to Zero Escape. AI alternates between sections where we talk with other characters and where we can take a look at everything in our locations like in a classic adventure and the Somnium section where we dive in someones dream to get closer to the truth. There we are controlling Aiba under a 6 minute time limit and interact with the environment to unlock the different mental locks of a person. I.e. The interactions cost time but often give a bonus like "1/10" which reduces the time used for the next interaction by 1/10. So activating a light switch that would usually take 10 seconds from our 6 minute time limit would now just take 1 second.
    The Somniums are all rather different, sometimes they are pretty creative, sometimes dull, sometimes you excactely know what to do, sometimes it's trial and error. The error though can be a lot of fun.

    So what did I mean by evolution? Virtues Last Reward was the first time that an Uchikoshi-game used 3D but it didn't changed anything. The VN was still as stiff and static as before, making it appear as if the decision was just to save money. It became better with Zero Time Dilemma but with AI it is not just looking decent, it also contributes to the game. Walking around in the Somnium, having cutscenes and action sequences with different angles and most importantly, being able to look around during the talking sections. The characters are sitting or standing, moving around and changing their expression depending on what is said. Sure, it's not new having different expressions but it's pretty fun talking to a character and suddenly you can see another one changing to a shocked expression and gesturing innocently.

    The game is incredibly fluid, looking around clicking on things, talking, fasting forward or taking a different route (which are really different and don't feature annoying repetition). AI is setting a bar here in comfort.

    Of course there are flaws though:
    - the graphics and animation are just adequate, even though the characters look pretty good
    - I had some crashes, not too bad since the auto save is pretty good but still, shouldn't happen
    - there are some instances so over the top where less would have been more
    - where Zero Escape had a very interesting twist and explanation for the different routes, AI is lacking that
    - sometimes trial and error in the Somniums and a time limit, that also limits the time to interact in the dream worlds

    Personally I didn't mind the flaws really. Yes the game does not feature such extreme twists like the past Uchikoshi works but for over thirty hours I still had a ton of questions. The english dub is really, REALLY good (!), the whole concept of investigating in dream worlds is cool, the writing is great and the characters fantastic, I can recommend AI: The Somnium Files with all my heart to anyone who likes Visual Novels.    … Expand
  68. Zippoiii
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    It's a great game, especially if you like mystery novels (PS. Review bombers can go suck a d*ck)
  69. TiffanyWitcher
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    What more can I say about this game. It had a great story, voice acting was amazing and the characters were loveable. I enjoyed streaming this game on my channel a few months back and would do it again. As a fan of the Zero Escape series I can't ask for title from the development team.
  70. Cantonbrowncoat
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Uchikoshi is a genius and does not deserve to be review bombed.
    This game is a masterpiece
  71. aceofwar20
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Uchikoshi's games are always a treat and AI: Somnium Files is no exception. The story was a gripping mystery from start to finish characters are very well written and I'm a huge fan of the character designer from his work with the fire emblem series.
  72. 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.
  73. flojo1797
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    AI: The Somnium Files is one of the best visual novels i've ever played.
    It easily holds up to the zero escape series.
    The characters are a lot more complex than the review bombers say (because most of them just copy pasted one review).
  74. franklinEB
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    A genuinely fun and moving detective thriller from the folks who brought you Zero Escape.
  75. Defenestration
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    A great game with an engaging story and beautiful art. Recommend it for anyone wanting some detective games.
  76. TheProsecutor
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Amazing game that hits all the spots media should hit: It's exciting, hilarious, emotional and an absolutely great rollercoaster of expectations, emotions and **** Highly recommended to anyone who doesn't mind reading.
  77. Whattawiseguy
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    The story was so enthralling that I lost sleep to keep playing and see what happened! The gameplay was unique and fun and I love Mizuki so much!
  78. 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
  79. NickLibra
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    A truly unique experience of a game. Being a huge fan of the Zero Escape series I was a bit sceptical of the narrative of this game but after the first playthrough I realized the depth and work that was put in these characters and plot. Honestly the last 5 hours of the game were absolutely phenomenal and had me at the edge of my seat. Amazing twists! Couldn't recommend it more!
  80. MattTheAlien
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    I've been a fan of Uchikoshi's other games for a long time, and this game didn't disappoint! Very polished, captivating story, fun and relatable characters, and a really fresh and interesting puzzle mechanic. If you're a fan of sci-fi/mystery story-driven puzzle games, you should definitely check this game out.
  81. taterboi
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Play this and the zero escape series, ignore the negative reviews because this game got review-bombed for some reason that I don't know about.
  82. ymzu
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Wonderful, interesting story, characters that you'll love from first seconds of gameplay, positive LGBTQ+ representation, one of my best 2019 games
  83. 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!
  84. Yuzu-Bathwater
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Probably the best game I played in 2019, a great mystery with a satisfying end. Bless Uchikoshi for he delivers again.
  85. decksid4
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Absolute favorite. Charming, engaging, visually and thematically interesting, with a great cast and story.
  86. 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.
  87. 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.
  88. 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
  89. 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
  90. 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.
  91. 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
  92. 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
  93. Skittycat
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Really like the character and stories. The plot is amazing, well written and unexpected, just like the casual Kotaro Uchikoshi. Sensei usually focus on plot but not too much of the interaction of characters but in this game I can feel that his game did improve.
  94. 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
  95. 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
  96. 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.
  97. Lotusdrop
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Its Wonderfull! The Characters were all fascinating and the routes were very interesting!
  98. 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.
  99. 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.
  100. 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.
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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.
    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
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