The Nintendo Direct for March 27 has only just begun, but already we have a brand-new game announcement to gawk at. The second bit of news for the showcase revealed that very soon we can expect to have to solve a slate of new cases, as a fresh AI: The Somnium Files game was just revealed.
Known by the catchy name of No Sleep for Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files, this game will be coming to Nintendo Switch as soon as July 25, meaning you will still have plenty of reasons to continue using your current Switch model, even if its successor is available by then.
The game is the third entry into the AI: The Somnium Files series, originally conceived by Zero Escape’s Kotaro Uchikoshi. Both the first AI game and sequel Nirvana Initiative were enthusiastically received by his fans, who found more of the intricate sci-fi murder mystery that is a trademark of the Japanese developer. Those fans already recognise several returning characters in the trailer:
According to Spike Chunsoft’s press release, you play as the titular Kaname Date, the main guy once again, teaming up with his trusty AI sidekick Aiba to crack a strange case and save Iris—an internet idol who’s been dragged into a high-stakes escape game. No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files brings a new gameplay twist called “Escape game”. Like in earlier titles, you’ll still dig through crime scenes and chat with people during the “Investigation” phase, and then dive into dream-like sequences in “Somnium” to explore the minds of suspects and witnesses. The fresh “Escape” segments throw you into locked rooms where you’ll have to solve puzzles to break out. Jumping between these three modes is how you’ll gather all the pieces needed to crack the case.
The story’s being penned by Kazuya Yamada (who sees the game as an answer to fans asking for a new entry lead by Date), with Uchikoshi-san overseeing everything as series director. Yusuke Kozaki is back designing the characters, and Keisuke Ito is handling the music once again.
A direct quote from Kotaro Uchikoshi:
“The core element of this game, the ‘escape game’, is not just a collection of puzzles; it has been intricately woven with a deep thematic significance, and its difficulty is perfectly balanced…! I believe both core and casual players will definitely enjoy it. This game is a heartfelt anthem of love created by the staff who love the ‘AI’ series, for all the fans who also love the ‘AI’ series.”
Finally, here are some fresh screenshots from No Sleep for Date: