AI: The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative Review

Initial release date: June 24, 2022

Mode: Single-player video game

Designer: Akira Okada

Developer: Spike Chunsoft

Genres: Adventure Game, Puzzle

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S

Publishers: Spike Chunsoft, Limited Run Games

Introduction: I must come clean with you all for the fact I never played any of the Zero Escape, Dragonrompa or Phoenix Wright series of videogames. For some reason since recently creating this gaming blog I wanted to try something similar to the latter. I recently heard about AI: The Somnium Files and how it’s sequel nirvanA Initiative was close to releasing.

I figured now is the time to try out the point and click Japanese investigative adventure game genre. After making just over 230 gameplay videos of AI: The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative for Jason’s Gameplay Videos I’m glad I did. This game has the potential to be my sleeper pick for the year. However, it does have some strong flaws. Keep reading to find out.

Presentation: AI: The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative is the direct sequel to AI: Somnium Files that takes place six years in the future. nirvanA Initiative like it’s predecessor is a point and click investigative adventure game. Emphasis are on story, characters and plenty of voiced dialogue sequences. Some puzzles were just horrid shit consisting of pure guessing. The game does have chat logs and files to read which didn’t help much with puzzles. Not every puzzle were pure guesses. Looking back maybe some puzzles needed more hand holding.

Granted, I found some puzzles very simple as well. I didn’t enjoy the puzzle’s consistency is my issue. I played this on my Playstation 5 via Playstation 4 backwards mode. Load times were sorta (typical slow last gen). I noticed no bugs or glitches in my playthrough. Technically all was good with AI: The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative. Comedy was present in dialogue. This game actually made me laugh like four or five times outloud. That crude perverted humor!

Story: Takes place in contemporary Tokyo, Japan. You play as two Somnium ABIS detective agents named Mizuki Okiura and or Kuruto Ryuki each having different story flowpaths. Without spoiling the main story too much you are tasked to solve a series murders involving people being halved apart.

A secret organization called Naix ran by a woman named Tokiko becomes involved. You also have the mad scientist of Horadori Institute Chikara who’s also a big part of the story. Through branching flowcharts playing as Mizuki or Ryuki you must investigate corpses, rooms, talk to suspects and solve puzzles. Both Mizuki and Ryuki have an implant cyber eyeball named Aiba and Tama.

Both respective cyber eyeballs take on persona as women once inside a somnium. Somniums are investigative dreamscape sequences. Think of the old movie Dreamscape mixed with The Matrix and you have somnium. The story was pretty good. I admit I didn’t play every single flowchart in AI: The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative BUT I was able to solve the half body murder case.

One part in the story did confuse me regarding a certain block head comedic character. He was killed and I never seen how or when it happened. It was just sprung on me in a dialogue sequence. Maybe I did the wrong flowchart? Regardless, the story was good plot wise and the conclusion as to who the killer was I didn’t expect. Kept me guessing.

Gameplay: AI: The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative Gameplay revolves around pointing and clicking people, objects, listening to dialogue to gain clues and or puzzles. When you enter a person’s somnium you have a 6 minute time limit to solve the person’s issue. Tama and Aiba are AI’s who are controllable inside somniums. You can have them run, walk or click on various objects with choices attached. Solving these mini puzzles unlock Mental Locks. When you unlock a specific number of mental locks you escape that person’s somnium. Remember you have six minutes to get in and out!

Every somnium was unique with collectible eyeballs that unlock costumes and artwork. Eyeballs can also add to spare time when making choices. Somniums were rangy in presentation from flying over a park to falling through water floors in a white office or a even a Iron Chef like cook-off. Imagination was all over the place but fun. I had to lower the difficulty which gave me more time to solve the somniums.

I was not having fun with somnium sequences when my difficulty was high. This is a story based point and click game. Why have a timer gameplay sequence where if you make the wrong choice your timer is destroyed. Lower the difficulty you will have more fun. Overall, gameplay was chill once I lowered the difficulty.

Visuals/Graphics: I played AI: The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative through backwards Playstation 5 compatibility. It’s the Playstation 4 version basically. Graphics were basic but that has more to do with this style of game. It’s a majority paperback book look with dialogue plastered on it. Not much animation you dig? The somnium sequences are more traditional gaming parts.

One thing I enjoy was the artstyle. If you’re into anime you will feel right at home art-wise. Art reminds me of Persona personally which is good. Technically the game ran smooth. Textures could have been bumped up. Not many moving parts on screen. You’re mostly looking at a book with allot of voiced dialogue.

Sound/Music: Sound and music were pretty decent and fit it’s gameplay situations and cutcenes. From uptempo beats to more calm ethnic beats beats fit each area, room and character perfectly. Whether visiting Gen at Brahman Restaurant or Talking to Iris at her studio the music and voice acting delivered. Voice acting was standard american voice overs for me. I know i know I should do Japanese games with their native tongue. But I didn’t haha.

Final Verdict: AI: The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative has humor, an interesting story with interesting characters. The sell here gameplay-wise are the somnium gameplay sequences that delivered despite being frustrating at times. Some puzzles were flat-out shit. The flowcharts add a lot of gameplay time to the overall story.

I did solve the half body murders but not the Nirvana Initiative….just saying. This game can be LONG if you do every flowchart. It’s early July 2022 and I can’t think of a better sleeper game of the year contender than this. If you want watch those 230 gameplay videos for AI: The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative you can HERE. Thank you for reading – Jason

8/10