AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative Reviews
At its best moments, AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative was some of the most fun I’ve had playing an adventure game ever, even topping its predecessor on occasion. The characters are still fun, the game made me laugh plenty, the Somniums are similarly creative, and there’s still plenty of enticing mystery to go around. Unfortunately, while the first AI: The Somnium Files manages to pull its story together to a thrilling conclusion, I cannot say the same for its sequel. Outside of one particular part, its final act is immensely unsatisfying and does not hold up well under scrutiny, with a big twist that felt more to the detriment of the story than to its benefit. Some of its new characters are welcome additions, others are not, and the antagonists of the story don’t contribute much value. It also adds some unnecessary retconning that feels worse coming off the first game. The story is fun in the moment and has a strong first half, but doesn’t carry its own weight all the way through and feels lacking the same substance that made the first game so memorable for me long after I finished it. AiNi still has a lot going for it, but for a game where so much of the enjoyment is centered around its story, I really wish it could have brought it all home. It’s still a really engaging experience, it’s just substantially more uneven.
While nirvanA Initiative doesn’t stray too far from the formula established in the original, the gritty sci-fi story and likeable characters mean that it is a compelling adventure. Piecing together all the threads of the story will lead you on a rollercoaster of a journey and keep you guessing until the very end.
I didn't mention it during the original game's review, but a good portion of its playtime was while waiting for power to return after my hometown got clobbered by the remnants of a hurricane; this time, the worst it got was some pretty heavy thunderstorms. And just as the weather wasn't as extreme this time, nirvanA Initiative gets close to the levels of the original but just falls slightly short.
While AI: The Somium Files - nirvanA Initiative might be minor Uchikoshi, it's still Uchikoshi, which makes it worth experiencing for most fans.
A remarkable plot and story, a chaotic world and a great mystery to be solved in two different eras, a perfect summary of AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A must-have for AI: The Somnium Files veterans but also for those who are passionate about science fiction and crime.
Review in Italian | Read full review
AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative is another fascinating Kotaro Uchikoshi game that builds on the original's foundation.
A rich and satisfying journey with some unforgettable characters and moments, only marred by some low budget concessions. A sequel with a much more ambitious scope and slight QoL improvements.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
While it's not Uchikoshi at its best, Ai The Somnium Files The Nirvana Initiative is still a Uchikoshi game, and, as such, it's a well written adventure/visual novel, with quirky characters and a plot with some twist and turns.
Review in Italian | Read full review
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative can throw a lot of information at you, and it will take some time to digest the tutorials and the events of the game. But once you manage to find your footing, you will be investigating an intriguing mystery that crosses different timelines with powerful tools. It’s a story that requires patience, understanding, and some outside-the-box thinking, but it pays off with a fantastic resolution when you reach the real conclusion.
A second series of serial killings is fair game in AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative, a title focused around the established world of the prior game with newcomers that are just as hungry for the truth as Kaname Date once was.
AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative is an entertaining trip featuring a sharp story by Kotaro Uchikoshi, though it may not be for everyone. If you prefer to be told exactly how to solve puzzles, the easier difficulty levels can help, but ultimately the game’s nature is to be esoteric and reveal each Somnium’s secrets piece by piece. Fans of the first game will definitely enjoy this trip, while new players can hop right in without any major spoilers if they so choose. Either way, nirvanA Initiative is one game you’ll actually want to finish.
Fans of gripping mysteries and intriguing puzzles will love the eclectic storytelling, but not necessarily the pervy humour, in Kotaro Uchikoshi's most fascinating oddity.
Come for the mystery, stay for the characters in this baggy but compelling visual novel sequel.
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES nirvanA Intiative is a continuation of the Yue style and one of the best word games of the year.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
All in all, AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative is another complex and twisting murder mystery with a strong cyberpunk flavor. If you crave bizarre philosophies, high-tech conspiracies, and mind-bending puzzles, add this game to your list. Just make you aren’t photosensitive first.
AI: The Somnium Files: NirvanA Initiative is a respectable sequel, capable of being enjoyed by those who haven't played the first title and highly recommended for science fiction or detective story enthusiasts, fans of Japanese animation or for those who appreciate all these themes at the same time.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
There's lots to love: the characters are great, especially Mizuki, and exist just that right side of quirkiness; the side narratives are impressive; the Somnia are great fun; and the gradual dripping of reveals and revelations has you deducting and reasoning where AI is heading, like a budding Sherlock, all the way through. Heartily recommended.
nirvanA Initiative combines the best of AI: The Somnium Files’s presentation with the sharpest puzzles and best writing across Team Zero Escape’s catalogue.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.