It is wild that the original AI: The Somnium Files is turning six this year! Its innovative adventure game puzzle hybrid mixed with sharp writing and memorable characters made for one of my favorite experiences on the Switch. While its sequel introduced new characters and a divergent plot with two protagonists, I missed controlling the loveable pervert Kaname Date. Thankfully, No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files aims to treat fans with an interquel experience as we delve into some new puzzle mechanics.
Taking Names With Deadly Games
No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files puts players back into the role of Advanced Brain Investigation Squad (ABIS) detective Kaname Date and his AI partner Aiba. This time around, internet idol Iris Sagan (idol name A-set) has been kidnapped and placed into the Third Eye Game. Led by the mysterious Akemi, Iris is trapped in a series of deadly escape rooms; she is able to call one person to assist her. Thankfully, our restless detective and partner are ready on the case! Who is Akemi, what does she want with Iris, and can Date get to the bottom of this before it’s too late?
As this game takes place between AI: The Somnium Files and nirvanA Initiative, we can get back to Date and Aiba being the main protagonists. In addition, we get to play as Iris for the new segments (alongside other characters like A-set admirer Ota Matsushita). I enjoyed the split of playable protagonists as I sorely missed Date and Aiba’s relationship in the second title.
(Truly) No Sleep For Kaname Date
Narratively, not much time has passed since the first game, which means we’re also getting an added support character in Hina Tsukiyono. Her role replaces Pewter in the first game as the person who assists Date in navigating the different Somnium as well as helping with solving the Third Eye Game.
For those that are worried about the characters in the second title not appearing, the game does a wonderful job reintroducing them! These characters are younger compared to their established appearances in nirvanA Initiative, but it’s great to see them return.
I especially enjoy rookie Ryuki with his partner Tama, as they both seem wet behind the ears which causes some fun interactions with the veteran characters. (Seems like Ryuki is the butt of the joke in ABIS, much to his dismay.) You’ll also see a handful of other characters pop up too, which bridges the gap between the first titles.
That said, I would absolutely recommend at least playing the first game in its entirety before tackling this game, as this one absolutely demands you know the events of the previous title. Sure, you can technically coast by without doing so, but a lot of the funnier beats and references will not land.
Old Dog, New Tricks
The meat and potatoes of No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files lie in two segments: Somnium and escape rooms. Somnium are dream sequences where Date (through Aiba) psyncs into the mind of a user and tries to explore their head. Aiba is only allowed six minutes before Date is unable to continue the investigation.
Wait… Six minutes? Yes, it’s a major plot point from the first game, but I’m not explaining it here. In gameplay, this manifests in every action you take taking up time. You can explore the world of the dreamer as you try to handle mental locks placed inside the user’s head. You’ll want to try everything, but you’ll have to be careful; some actions will sap your precious time, and you won’t be able to advance.
While this portion does run on dream logic, for the most part the answers are straightforward. You can also restart and go back to certain checkpoints if you’d like to check something else. These portions are easily the best part of AI: The Somnium Files, and the banter between Date and Aiba is always entertaining. The writing in this game is top-notch as always, and there are a ton of twists and turns to keep you intrigued.
The second main gameplay loop lies in the Third Eye Game, where you’ll navigate with Iris to escape deadly situations. This feels more like the Zero Escape series, where you’ll need to navigate through tricky puzzles to escape. It’s a bit more streamlined than those games, as you’ll just need to interact and combine objects with a few puzzles being solved here and there. Later sequences also involve multiple characters, so you’ll need to switch to them to unlock more of the room.
I did enjoy these segments but felt that the ending mechanic feels tacked on: At the end, there’s a timed sequence where you’ll need to “use your third eye” and work on another possibility for an escape route. This boils down to a tacked-on time limit which doesn’t add to gameplay and makes for an unnecessary stressful final puzzle (which doesn’t even matter since you can restart freely).
A Straightforward Race to the End
It’s refreshing to see some new gameplay mechanics, but I just wished both gameplay mechanics were fleshed out more. The biggest complaint I have is that due to the game having two main gameplay sections, they’re split into a handful of playable portions each. While I’ve already had my fill of Somnium exploration with the previous titles, I would have much liked a few more Escape segments to pad out the game.
Something I also miss is the open-ended timeline nature of the first two titles. While different routes were the highlight of the first game, No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files is a fully linear adventure. While there are multiple joke endings you can get (and I do implore you to get them all, they are a riot!), the game feels like it wraps up too quickly. I was able to beat it in around 12 hours, with a couple more to explore some multiple dialogue options I missed the first time.
There’s a lot the game could have done with its Escape segments to make a multiple-route story, but opting for a linear narrative makes these feel a bit constrained. It really cements the fact that this game is an interquel, but I hope that there’s some way the Escape segments can be reused in further titles.
That said, as I mentioned earlier, the writing in the game holds very well in comparison to the other titles. Date’s still a lovable goofball with a penchant for the perverse. While there’s no explicit material shown, there’s still a lot of immature jokes that made me cackle like a schoolkid. However, this is also mixed with deep philosophical concepts and other different scientific (and pseudoscientific) theories. I’m not sure how this series does it, but it has a great blend of serious and silly.
Additionally, I would recommend playing this on Nintendo Switch 2. While the game doesn’t have a free upgrade path between versions, you can still play the Switch 1 version of this game on Switch 2 (which is what I did here). The game runs smoothly at 60 FPS, and it made a huge difference in my enjoyment of the title. If you opt for the Switch 2 version, you’ll get even more performance improvements as well as mouse controls.
Don’t Sleep on This One!
All in all, No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files is a solid entry in the series, and a great entry for those wanting Date back as the narrative focus. With an excellent blend of humor and mystery as well as the return of beloved characters of both games, there’s a lot to love! Here’s to more amazing adventures featuring ABIS and the world of AI: The Somnium Files.
Thanks to Spike Chunsoft for providing Switch 1 review code for us! Stay tuned for more gaming news and reviews here on Miso!
