AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative

AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative is a detective adventure game that is a sequel to AI: The Somnium Files from 2019. The project was developed by Spike Chunsoft studio - the same studio that created the first part. The plot was again written by Kotaro Uchikoshi, a Japanese screenwriter and designer, who is also responsible for the Zero Escape series.

Plot

In AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative we return to a futuristic version of Tokyo. The story revolves around the investigation of an unusual crime. Six years earlier, the police found half of the victim's body. The action of the game begins after the other half is found. Surprisingly, despite the passage of time, there is no trace of decomposition on the corpse.

The player assumes the role of a new character named Mizuki, who is a newly minted agent of a secret police department known as ABIS. The investigators of this organization use a process that allows them to delve into the minds of suspects during their investigations, allowing them to gain additional clues and leads. She is aided in her work by her virtual partner, the artificial intelligence Aiba, the same as in the first installment.

Mechanics

AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative develops ideas from the original. We get a hybrid of a detective adventure game and visual novel. During the game, the player conducts an investigation, interrogating witnesses and suspects and searching locations with the use of Aib's AI functions, such as zoom or X-ray view.

We also regularly have to make decisions that steer the story along separate paths, leading to unique endings. Unlike typical visual novels, in AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative we don't have to go through the campaign all over again to discover alternative paths. The game allows us to easily go back to key points and make different choices.

We also regularly enter the minds of various characters. In these sections we explore their memories (the world created from them is the title Somnium), trying to uncover the information they withheld. These segments offer classic adventure gameplay, requiring exploration and puzzle solving. However, we always have a limited amount of time to uncover important facts before the memory construct breaks down, throwing us back into reality.

Game modes

AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative offers a single player mode only.

Technical aspects

The game features simple but pleasing to the eye 3D graphics, which were done in a typical anime style. Character designs were developed by Yusuke Kozaki, the artist who also played this role in the first part.