Software:AI: The Somnium Files

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AI: The Somnium Files
AI The Somnium Files.png
Developer(s)Spike Chunsoft
Publisher(s)Spike Chunsoft[lower-alpha 1]
Director(s)Kotaro Uchikoshi
Producer(s)Yasuhiro Iizuka
Designer(s)Akira Okada
Programmer(s)Yasushi Takashina
Artist(s)Yūsuke Kozaki
Writer(s)Kotaro Uchikoshi
Composer(s)Keisuke Ito
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
ReleaseSwitch, PS4, Windows
  • NA: September 17, 2019
  • JP: September 19, 2019
  • EU: September 20, 2019
Xbox One
  • WW: September 30, 2021
Genre(s)Adventure, visual novel
Mode(s)Single-player

AI: The Somnium Files[lower-alpha 2] (/aɪ/ (About this soundlisten) EYE) is a 2019 visual novel adventure video game developed and published by Spike Chunsoft. Set in near-future Tokyo, the story follows Kaname Date, a detective who investigates a string of serial killings by entering suspects' memories to extract information. Gameplay is split into two sections: first-person visual novel segments and third-person exploration. The plot progresses via branching routes, leading to multiple endings depending on choices made by the player.

The game was written and directed by Zero Escape creator Kotaro Uchikoshi. In contrast to his previous work, Uchikoshi wanted the game to reach a broader audience, and developed it with adventure game fans in mind. Gameplay was simplified, dialogue was reduced, and Yūsuke Kozaki was brought on as lead character designer due to his reputation as a manga artist. The game was first teased in 2017 under the working title Project: Psync,[lower-alpha 3] and was formally announced at the 2018 Anime Expo. It released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows in September 2019, and Xbox One in September 2021.

AI: The Somnium Files was positively received, with praise for its story, art direction, and characters, while some criticized the game's tone and trial-and-error puzzle mechanics. A sequel, AI, was released in 2022.

Gameplay

AI: The Somnium Files divides its gameplay between visual novel sections (above), and third-person exploration (below).

AI: The Somnium Files is a single-player adventure video game with visual novel elements, in which the players assume the role of detective Kaname Date. Gameplay is split into two sections: investigating Tokyo and exploring dream worlds, known as "Somnia".[2] The story progresses via branching routes, leading to multiple endings depending on choices the player makes.[3] The plot is not fully revealed in a single playthrough; the player must complete every route to gather the information necessary to solve the mystery.[4] Rather than starting from the beginning of the game after each completed route, the player can skip directly to other chapters–called "Days"–using an in-game flowchart.[5]

Investigation sections take place from a first-person perspective. The player interacts with the environment via an on-screen cursor, similar to point-and-click video games.[6] Date uses his artificial intelligence assistant, Aiba, to analyze crime scenes, reference databases, and receive phone calls. Aiba is also able to augment Date's field of view with optical magnification, X-ray vision, and thermography.[7] Apart from collecting evidence, Date also gathers information via non-player characters in a visual novel format. By selecting characters with the cursor, the player is able to ask questions pertaining to the individual or the environment. During specific action-oriented segments of the game, the player may be presented with quick time events to evade danger or engage in scripted combat sequences.[7]

Somnium exploration plays out in third-person.[6] Date uses a device called the "Psync Machine" to enter the Somnia of subjects who withhold information from him.[8] Within a subject's Somnium, Aiba acts as Date's avatar, taking on a humanoid form. The player controls Aiba, exploring the dream world and solving puzzles to extract information.[7] Somnium puzzles involve examining objects within the environment and choosing an action to perform with them. The player is only able to remain in Somnia for six minutes, with each object subtracting a set amount of seconds from the timer when interacted with. If the player triggers the correct sequence of objects, a "Mental Lock" will open, allowing Aiba to venture further into the subject's subconscious.[5] Depending on the Mental Locks the player chooses to open, the game's story will diverge upon exiting the Somnium.[7]

Synopsis

Setting

The game takes place in near-future Tokyo, and follows detective Kaname Date of the top-secret police department ABIS (Advanced Brain Investigation Squad). ABIS, led by Boss, investigates crimes through a method called "Psyncing", in which Psyncers explore the Somnia of subjects via the Psync Machine. Psyncing is a powerful process that can retrieve clues the subject is subconsciously aware of, but is limited to a maximum of six minutes for the Psyncer and subject's safety. Any longer than six minutes can damage the brain of both the Psyncer and subject, resulting in death. Date is assisted by an artificial intelligence housed in his cybernetic left eye named Aiba, who can communicate with Date, provide him with enhanced vision modes, and hack various electronics. Aiba also assists Date's dream world investigations by acting as his avatar in Somnium.

Date, who lost his left eye and all his memories six years prior, is called to investigate the murder of Shoko, whose left eye was removed. He finds her daughter Mizuki at the scene, unable to speak. Date investigates Mizuki's Somnium to find out what she witnessed, and the plot branches based on the player's choices.

Plot

In Mizuki's left branch, Date finds evidence implicating Renju, Mizuki's father, before discovering his body with a missing left eye. Boss reveals that she suspects the killer to be copying the Cyclops Serial Killings, an unsolved case from six years prior in which victims' right eyes were removed. Date Psyncs with net idol Iris, who was seen with Renju the day before.

In Iris's left branch, Iris's friend Ota knocks Date unconscious. Date awakens to a livestream of Iris's attempted murder, but traces the source in time to save her and Psync with Ota. In Ota's left branch, the case remains unsolved, but Ota reconciles with his mother. The right branch uncovers evidence implicating congressman So Sejima as Iris's killer. A gunfight at the Sejima residence leaves So dead and Date comatose. Mizuki Psyncs with Date to save him.

In Iris's right branch, Iris's murder is livestreamed, and Date fails to arrive in time. Date learns that the original Cyclops Killers were a duo: yakuza chairman Rohan, and prisoner "#89". Date interrogates #89, who tells the story of "Falco". Falco worked for Rohan, but left for Hitomi, Iris's mother. After Boss appears in #89's Somnium, Date searches for her. He discovers a video of Boss shooting So on her computer, locking the route.

In Mizuki's right branch, Date sees a frozen corpse that looks like Iris. Date learns that Renju was involved in a car crash and escaped from the hospital. He then witnesses So leaving a warehouse, and discovers Iris's frozen body inside. Date Psyncs with So, in which he saves Iris's life. After Psyncing, he finds Iris alive, and wonders if he altered reality. Date interrogates #89, who escapes with Renju's help. Iris joins Date in pursuit, but the two are attacked by mercenaries.

Iris believes she is being targeted by a secret organization. Date Psyncs with her to determine the truth. After the left branch, Date learns that Renju attempted to take Iris to a chemical plant. At the plant, Date finds a stolen Psync Machine. Iris collapses, and Date attempts to save her by Psyncing, but fails. After the right branch, Hitomi reveals that Iris has a brain tumor causing her delusions. Iris goes missing, and Date finds her body in the warehouse. Aiba says the body is not Iris's, but Manaka Iwai's–Hitomi's old classmate. Date learns that Manaka is Iris's birth mother, and was killed 18 years ago by So's son, Saito. Date also learns the truth of the Psync Machine: Psyncing past the time limit causes the Psyncer and subject to swap bodies. Hitomi reveals she knows Iris's location, taking Date to the chemical plant where #89 knocks him out. The story locks, unlocking the previous route.

After watching Boss shoot So, Date finds and Psyncs with her. In her Somnium, he realizes that the murders were committed by one person, using the stolen Psync Machine to swap bodies with each of the victims. Their eyes were removed because it was necessary for the machine to work. The killer identifies himself as Saito, and explains that the murders were revenge against Date for taking his body six years ago. Date's true identity is Falco, and #89 is Rohan in Falco's body. Saito threatens to kill Hitomi unless Date swap bodies with him. Date complies, but Saito kills Hitomi anyway. Aiba stuns Saito and Date blacks out, unlocking the final route.

Date confronts Saito, who is now in Falco's body having swapped with and killed Rohan. Saito forces Date to switch bodies. In his original body, Date regains his memories and recalls how he attempted to save Iris and Hitomi from the yakuza by switching bodies with Rohan, and discovered the truth of the Cyclops Killings. Saito learned about Psyncing and used the machine to swap bodies, but an accident caused them both to lose their memories. In the present, Saito prepares to murder Iris and Hitomi, but Date activates Aiba's self-destruct function to kill Saito. With the case resolved, the police pay for Iris's treatment. Iris takes Date to the warehouse where Aiba appears. It is revealed that Aiba survived by recompiling her personality in the cloud. The cast celebrates with a dance party.

Development

A 2016 photograph of Kotaro Uchikoshi
A 2019 photograph of Yūsuke Kozaki
The game was written and directed by Kotaro Uchikoshi (left), with character designs by Yūsuke Kozaki (right).

AI: The Somnium Files was developed by Spike Chunsoft,[9] and was written and directed by Kotaro Uchikoshi with character designs by Yūsuke Kozaki.[10][11][12] Kozaki was approached by Uchikoshi for his role as character designer due to being an internationally known artist, and how Uchikoshi wanted the art to have a worldwide appeal.[2] The game was developed with a higher budget than that of Uchikoshi's previous work, the Zero Escape series, which allowed him to express his concept for the game in a way that he was unable to with Zero Escape.[3] Comparing AI: The Somnium Files to Zero Escape, Uchikoshi described the game as being made more with adventure game fans in mind, in contrast to Zero Escape's heavy use of cutscenes.

Two of the game's core themes are eyes and "different types and expressions of love", reflected in how the title AI is pronounced "eye" and in how "ai" (愛) is the Japanese word for love.[13][14] The title also has additional meanings in that it is pronounced like the English word "I" and is short for "artificial intelligence",[13][2] and the "Somnium" in the subtitle is taken from the Latin word for "dream".[13] The idea of entering characters' dreams to solve cases was proposed by Iizuka. Uchikoshi thought it was intriguing, so he decided to use it in the game.[12] The game's investigation-based puzzles are intentionally designed to be less difficult than those in the Zero Escape series,[12] and are described by Uchikoshi as a modern take on the style of Hideo Kojima's 1994 adventure game Policenauts.[3] Other influences on the game included EVE (1995) and The Silver Case (1999); Okada additionally mentioned Life Is Strange (2015), Detroit (2018), Heavy Rain (2010) and The Walking Dead (2012–2019) as influencing his work on the game.[15]

The game was first teased at a Game Developers Conference 2017 press event under the working title Project Psync,[9] with a piece of artwork depicting an eye.[16] Spike Chunsoft announced the game the following year during an Anime Expo 2018 panel, and released a first teaser trailer introducing Date.[13][17] In January 2019, Spike Chunsoft started promoting the game with a YouTube and Twitter account for the character Iris.[18]

The game was released in North America on September 17, 2019, in Japan on September 19, and in Europe on September 20[19] for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows with both English and Japanese audio. In addition to the standard edition, a "Special Agent Edition" was also released, which included an artbook, the game's soundtrack, an Iris acrylic stand, a set of stickers, and a game box.[10] Due to manufacturing delays and increased demand, the North American physical release was delayed until September 24, 2019.[20] An Xbox One version was announced during Tokyo Game Show on September 30, 2021. It was released digitally on the same day, and is available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers.[21]

Reception

AI: The Somnium Files
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic(NS) 86/100[22]
(PS4) 78/100[23]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Famitsu34/40[24]
GameSpot8/10[7]
Hardcore Gamer4.5/5[25]
Nintendo Life8/10[26]
Nintendo World Report8/10[5]

AI: The Somnium Files received generally positive reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic,[22][23] and was the 12th best reviewed Nintendo Switch game of the year.[27] Reviewers generally praised the plot and strong writing to the game; they noted it was simultaneously cerebral and thought-provoking while remaining accessible and understandable.[26][28] The voice acting was also considered "superb", with the actors bringing life to the characters.[29] The dream sequences were also praised as creative and inventive.[26] The art and character designs received approval as well.[30] There was also some light criticism of certain "sleazy" jokes as being not particularly funny and painting Date as less sympathetic and more of an "oaf" than he was presumably intended to be.[29][28]

In Japan, the game failed to chart in the Media Create top 10 and Famitsu top 30 in its release week.[31][unreliable source] The PlayStation 4 version ranked 27th with 2,267 copies sold, while the Nintendo Switch version was 33rd with 1,767 copies sold in the Dengeki top 50.[32] The PC version of the game was among the best-selling new releases of the month on Steam.[33][lower-alpha 4]

The game was nominated for "Best Adventure Game" at the Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards 2019.[35]

Sequel

Main page: Software:AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative

A sequel, AI, was released in June 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. Uchikoshi returned to write it, while the first game's designer and assistant director Akira Okada took over as director.[36]

Notes

  1. ↑ Physical copies published by Numskull Games in Europe and Australia[1]
  2. ↑ Known in Japan as AI: Somnium File (Japanese: AI：ソムニウム ファイル, Hepburn: Ai: Somuniumu Fairu)
  3. ↑ Stylized as PROJECT:psync
  4. ↑ Based on total revenue for the first two weeks on sale.[34]

References

  1. ↑ Lada, Jenni (June 25, 2019). "Numskull Games Is Handling The Australian And European AI: The Somnium Files And Crystar Physical Copies". https://www.siliconera.com/numskull-games-is-handling-the-australian-and-european-ai-the-somnium-files-and-crystar-physical-copies/. Retrieved September 30, 2021. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 YamaChan (March 22, 2019). "［GDC 2019］CERO Zの推理ADV，「AI：ソムニウム ファイル」には，打越鋼太郎氏の全力が盛り込まれている" (in Japanese). https://www.4gamer.net/games/426/G042601/20190322042/. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Galizio, James (July 16, 2018). "AI: The Somnium Files Interview - A Look Behind the Scenes with Kotaro Uchikoshi". https://www.rpgsite.net/interview/7480-ai-the-somnium-files-interview-a-look-behind-the-scenes-with-kotaro-uchikoshi. 
  4. ↑ Romano, Sal (April 12, 2019). "AI: The Somnium Files details Somnium Parts, ABIS members". https://gematsu.com/2019/04/ai-the-somnium-files-details-somnium-parts-abis-members. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Theriault, Donald (September 12, 2019). "Ai: The Somnium Files (Switch) Review". http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/51681/ai-the-somnium-files-switch-review. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Higham, Michael (2019-04-08). "AI: The Somnium Files, A Trippy Detective Adventure With Zero Escape's Spirit". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ai-the-somnium-files-a-trippy-detective-adventure-/1100-6466076/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "AI: The Somnium Files Review - Eye Love You". Gamespot. September 13, 2019. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ai-the-somnium-files-review-eye-love-you/1900-6417301/. 
  8. ↑ Voll, C.S. (2023-05-05). "Wisdom in 'AI: The Somnium Files' Sprouts From a Hated Character". https://www.superjumpmagazine.com/wisdom-in-ai-the-somnium-files-come-from-a-hated-character/. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Frank, Allegra (March 2, 2017). "Zero Escape director teases next project". https://www.polygon.com/2017/3/2/14798814/new-zero-escape-game-project-psync. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Romano, Sal (March 21, 2019). "AI: The Somnium Files launches July 25; interview with director Kotaro Uchikoshi and designer Akira Okada". https://gematsu.com/2019/03/ai-the-somnium-files-launches-july-25-interview-with-director-kotaro-uchikoshi. 
  11. ↑ Shigeta, Yuichi (July 6, 2018). "打越鋼太郎が手掛ける本格推理ADV『AI：ソムニウム ファイル』がPS4/Switch/PC向けに発表！" (in Japanese). http://jp.ign.com/ai-somnium-files/26614/news/advai-ps4switchpc. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Allen, Robert (July 8, 2018). "Q&A With AI: The Somnium Files' Kōtarō Uchikoshi". http://www.tech-gaming.com/kotaro-uchikoshi/. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Romano, Sal (July 5, 2018). "Kotaro Uchikoshi announces AI: The Somnium Files for PS4, Switch, and PC". https://gematsu.com/2018/07/kotaro-uchikoshi-announces-ai-the-somnium-files-for-ps4-switch-and-pc. 
  14. ↑ O'Connor, Alice (July 6, 2018). "Zero Escape director reveals AI: The Somnium Files". https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/07/06/zero-escape-director-reveals-ai-the-somnium-files/. 
  15. ↑ Snyder, Gabby (March 21, 2019). "A.I. The Somnium Files Interview with Mr. Kotaro Uchikoshi and Mr. Akira Okada—Where, oh where, has A-Set gone?". https://medium.com/@GabbySnyder/a-i-the-somnium-files-interview-with-mr-189b24deb1bb. 
  16. ↑ Wales, Matt (July 6, 2018). "Zero Escape director reveals new murder mystery adventure AI: The Somnium Files". https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-07-06-zero-escape-director-reveals-new-murder-mystery-adventure-ai-the-somnium-files. 
  17. ↑ Frank, Allegra (July 6, 2018). "Zero Escape creator's next game is a mysterious detective story". https://www.polygon.com/2018/7/6/17542502/ai-the-somnium-files-teaser-new-game-zero-escape. 
  18. ↑ Higham, Michael (January 30, 2019). "Zero Escape Director Reveals Virtual Pop Idol From Upcoming Game". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/zero-escape-director-reveals-virtual-pop-idol-from/1100-6464705/. 
  19. ↑ Romano, Sal (May 17, 2019). "AI: The Somnium Files launches September 20 in Europe". https://gematsu.com/2019/05/ai-the-somnium-files-launches-september-20-in-europe. 
  20. ↑ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 6, 2019). "AI: The Somnium Files Game's N. American Physical Release Delayed to September 24". https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-09-06/ai-the-somnium-files-game-n-american-physical-release-delayed-to-september-24/.150806. 
  21. ↑ Tolentino, Josh (September 30, 2021). "AI: The Somnium Files and Scarlet Nexus Join Xbox Game Pass". https://www.siliconera.com/ai-the-somnium-files-and-scarlet-nexus-join-xbox-game-pass/. Retrieved September 30, 2021. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "AI: The Somnium Files for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. https://www.metacritic.com/game/ai-the-somnium-files/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "AI: The Somnium Files for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. https://www.metacritic.com/game/ai-the-somnium-files/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4. 
  24. ↑ "AI： ソムニウム ファイル (PS4)のレビュー・評価・感想". Famitsu. https://www.famitsu.com/games/t/36446/reviews/. Retrieved October 20, 2023. 
  25. ↑ Swalley, Kirstin (September 24, 2019). "Review: AI: The Somnium Files". https://www.hardcoregamer.com/2019/09/24/review-ai-the-somnium-files/357942/. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 "AI: The Somnium Files Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. September 12, 2019. http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/ai_the_somnium_files. 
  27. ↑ Dietz, Jason (2020-01-03). "The Best Videogames of 2019". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/feature/best-video-games-of-2019. 
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 AI: The Somnium Files review , TechGaming
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "AI: The Somnium Files review - a bizarre story, masterfully told". September 17, 2019. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-09-16-ai-the-somnium-files-review-a-bizarre-story-masterfully-told. 
  30. ↑ Review: AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES , Japanator
  31. ↑ "[Japan Famitsu sales for Week 38, 2019 (September 16th – 22nd) [Top 30]"]. Perfectly Nintendo. September 27, 2019. https://www.perfectly-nintendo.com/japan-famitsu-sales-for-week-38-2019-september-16th-23th/. 
  32. ↑ "【週間ソフト販売ランキング TOP50】『ゼルダの伝説 夢をみる島』が13.2万本（9月16日～22日）". Dengeki Bunko. ASCII Media Works. September 26, 2019. https://dengekionline.com/articles/13495/. 
  33. ↑ "Best of 2019: New Releases". Valve. December 26, 2019. https://store.steampowered.com/sale/2019_top_new. 
  34. ↑ "A Look Back - The Best of 2019". Valve. 2019-12-26. https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1708485146980406784. 
  35. ↑ Sato (April 18, 2020). "Here Are the Winners of the Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards 2019". https://www.siliconera.com/here-are-the-winners-of-the-famitsu-dengeki-game-awards-2019/. 
  36. ↑ "新作『アイ:ソムニウムファイル ニルヴァーナ イニシアチブ』2022年春発売決定。打越鋼太郎氏の推理アドベンチャーの続編が登場" (in ja). Famitsu (Kadokawa Game Linkage). 2021-07-01. https://www.famitsu.com/news/202107/01225576.html. Retrieved 2021-07-01. 

External links



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