In a near-future Tokyo, detective Kaname Date is on the case of a mysterious serial killer. Date must investigate crime scenes as well as dreams on the hunt for clues. From the mind of Kotaro Uchikoshi (Zero Escape series director), with character design by the Yusuke Kozaki (No More Heroes, Fire Emblem series), a thrilling neonoir detective adventure is about to unfold.
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES (AI:ソムニウムファイル, AI: Somuniumu fairu) is a mystery adventure game written and directed by Kotaro Uchikoshi, co-directed and designed by Akira Okada, produced by Yasuhiro Iizuka, and developed by Spike Chunsoft for the Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, and PC via Steam. It is also published by Spike Chunsoft in North America and Japan, by Numskull Games in Europe and Australia[1], and by SEGA in Taiwan.[2] The characters were designed by Yūsuke Kozaki and the soundtrack was composed by Keisuke Itō. It launched on September 17 (NA Digitally), September 19th (JP/Asia), September 20th (EU/AU), and September 24th (NA Physically), 2019 for a price of $59.99 for the Standard Edition, and $89.99 for the Special Agent Edition.[5][3][4]
It was originally revealed at the Game Developer Conference (GDC) on March 2nd, 2017 as PROJECT:psync[6], only featuring a teaser image of a robotic eye. Over a year later, at Anime Expo on July 5th, 2018[7], the game was officially revealed as AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES at the Spike Chunsoft panel, along with the official trailer, and a special message by one of the game's characters, Iris Sagan.
On January 30th, 2019, a new YouTube channel called Lemniscate was created, where Kotaro Uchikoshi introduced the character Iris Sagan as the Net Idol A-set. This started a series of weekly videos created by A-set that took place within the universe of AI, adding new information to the world and acting as a promotional augmented reality game (ARG) for AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES. This lead up to a "planned" special appearance by A-set at GDC 2019, but instead of her appearance, a second trailer was revealed the following day, March 21st. An official release date of July 25th, 2019 was also revealed.[5]
The video series continued through the following weeks, alongside the release of interviews and news articles about the game. A-set announced that she would be featuring world premiere gameplay of AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES for her videos on May 15th, and a Famitsu article detailing gameplay information released that morning (NA time). However, at the same time, Spike Chunsoft announced that the game's release would be delayed to September 17th, 2019 in North America[3], with the Japanese date moved to Sept. 19th and the European date to Sept. 20th.
On May 31st, a new trailer was released for the game, showing off gameplay and story sections, and ending with the announcement of a Day One Edition with special bonuses that would be included in the Special Agent Edition.[8] On July 30th, Spike Chunsoft announced that a special PC version of the Special Agent Edition would be released in collaboration with Limited Run Games, with the first 500 purchases including an Anime Expo exclusive poster and lanyard.[9] On September 5th, Spike Chunsoft announced that, due to heavy demand and manufacturing delays, the physical North American release of AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES was delayed by a week, until the 24th of September, while the digital release remained the same.[10] On September 17th, the game was released, first on digital in North America, and followed by the subsequent release dates for all other versions and regions. On October 24th, a Demo for the game was released in North America on Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
Two years later, on June 30th 2021, after a short promotional campaign for #NineEyesTV, a sequel to the game was announced, called AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Steam, planned to release in Spring 2022. A few months later, AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES was released for Xbox One and the Microsoft Store, in preparation for the sequel's release.
A fan-produced translation for AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES was released in Russian on January 10th, 2021, by the Russian translator RikuKH3.[11] Two other fan-made translations are currently in production: a French translation by DreamTeam[12], and a Spanish translation by members of TraduSquare.[13]
He breaks into the merry-go-round’s central column to find a young girl. And in her hands, she grips a bloody ice pick...[5]
Chapters[]
The game is divided into different chapters, categorized under a "Day". Each "Day" contains up to 4 chapters, typically including one Somnium. The events of each "Day" change depending on the choices made in previous chapters and the current branch of the story. There are 44 chapters in the game, and between 14 to 18 chapters in a given route. The game's chapters are listed below, split into their respective routes:
Unlike previous works by Kotaro Uchikoshi (which generally feature a large ensemble cast with only a few minor characters), Ai: THE SOMNIUM FILES features a tighter main cast of 7 characters, and around 21 minor characters, all designed by Yūsuke Kozaki.
The main cast consists of the members of the Advanced Brain Investigation Squad, who investigate the serial killings, and three youths central to the mystery:
Kaname Date
Kaname Date (VA: Greg Chun EN; Tarusuke Shingaki JP): the main playable character of AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES. Date is a Special Agent in the Advanced Brain Investigation Squad, Metropolitan Police Department. He sinks into the minds of subjects with the Psync machine. He lost his eye 6 years ago, but replaced it with a prosthetic eye which houses an advanced artificial intelligence known as an Aiba.[14]
Aiba (mascot form)
Aiba/Aiba (VA: Erika Harlacher EN; Akari Kito JP): the secondary playable character of AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES. Aiba is an autonomous artificial intelligence. She usually takes the shape of an eyeball and resides in Date's left eye socket. However, she takes on the form of a young woman in Somnia and appears as a small animal when outside Date's eye socket. Her mind is linked to Date's through a neural connection.
Iris "A-set" Sagan
Iris Sagan (VA: Jackie Lastra EN; Nao Shiraki JP): An 18-year-old internet idol. She has a bright and cheerful personality with a strong sense of curiosity and a tendency to be fearless. She's made a name for herself on video streaming sites and social media. Her idol name is A-set, but her biggest fans call her Tesa (Aseton in the Japanese continuity).[14] She is the protagonist of her Lemniscate video series, which seems to have strange ties to the game. Her channel exists in real life in the form of two YouTube channels (English and Japanese).
Ota "Mato" Matsushita
Ota Matsushita (VA: Zach Aguilar EN; Natsumi Fujiwara JP): A Net Idol otaku. He is a 24-year-old NEET and enthusiastic follower of Iris who hopes to one day be a successful light novel author. He often comes across as cowardly and antisocial.[14] He has an unrequited crush on Iris.[15]
Mizuki Okiura
Mizuki Okiura (VA: Corina Boettger EN; Tomoyo Kurosawa JP): Iris's friend. Mizuki is an elementary school student. Due to certain circumstances, she lives with her father's friend, Date. Mizuki is quite mature for her age and can have a sharp attitude at times.[14]
Boss
Boss (VA: Allegra Clark EN; Yûko Kaida JP): ABIS Commander. Boss is Date’s direct superior and long-time friend. She appears to be an easygoing optimist with a carefree attitude, but she is as cunning as a fox with a quick wit.[14][16]
Pewter
Pewter (VA: Sean Chiplock EN; Hiroki Gotô JP): ABIS’s engineer and a brilliant mechanic. Currently, he is responsible for maintaining the Psync machine and preparing Psyncs. He also invented Aiba (and set her personality to his liking).[14][16]
The secondary supporting cast for the game includes:
Renju Okiura (VA: Chris Hackney EN; Kenji Hamada JP): A-set's producer. Renju manages the entertainment office Lemniscate and maid cafe Sunfish Pocket. He is the ex-husband of Shoko Nadami and Mizuki's father. He has been Date's close friend for 5 years.
Shoko Nadami (VA: unknown EN; Yu Kobayashi JP[17]): A representative for an investment company. On a Friday night in November, her body was found on the merry-go-round in the defunct amusement park known as "Bloom Park." Her left eye socket was hollowed out.[14]
Hitomi Sagan (VA: Dorah Fine EN; Ohara Sayaka JP[17]): An elementary school teacher. Hitomi is Iris's mother and unmarried. Her parents died in an accident when she was 17. She raised Iris alone. Due to an injury in the past, she can't move her right arm.[14]
So Sejima(VA: John DeMita EN; Naomi Kusumi JP[17]): A congressman. So is a member of the post-war generation. He grew up poor, which gave him two things: his motivation for seeking power and wealth and his vindictiveness toward the upper class.[14]
Mama (VA: unknown EN; Kenta Miyake JP[17]): Owns the bar "Marble" in Golden Yokocho in Shinjuku. Date and Renju are regulars there and she knows them well. She is also an information broker in the criminal underworld.[14]
Moma Kumakura (VA: Kaiji Tang EN; Wataru Takagi JP[18]): The chairman of the Kumakura yakuza gang, after his predecessor stepped down years ago. In the past, the Kumakuras were known for being ruthless and violent, but Moma hopes to make the group more peaceful and business-minded.
Rohan Kumakura (VA: unknown EN; Daisuke EgawaJP): The previous chairman of the Kumakura gang. One year ago, he committed suicide by jumping from the roof of a building. He was known for his horrific torture technique of peeling his victim's skin from toe to thigh.
The New Cyclops Killer/"Bloody Polar Bear": The culprit behind the new serial murders, known for removing the left eyeball of their victims before death. Their identity is unknown.
Minor characters who are mentioned or make occasional appearances include:
Takero Matsushita: Ota's father. Over 30 years ago, he and his wife took out significant loans to open Matsushita Diner near the Kabasaki District.
Manaka Iwai: A longtime friend of Hitomi Sagan and Renju Okiura from their high school days. Passed away soon after graduating from school.
Saito Sejima: The estranged son of So Sejima, a representative for a non-profit organization. Touring out overseas during the events of the story.
Inmate #89 (VA: D.C. Douglas EN[19]; unknown JP): An unnamed inmate at Fuchu Prison imprisoned for multiple counts of murder. His identity and nationality are unknown.
The Bodyguards: A team of bodyguards hired by So Sejima to protect him from harm and outside interference.
Yakuza A: One of the Yakuza goons who works directly for Moma Kumakura. He once had dreams of pursuing the top spot in the gang, but since decided that he would rather focus on training his favourite dog.
Yakuza B: Another one of the Yakuza goons who works directly for Moma Kumakura. Perhaps due to the way he looks, he is often mistaken for a low-ranking member even though he is toward the top. He typically does office work. He has recently fallen in love and lost a lot of weight.
Nurse: A nurse who works at both Central Hospital and with small group of actors. She practices hard, even though she has yet to land a leading role.
Receptionist (VA: Reba Buhr EN[20]; unknown JP): The receptionist at the Lemniscate Entertainment Offices. She likes men that are real bros and can vibe with them from the jump. Lately, her shoulders have been stiffening up on her, though. Date constantly flirts with her.
Mermaid (VA: Faye Mata EN[21]; unknown JP): A maid who works at the Sunfish Pocket maid cafe.[22][23] She is close friends with Iris, Mizuki, and Ota.
Taxi Driver: A taxi driver who specializes in driving celebrities and entertainers. He has a special relationship with Lemniscate and often drives their talent.
Inspector (VA: Brad Venable EN[24]; unknown JP): An inspector Date comes across constantly throughout his investigations, but can never remember his name.
Gameplay[]
Throughout the game, you play as Kaname Date as he explores Tokyo in search of clues, witnesses, and suspects. The gameplay is split between investigation in the real world and investigation of dream worlds, or Somnia.
In real-world investigations, the player controls Date in a first-person adventure style to search for clues and gain testimony. Moving the cursor to select objects and people allows you to select and further interact with them. Aiba's unique functions, including Zoom, X-ray, and Thermo, allow for additional detailed examination of the environment. Some action sequences may include quick time events to escape danger.
In dream world investigations, the player controls Aiba in a third-person style to complete a variety of puzzles. Each Somnium represents a dream of one of the game's characters, so the puzzles and their solutions may vary greatly. Each puzzle has a time limit of 6 minutes, and interacting with objects will consume a set amount of time. Taking different actions may cause the story to branch in different directions, but running out of time will result in a game over.
Editions[]
The game released in three separate editions: a Standard Edition, a Day One Edition, and a Special Agent Edition:
Standard Edition[]
Standard Edition (PS4)
The Standard Edition is the version of the game that is sold in all available regions. It is sold at the starting price of $59.99 USD, the standard price for all console video games. It comes with the game itself within the standard box, featuring the normal cover art by Yūsuke Kozaki. This version is available on Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, and (digital only) Steam. It released on September 17th, 2019 (North America, digital), September 19th, 2019 (Japan), and September 20th, 2019 (Europe and Australia). The physical release of the game in NA was delayed until September 24th, 2019. This is the only version available in Japan, but as a pre-order bonus, buyers also obtained the REVERIES IN THE RaiN Soundtrack and a Switch cleaning cloth (for the Nintendo Switch edition via Amazon).
Day One Edition[]
Day One Edition
The Day One Edition is a special limited time issue of the game that released on September 24th, 2019 (NA only) for Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4, a week after the digital launch date, like the other NA physical editions' delays. It is virtually identical to the Standard Edition, but with two changes: a slightly altered "Day One Edition" version of the cover, and two special vinyl stickers. The two vinyl stickers are of Aiba in her mascot form and the logo for AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES.
Japan, Europe, and Australia did not feature a Day One Edition when the game was released. However, the bonus content in the Day One Edition is still featured in the EU/AU versions of the Special Agent Edition.[25]
Special Agent Edition[]
Special Agent Edition (Switch)
The Special Agent Edition is an upgraded edition of the game, featuring many bonus materials and collectibles for the game. It is sold at $89.99 USD in North America, Europe, and Australia. Like the Day One Edition, this edition was normally only sold for the Nintendo Switch and the Playstation 4, since it includes a physical copy of the game, on September 24th, 2019 (NA) and September 20th, 2019 (EU/AU)[25], like the other two editions. However, Limited Run Games sold a special Limited version of the Special Agents Edition for Steam (PC).[26]
The Special Agent Edition comes with:
An outer box featuring an original box artwork design by Yūsuke Kozaki
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES Day One Edition (NA's PS4 and Switch versions only)
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES-themed stickers: 2 vinyl stickers:
Anime Expo exclusive AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES lanyard (Limited Run Games only, first 500 orders)
Anime Expo exclusive AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES poster (Limited Run Games only, first 500 orders)
Full Summary[]
WARNING!!
This article contains spoilers for AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES from this point on. Proceed with caution!
On a Friday night in November, Kaname Date was called to a murder scene at Bloom Park in the quarantined Kabasaki District, where Shoko Nadami's corpse was found tied to a merry-go-round horse with her left eye removed. Searching the area, Date found Shoko's daughter, Mizuki Okiura, in the merry-go-round's central column, clutching the murder weapon and suffering from aphonia. As he rested in Mizuki's hospital room overnight, Date fell asleep and saw a dream constructed out of his memories, from before he received amnesia 6 years ago. In his dream, he saw a woman shot and bleeding on the floor, and a man holding a gun standing beside her.
On Saturday, Aiba investigated the anonymous phone call made to the police regarding the murder scene, and identified the caller as Ota Matsushita. Date eventually found Ota in the lobby of Lemniscate, a talent company run by Renju Okiura: Date's friend, Mizuki's father, and Shoko's ex-husband. As Date learned about Ota and Mizuki's discovery of the crime, the net idol A-set (real name Iris Sagan) appeared. After some coercion and blackmail, she managed to tag along with Date for his investigation. The pair reinvestigated Bloom Park, and afterwards Date took Iris home, meeting her mother, Hitomi Sagan, the woman he saw in his dream. Meanwhile, Investigation HQ received a phone call from a inmate simply labeled Inmate #89, claiming that he knows who killed Shoko Nadami, and that the killer will strike again. Later that day, Boss told Date to Psync with Mizuki to learn more about what happened and hopefully cure her aphonia.
Depending on choices made in Mizuki's Somnium, the game branches off in two major directions, labeled as A and B.
Within the A branch of the Somnium, Date and Aiba witnessed the silhouette of the killer in the outskirts of the park. With a cured Mizuki, the pair investigated Bloom Park again at night, where they discovered surveillance footage of Renju's car in the area at the time of the crime. When they searched for him, they headed to the maid cafè Sunfish Pocket, where they found Renju's corpse inside with his left eye missing.
Within the B branch of the Somnium, Date and Aiba found the frozen corpse of Iris hidden underneath the merry-go-round. and they learned about a phone ringing in the area during the time of the crime. This action, while leaving Mizuki uncured, gave Date the information needed to find the phone at Bloom Park, where he discovered that an unknown caller was the last person to try and contact the phone. Date, fearing that the appearance of Iris's frozen corpse within Mizuki's dream may be prophetic in some way, contacted Iris and asked her to not leave her house for the night.
Branch A[]
In Branch A of Mizuki's Somnium, on Sunday, the Shoko case evolved into the "New Cyclops Serial Killings" case, named after a similar case from 6 years prior. The murders are linked to a Yakuza gang known as the Kumakura Family, whom Date leared are affiliated with a congressman named So Sejima. Iris Sagan is named a suspect, as she was witnessed with Renju in Akihabara the night he died, near Sunfish Pocket. As Iris began withholding information during her interrogation, Date found out she and Ota were witholding some secret to the police, and he decided to Psync into her Somnium to learn more. In Branch A of Iris's Somnium, Date did not find any meaningful clues aside from a possible connection to Congressman So, and he is forced to release her.
Date dropped off Iris at Matsushita Diner, managed by Mayumi —Ota's mom—, where Ota knocked him unconscious and took Iris with him by car. Driving from Central Tokyo to Fuchu City, Ota stopped at a FamiSto convenience store, where his car was stolen by an unknown individual, with Iris (and Ota's phone) still inside. Ota chased after his car, and using his phone's GPS, found their location. On Monday, past midnight, as Date woke up, the serial killer began a livestream showing Iris laid on a table inside the Okiura Fishery Cold Storage Warehouse at Ariake, with her left eye missing and a saw-blade above her. The killer, dressed in a polar bear costume, started the saw-blade machine, but was foiled by Ota, who arrived at the scene just in time. Once Date arrived, the killer had already fled, leaving behind a wounded Ota and an unconscious Iris. In the morning, Date began investigating the warehouse and interrogated So Sejima –about Iris's Somnium–, Mizuki –about the Okiura Fishery warehouse–, and Mayumi and Hitomi –about the status of their children–. While most yielded nothing new to the case, Date learned about Mayumi's dementia and of the death of Hitomi's childhood friend, Manaka Iwai. They eventually interrogated Ota about the events of the previous night, and he also confessed to the secret he and Iris were hiding: Ota witnessed Iris driving Renju's car without a license around Akihabra, very close to Sunfish Pocket and not long after Renju's expected time of death. When Date discovered a hidden weapon that Ota was keeping on his person, Boss knocked Ota unconscious and had Date Psync into his mind, to learn what he remembered of his confrontation with the serial killer.
In Branch A of Ota's Somnium, Date and Aiba learned that the culprit stabbed Ota with his mother's kitchen knife. When they visited Mayumi to ask about the knife, she confessed to the crime. On Tuesday, Date continued his investigation, believing Mayumi had given a false confession to protect her son, and he learned about what she was doing the night of the livestream. When Ota and Iris left the Diner in their car Sunday night, Mayumi took a taxi to follow the car around the city; after the kidnapping at the convenience store, the taxi followed the car to So Sejima's mansion, then followed it up to the edge of the restricted Kabasaki District, and then followed them to the Okiura Fishery warehouse. Date decided to visit the Sejima residence to interrogate So about his late-night visit on Sunday, but instead he found the congressman's body inside, dismembered and with his left eye missing. Despite this, Date proceeded to Psync with Mayumi, uncovering her lost memories due to her dementia and learning of the Matsushita family's past. After the Psync, Mayumi recanted her confession, stating she was afraid the man in the polar bear costume she saw was her son. Later that night, Aiba revealed new clues she found: video footage of Iris stealing the kitchen knife herself, and that Shoko's eyeball was identified inside Renju's stomach during the autopsy. This concludes the Ota Route.
In Branch B of Ota's Somnium, Date and Aiba learned that Ota managed to injure the killer in the leg, leaving a bloodstain in the warehouse. The following day, on Tuesday, Date took Mizuki along as they investigated the wounded killer's identity, and they informed a CSI agent to speed up the blood analysis at the scene. While Mizuki was being questioned by Investigation HQ, Date received the blood results, only to spot a wounded So Sejima fleeing the crime scene. Date had Pewter compare the blood to So's DNA, giving a positive match and confirming So as the new Cyclops Killer. Date and Mizuki infiltrated the Sejima Residence, defeating the various bodyguards stationed there, and the resulting gunfight concluding with So shooting Date in the eye —killing Aiba—, Date killing So in retaliation, and Date falling into a coma. On Wednesday, Boss asked Mizuki to Psync with Date in order to wake him up from the coma. The Psync was a success, and Date woke up. A few days later, Date, Mizuki, and Aiba (restored from a saved backup) visited the Ikume Shrine, where they discussed the now-closed Cyclops case, as well as how Mizuki witnessed her homeroom teacher speaking with So Sejima the day they raided his home. This concludes the Mizuki Route.
In Branch B of Iris's Somnium, Date and Aibalearned that Iris had knowledge of the Original Cyclops Serial Killings case from 6 years ago, down to the last detail, and Date saw his own face in the killer's reflection. Despite the strange Somnium, ABIS was unable to hold Iris for the new murders, and Date is forced to release her. From here, a similar set of events occurred as the other branch, with Ota taking Iris to Fuchu City and ending with the livestream video; however, Date was instead attacked at a bar named Marble within Shinjuku District, placing him farther away from the crime scene, which ultimately resulted in Date arriving too late to save Iris or Ota, as they are both killed by the New Cyclops Killer. On Monday, with no real leads on the investigation, Pewter told Date about the identity of the Original Cyclops Killers: a team-up between an unnamed psychopath and Rohan Kumakura, the latter being the former leader of the Kumakuras. With one of them (Rohan) dead from suicide a year prior, Pewter revealed the other culprit to be Inmate #89, the same person who made the phone call to Investigation HQ on Saturday. Date brought #89 to HQ, who looked just like the man from his dream on Friday night, and interrogated him. #89 began by recounting a story to Date:
Six years prior to the game's events, a detective began killing criminals whom he deemed deserved to be punished for their crimes, with the police covering his actions up. Rohan discovered these murders and forced the detective to work as an assassin for the Kumakura Family, giving him the codename "Falco." During one of these jobs, he was chased after taking a bullet to the stomach, escaping and collapsing at Ikume Shine. There, he met a woman who nursed him back to health, and the pair started a relationship. #89 refused to continue his story unless Date guaranteed his release, so Date decides to Psync with #89 instead. He discovered that the woman was Hitomi Sagan, Iris's mother, and that Rohan Kumakura, with assistance from Boss, broke into Hitomi's home to kill Falco (#89). Hitomi protected Falco, receiving a bullet wound to her right shoulder, severing the nerves in her right arm. After the Psync, Pewter reported that So Sejima's body was discovered. When Date searched for Boss to question her about the memory he saw, he found a video showcasing Boss shooting So Sejima in the head, with his left eye already missing. This event concludes in a Story Lock for the Annihilation Route that must be unlocked through other routes.
Branch B[]
In Branch B of Mizuki's Somnium, on Sunday, Date learned that Renju was in a car accident the previous night, and decided to visit him at Central Hospital. However, a hospital nurse told him that Renju had escaped from the overnight, and Date went to search for him at Sunfish Pocket. There, he ran into Ota and learned that, during a livestream last night, Iris was visited by an unknown individual and hasn't been heard from since. Date headed home to talk with Mizuki, and was greeted by Hitomi, who told him that she is Mizuki's homeroom teacher and that she inadvertently healed Mizuki's aphonia overnight. Date also met with the Kumakura gang, and learned that its current leader, Moma Kumakura, is an A-set fan. Date made a deal to introduce Moma to A-set if he gained any information on Renju's whereabouts. At sunset, Aiba managed to get in contact with the mysterious caller to the cell phone found at Bloom Park, and learned their identity is Congressman So Sejima. Following So from his mansion, Date and Aiba witnessed So leave the Okiura Fishery warehouse. Aiba ran out of battery as Date headed inside to find the frozen corpse of Iris Sagan, appearing the same as it had in Mizuki's Somnium. So was brought in for questioning, and Date Psynced with him. In So's Somnium, Date witnessed a figure murder Iris Sagan near the warehouses. Date concludes the Somnium by "saving" the dream-world version of Iris from her attacker, and once outside the Somnium, he received a call from the first response team at the warehouses, stating that no body was found. Shocked, Date rushed to the Sagan Residence and found Iris alive and well, hanging out with Mizuki.
On Monday, a debate began amongst ABIS members, where Date believed that his actions in Somnium "changed the world" and saved Iris, and Aiba (who did not witness Iris's body) believed that Date simply hallucinated her body. As they investigated further, the pair learn of a phone call that Inmate #89 made to So Sejima, about Hitomi's past with Iris and her old boyfriend, and Iris also made Date promise her to go on a date with her later that afternoon. With #89, codenamed "Falco," transferred to HQ, Date began interrogating him, but #89 knocked Date unconscious and took Pewter hostage until he escaped the building, with Renju Okiura as his getaway driver. After #89's escape, Moma informed Date of a lead as to where Renju is, and he continued investigating while also acting as Iris's "date." He and Iris learned from a Sunfish Pocket maid that on the previous day, Sunday, Renju was seen looking for Iris inside the maid café. The two also met with Ota and discussed Date's phenomenon with Iris's dead body, wondering if this was caused by a change in parallel worlds. Iris also talked about her "Uncle," her mom's old boyfriend who she hadn't seen in 6 years, and had been searching for ever since. As Date and Iris were about to meet with Mama and one of Renju's acquaintances, they are attacked by mercenaries attempting to kidnap Iris. They escaped and rest within Date's home, where Iris revealed she is being hunted down by a secret organization known as NAIXATLOZ trying to take over the world using the Wadjet System. Date believed in her while Aiba remained skeptical, and the two decided to secretly Psync with Iris, to learn if she's telling the truth or lying.
In Branch A of Iris's Somnium, Date believed in Iris wholeheartedly and decided to act as her bodyguard. The following day, Tuesday, Date and Iris began investigating NAIXATLOZ and their connection to Renju, where Date learned more about Iris's "Uncle," and the pair discovered Hitomi privately speaking with So Sejima. They eventually learned from Mama that the person that she was going to introduce to Date last night was actually Pewter, who is Renju's current lover. They found Pewter and interrogated him, learning that Pewter had been leaking information on the case to Renju, orchestrated #89's escape on behalf of Renju's wishes, and ordered the mercenaries to kidnap Iris. Suddenly, Pewter took control of Aiba to shock Date unconscious, then kidnapped Iris and took her to the Okiura Fishery warehouse. Date and Aiba, with assistance from Moma, Ota, and Mizuki, performed a rescue operation for Iris, taking her away from Pewter's clutches. Date spoke with Iris about her "Uncle" again, and she stated that she only knew him by the nickname "Falco," the same nickname as the escaped #89. She also revealed that her late night visitor she had 3 nights ago was actually Renju, who tried to take her to an abandoned factory in the Kabasaki District, but she managed to escape. The two visited the factory and discovered a prototype Psync Machine. Iris suddenly collapsed due to abnormal brain failure, and Date decided to Psync with her to save her life, just as he believed he did in So's Somnium. However, despite his best attempts, Iris succumbed and died to her sudden collapse, with her last thoughts wondering if Date was actually the person she was looking for this whole time. This concludes the Iris Route.
In Branch B of Iris's Somnium, Date and Aiba did not believe in Iris's words about NAIXATLOZ, and decided to leave her with Ota and Mizuki while they continue to investigate. On Tuesday past midnight, Date met with Hitomi, and the two discussed Iris's delusions, wherein Hitomi revealed that Iris has a malignant Grade-IV brain tumor and only has a month to live, at most. The brain tumor caused the various delusions Iris had, as well as other side effects she was experiencing. Suddenly, Date received a phone call from Mizuki, stating that Iris had gone missing, looking for "the person I trust most." Date, Mizuki, and Ota began searching for her, and eventually Date arrived at the Okiura Fishery warehouse where, inside a frozen forklift, he found the frozen body of Iris Sagan yet again. This event concludes in a Story Lock for the Resolution Route that must be unlocked through other routes.
The Final Routes[]
If the Ota Route, Mizuki Route, and Iris Route are completed, the Story Lock in Resolution Route is opened. On Tuesday morning, as Date grieved over Iris's death, Aiba began to rationally question the events of this case, and the two discovered that the body was in fact not Iris Sagan, but an unnamed woman who passed away over 10 years ago. When questioning So Sejima yielded no results, they spoke with Mizuki, and they learned that, a month prior, Mizuki followed her father Renju to the Okiura Fishery warehouse, which he owns, and found the woman's body inside the forklift. Aiba searched the missing persons database and found a matching case: Manaka Iwai, who disappeared 18 years ago, and whose name Date recognized from a lost memory with Hitomi. Date interrogated Hitomi about Manaka's death, believing that she and Renju killed her, and with no response, Date decided to Psync into her mind. Before he dove in, however, Boss and Pewter told Date about the reason for the six minute limit in Somnia: spending too long in a Somnium can cause the consciousness and memories of both the Psyncer and the Subject to switch, causing them to change bodies. Date soon Psynced with Hitomi, and once it's done, she told him the story as partially witnessed in her Somnium:
Eighteen years prior to the game's events, Manaka Iwai was the mistress of Congressman So Sejima, eventually giving birth to a baby girl. After meeting with him at the warehouses, Manaka was repeatedly stabbed in the back by So's psychopathic son, Saito Sejima, and was buried by Rohan and the Kumakuras. Following a GPS tracker, Renju and Hitomi found Manaka's body and the Kumakuras in the Okutama Mountains, where they witnessed Rohan take out Manaka's right eye. They were able to dig up her corpse shortly after, and decided to keep her body frozen in the Okiura Fishery warehouse, which Renju soon took ownership of and managed for the next 18 years. Manaka's baby was raised by Hitomi, who eventually grew up and became Iris Sagan. Iris's brain tumor had been identified at the beginning of the present year, and could be treated with a procedure involving nanomachines. However, this treatment was too expensive for Hitomi to afford. When Iris's symptoms began to worsen, she decided to blackmail So Sejima for money on Sunday, using Manaka's frozen corpse as leverage. Before she could place the body back in the forklift, Date had arrived, leading to the confusion between Manaka's body and Iris's body. With Hitomi's story finished, Pewter appeared under orders from the MPD and So Sejima to close the investigation on Manaka's murder, holding them at gunpoint, but Date and Hitomi managed to escape and headed to an abandoned factory, a location given to Hitomi by a kidnapper if she wanted to save Iris. As they arrived, Date seemed to recognize the factory, and learned that Aiba's backup data and memories were being deleted by Pewter. Once inside, they found the prototype Psync Machine and Renju's dead body, and suddenly #89 appeared, knocking Date unconscious. This event concludes in a second Story Lock for the Resolution Route and opens the Story Lock in the Annihilation Route.
Back in the Annihilation Route, on Tuesday past midnight, Date and Aiba suspected Boss for the murders of Shoko Nadami, Renju Okiura, Iris Sagan, Ota Matsushita, and the recently discovered So Sejima. Tracking her GPS, they headed to the Sagan Residence, only to discover it was a trap set by Boss and the MPD's Special Assault Team. The pair managed to knock them all out, injuring Boss's leg and shoulder, and they took her back to ABIS to Psync. With Pewter's help, Date Psynced into Boss's Somnium, and witnessed all the Cyclops murders laid out in order, but committed by the victims that followed: Shoko killed by Renju, Renju killed by Iris, Iris killed by So, and So killed by Boss. After the Psync, Date declared that the person he is interrogating is not Boss, but rather an unknown individual who used the hidden feature in the prototype Psync Machine, found in the abandoned factory, to swap bodies with their victims, killing the previous host after transferring.
The person revealed themselves as Saito Sejima, the psychopathic son of So Sejima, and he recounted to Date his actions over the week. On Friday afternoon, Saito (in the body of Shoko Nadami) swapped bodies with Renju and killed him within Shoko's body, displaying him in Bloom Park and calling Mizuki to the park and find the body. On Saturday, Saito abducted Iris in front of Sunfish Pocket, unknowingly witnessed by Ota, and then swapped bodies and killed her within Renju's body. On Sunday, Saito was taken to HQ for interrogation as "Iris," and was Psynced, but after being released, he coerced Ota to "save A-set." That night, Saito stole Ota's car when they stopped at the FamiSto store, and then abducted his father So Sejima, where he swapped bodies with him. On Monday morning, Saito took the unconscious So (inside Iris's body) and killed him during the livestream, then killed Ota for continually interrupting his plans. On Monday noon, Saito (in So's body) summoned Boss to the Sejima mansion, took her to the factory, swapped with her, and killed her in So's body. After he explained the events of the last 5 days, Saito then revealed that he had lived inside Rohan Kumakura's body for 5 years until he swapped with Shoko Nadami a year ago, who, in horror, accidentally fell off the roof of the factory and died. Then Saito revealed a triangle body swap scenario, in which Date resided in Saito's original body, Saito used to reside in Rohan's body, and that Rohan is actually still alive and resided in #89/Falco's body, which is Date's real identity. Suddenly, Pewter bursted into the room and revealed a livestream showing Hitomi strapped to bombs. Saito promised to give her location if Date swapped bodies with him. Date agreed, and they Psynced for more than 6 minutes. Saito, now in his original body, told Date, in the body of Boss, the location where Hitomi was held, but it was too late, as the bomb exploded live on camera. Aiba shocked Saito unconscious, but Date lost his will to fight; as a familiar voice ringed in his head talking about parallel worlds, he wondered if there's another world out there with a better outcome. This concludes the Annihilation Route and opens the second and final Story Lock in the Resolution Route.
Back at the Resolution Route, on Wednesday past midnight, Date woke up strapped into the prototype Psync Machine, and realized that the #89/Falco that sat in front of him was actually Saito Sejima, who had been in Renju's body until he swapped with Rohan, inside of #89, and killed him. Saito revealed the events which transpired over the week. On Friday, everything occurred just as Date remembered hearing from Saito in the Annihilation Route. On Saturday, Saito called Iris to meet with her, but, due to Date warning her to not leave the house (after finding "Iris's" body in Mizuki's Somnium), Saito was forced to drive to her home, resulting in a car accident. Just past midnight on Sunday, he escaped the hospital, and as Date remembered hearing from Iris in the Iris Route, he visited Iris and took her to the factory, but she escaped. On Monday, Saito was in contact with Pewter, who believed he was speaking to his lover Renju, and learned of #89's visit to HQ, and just as Date remembered hearing from Pewter in the Iris Route, #89 (Rohan) escaped with Pewter's help and Saito took him to the factory, where they swapped and Rohan died to Renju's injuries. On Tuesday, Saito, inside "Uncle's" body, called Iris with video chat and asked her to meet, wherein he kidnapped her, luring Hitomi and Date to the factory. With all this explained, Saito forcibly Psynced with Date, exchanging bodies in the process. As Saito celebrated returning to his original body, Date fell unconscious. Back in his original body, his memories prior to six years ago returned:
His name was previously Hayato Yagyu, the vigilante detective-turned-assassin known as Falco. Wanting to leave the Kumakuras' service, Rohan had demanded Hayato do one last job: kill Hitomi and Iris due to their connection to Manaka's murder. He confessed to Boss about his job as an assassin, and to help him, suggested swapping bodies with Rohan so he could call the hit off. During the Psync between himself and Rohan, Hayato discovered the truth of the Original Cyclops Killer: Saito Sejima and Rohan Kumakura were the true culprits, the former murdering his victims while the latter removed their right eyeballs posthumously. After the Psync, Rohan (inside Hayato's body) escaped and went to Hitomi's house to kill her, and as Hayato (inside Rohan) arrived to save Hitomi, he inadvertently shot her as she tried defending "Falco". Boss and the police arrested Rohan (inside Hayato), becoming #89. Soon after, Hayato (inside Rohan) met with Saito to get a confession, but Saito saw through the deception and captured Hayato, learning of the Psync technology and the ability to change bodies. Stealing the prototype Psync Machine, Saito swapped bodies with Hayato, taking Rohan's body while Hayato took Saito's. Hayato managed to escape, his memories erased due to forcibly removing himself from the Psync, and was eventually found by Boss. The amnesiac was given the new identity "Kaname Date" and became a member of ABIS, while Saito (inside Rohan) was arrested and hospitalized for the shooting of Hitomi Sagan.
Back in the present, Saito was about to kill Date, when suddenly he was ambushed and chased off by Moma Kumakura, who Aiba had called for help. Following further into the plant with a rifle, Date saw Iris held at gunpoint by Saito, but he was ambushed this time by Mizuki, while Ota rescued Iris. The group chased Saito to the top floor, where he had Hitomi at gunpoint, forcing Date to put down his weapon. Date is called by Aiba, who still resided in Saito's left eye socket, and suggested using her self-destruct mechanism, which would kill Saito but also herself, now that her back-up data was erased. Reluctantly, Date issued the command, causing Saito's head to explode and saving Hitomi. Mourning Aiba's sacrifice, Date discarded his old identity and reaffirmed himself as Kaname Date.
Three months later, Iris recovered from the surgery to remove her brain tumors, unknowingly paid for by the MPD in return for those involved in these cases to keep the details a secret. The official statement given by the police declared that Renju killed Shoko, helped "#89" escape and was killed, and "#89" committed suicide in an explosion, which "injured" Date and required facial reconstruction. After her surgery, Date took Iris to visit her friends and acquaintances. When Date talked with Boss, she unexpectedly knocks him out, and he soon woke up in the Psync Room, meeting with the incarcerated Pewter in secret. So Sejima announced he is no longer a politician, and revealed to Date his past secrets involving Manaka's murder and the history behind the abandoned factory. Hitomi and Date began mending their relationship after being separated for years, and after all the events that transpired. Mizuki had inherited Lemniscate from Renju, and had been formally adopted by Date, the latter who recalled their time bonding together in the Mizuki Route. Ota now worked multiple jobs to support his mom, Mayumi, who was on medication for her dementia and had resolved her past animosity towards Iris. Moma had spread his love for A-set to the rest of the Kumakuras, with one of the yakuza revealed to be a mob doctor (implied to have been the one to help Manaka in childbirth) and as the fiancé to the hospital nurse. Date and Iris found one of Sejima's bodyguards drunk at Marble, revealing that he quit working for So, and they spoke with Mama, who wondered if the information given about Renju's "crime" was real. Finally, Iris took Date to the warehouse district where she gave him a surprise: Aiba, back from the dead. She was rebuilt using the Wadjet System, and was implanted by Pewter while Date was unconscious at ABIS. With the two reunited, Iris performs her pop song "Invincible Rainbow Arrow," turning into a group dance with all the other characters. This concludes the Resolution Route, and concludes the full story of the game.
Reception[]
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES received "generally favorable" reviews on Metacritic getting a metascore of 80/100 on PS4[27] and 86/100 on Nintendo Switch.[28]
Videos[]
AI The Somnium Files Announcement Trailer
Official Spike Chunsoft & Uchikoshi Panel (starting at 9-45)
AI The Somnium Files - GDC 2019 Trailer PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam (PC)
AI THE SOMNIUM FILES - Gameplay Trailer PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam (PC)
AI THE SOMNIUM FILES Character Trailer Nintendo Switch, PS4, Steam (PC) English Dub
AI THE SOMNIUM FILES Character Trailer Nintendo Switch, PS4, Steam (PC) Japanese Dub
AI THE SOMNIUM FILES Investigation Trailer PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam)
Spike Chunsoft Livestream
AI THE SOMNIUM FILES Release Trailer PS4, Nintendo Switch, Steam (PC)
石田晴香の電撃PS Live 051【打越鋼太郎×竜騎士07トークショー、AI： ソムニウム ファイル、サルゲッチュ3】
Original
"AI The Somnium Files" Gameplay Subtitled (25 mins.) Day 1 Friday -Corpse (sigAI)-
Fantranslation
『AI： ソムニウム ファイル』たっぷり実機プレイ特番【ゲスト打越鋼太郎&香川愛生】
Original
"AI The Somnium Files" -Day 4- Gameplay (50 mins) Translated
Fantranslation
Tokyo Game Show 2019 AI The Somnium Files Segment
Original
Articles and Interviews[]
Here's a list of listed articles and interviews in relation to the game:
The word "Somnium" is Latin for "dream," which makes the "Somnium Files" part of the game's title literally translate to "Dream Files".
The AI in the title has five meanings:
A.I., the initials for "Artificial Intelligence," much like Date's A.I. partner, Aiba.
AI, pronounced in english as eye: in reference to the consistent "eye" theme within the game, such as Date's artificial eye which houses Aiba, and the serial killer's M.O. for removing the left eyes of their victims.
AI, also pronounced as eye, or in this case, I. Refers to the identity of a person in the first-person perspective, what any individual would universally use to refer to themselves.[29]
Ai, the romanization for 愛: the Japanese word for "love," which is said to be a central theme of the story.
When the title AI is flipped upside down (and the dash removed), it makes the roman numeral VI, a reference to the thematic use of the number 6 throughout the game. In the red space in the logo, the numeral VI can also be seen behind the AI in the title.
The game was first announced under the title "PROJECT:psync." While a new title has replaced it since then, the word "PSYNC" still appears in various promotional material for the game, such as the trailer and the official website.[14][30] The name Psync was kept to define the name of the machine that can send people's consciousness into the Somnium.
General[]
The game has a consistent number theme with the number 6, as it appears multiple times throughout the game:
The game's logo has the roman numeral VI in the red space behind the word "AI", along with the titled, when flipped upside down, reproduces the numeral VI as well.
The time limit of Somnium dives, limited to a maximum of 6 minutes.
The various events that occurred 6 years prior, such as:
Shoko Nadami was killed 6 hours before her body was found in Bloom Park.
Including Date's Atami Date END, there are 6 labeled endings in the game, with all 6 having an achievement tied to them.
One of A-set videos on her Lemniscate channel, titled "6", has many references:
The title, for one
It is the 6th video (when numbered accordingly) in the series
The video lasts 66 seconds
On the 6th and 18th (6x3) seconds, a visual glitch occurs on-screen
On To-Witter, when the A-set impostor had control of her account, 6 strange to-weets were sent at specific times, where the last digits are always 6. These to-weets were later deleted.
The ages of nearly all the characters are multiples of 6:
Iris Sagan, Ota Matsushita, and Mizuki Okiura are all 6 years apart in age from each other by the start of the game, with Ota at 24-years-old, Iris at 18-years-old, and Mizuki at 12-years-old.
Aiba was created one year after Date lost his memories, and turns 5 years old on the year the game is set (2019), 9 days after the start of the game.
Hitomi, Renju, and Manaka are high school classmates, who share the same age. All three of them where 19 years old when Iris Sagan was born, most likely to make sure she wasn't conceived when her mother was 17.
Amame is 20 years old and works as a mermaid at Sunfish Pocket, making her one of the maids capable of serving alcohol at the establishment.
In the first trailer and on the main page, a set of keywords can be seen floating in the background. These correlate to various elements and characters revealed in AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES, including:
Cyclops Serial Killings – the name of the murders that occurred 6 years prior, where 4 victims where found dead in Akikawa Valley with their right eyes removed.
Light Synaptic Nerve Connection Device – the headgear device that connects a Psyncer/Subject to the Psync Machine.
Exciting Voltaic Versatile Gun – Kaname Date's weapon of choice, also known as Evolver. Has a versatile amount of functions, including compatibility with different types of ammunition.
Generalized Amnesia – Kaname Date, who had lost his memories 6 years before the start of the game due to mysterious circumstances.
Abandoned Child – Mizuki Okiura, who was abandoned by her parents to live with Kaname Date.
Chocolate Collector – People who collected the various Odoroki-man Chocolate stickers that came with every bag. Kaname Date, Mizuki Okiura, and Ota Matsushita all used to collect Odoroki-man Chocolate.
Bullet Wound to the Right Shoulder – Hitomi Sagan's injury, which she sustained during an armed robbery. She lost the ability to use her right arm due to the injury.
Wadjet System – the operating system from which all Artificial Intelligence stems from, including Aiba.
Prisoner No.89 – a prisoner who was arrested for various crimes committed in the past. Officially named as Inmate #89 in the localized release.
Endorphin Oxitocin – former: hormone that alleviates pain; latter: hormone connected with love. The original Cyclops Serial Killer suffered from an Oxitocin deficiency in their brain.
---one undecipherable phrase---
According to the localization coordinator/editor/producer, Alex Flagg, on Discord:
There is a secret hiding in the cover art for AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES. If you look at all the space that the characters and objects take up in the image, it makes the shape of a keyhole. Kaname Date stands in the center of the image, and, as explained in Day 2: Saturday –saikAI–, the kanji used for Kaname, 鍵 (Kagi), translates to "Key." As such, the mystery of the game is a keyhole, and Kaname Date is the "Key" that fits inside.
During voice recordings for the English dub of the game, the dubbing staff and cast would watch various YouTube videos together during lunch and breaks, including Polygon's "Griffin Amiibo Corner" videos, Brian Jordan Alvarez's web series The Gay and Wondrous life of Caleb Gallo, and clips from Comedy Central's Nathan for You and FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia TV series.[31]
The end of the first trailer features the phrase "Mark 9:47" in one of its few lasts frames. It's a passage from the New Testament in the Bible, which goes as: "And if your eye causes you to fall into sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell." This quote ties in with the game's heavy eye theme.
The release dates of the game in America and Japan are both palindromes. The American date (digitally) is September 17, 2019, or 9/17/19, while the Japanese date is Sept. 19, 2019, or 9/19/19. This follows the game's consistent theme in mirrored text and messages.
Sadly, the European date of Sept. 20, 2019, or 9/20/19, is not a palindrome, and neither is the last minute delay of the physical release in NA for Sept. 24, 2019, or 9/24/19.
According to Kotaro Uchikoshi, there are elements that he wished to include in AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES, but had to remove references to them due to the enforcement of censorship by the Japanese entertainment industry. While no specific instances were mentioned, Uchikoshi stated that he wanted to include "all of the thing [that] can not be expressed in a game even though it can be expressed in a movie", and responded to a fan asking for Jewish representation in his games by stating that he wishes to express Jewish religions in his games as well.[32]
Fan-Translations[]
A fan-made Russian translation for AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES was made by the translator RikuKH3 and was released on January 10th, 2021.[11] RikuKH3 had previously worked on Russian translations for Nine Hours Nine Persons Nine Doors, Steins;Gate 0, and Steins;Gate: Linear Bounded Phenogram.
A fan-made French translation for AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES is currently under production by the translation group named DreamTeamTrad.[12] The group was created for this specific translation, and is their first group translation under this name.
A fan-made Spanish translation for AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES is currently under production by members of the Spanish translation community TraduSquare.[13] Translators under this project include Malakito (Trails in the Sky FC, Yakuza 0), Merun (Zero Time Dilemma), Roli300 (Shin Megami Tensei:Persona 3 FES), Retroductor (Zero Time Dilemma, Deltarune [2018], Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+), Shiryu (Danganronpa 1: Trigger Happy Havoc,Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls), and IlDucci (Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES).
↑D.C. Douglas: "I can finally admit that I'm Falco in the mind f**** game #aithesomniumfiles! I think... It's kind of difficult to explain...... #voiceover #videogames #jrpg #DCDouglas http://Instagram.com/mrdcdouglas/" (Nov 8th)
↑Reba Buhr: "AI: The Somnium Files starring @greg_chun as Kaname Date is a generally dark, sophisticated, serious game...except for my character, the receptionist, who is for some reason ridiculous and very funny. Excited for it to drop!" (Apr 17th)
↑Faye Mata @PrincessAura: "I voice 'Mermaid' in 'AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES'. She's so purdy. Yesss. moooar bluuuee. It's not out yet, but this game is dark and crazy (like their other games i.e. #Danganronpa, #999, and #ZankiZero). Thanks @Lemniscate_Aset @mummynyan @BangZoom @SpikeChunsoft_e!" (May 25th)
