Nintendo-Difference AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative will be available on June 24, 2022 on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC, new info and story trailer - Nintendo-Difference

Spike Chunsoft has finally revealed the precise release date of the adventure game AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative, the sequel to the crime adventure game AI: The Somnium Files created by the team of creators of Zero Escape directed by Kotaro Uchikoshi, which is therefore set for June 24 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC via Steam in Europe and the United States. A new story trailer has also been released, with additional information on the game's themes, protagonists and more, detailed by Kotaro Uchikoshi himself.

Illustrator: Yusuke Kozaki

The themes of the new story

First of all, we must remember how the scenario begins. Six years ago, the right part of a corpse was discovered. The left part, on the other hand, was never found… at least, until six years later, when it was discovered completely fresh, without any sign of rot, as if the victim had still been alive there. not much time. As we already knew, Mizuki is now a Special Agent of ABIS (the Advanced Brain Investigation Squad of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department) and has been assigned to investigate with Aiba (AI-Ball), the artificial intelligence controlling way autonomous, which therefore no longer accompanies Date, the hero of the first game whose presence in the sequel is not confirmed. However, what we didn't know is that Mizuki isn't the only one in this position. Indeed, there is another Agent: Ryuki, who is also accompanied by an artificial intelligence, Tama. They are tasked with solving "the serial murders of Half Body" and will also have to unravel the mysteries of a mysterious conspiracy known only as the Nirvana Initiative.

The themes are based on two opposites. For example, the Yin and the Yang, the man and the woman, the double helix… There is also love and hate which could be part of it, especially since the title “AI” also means “love " in Japanese. As in the first game, the sequel will discuss different types of love, such as family love, love for the opposite gender, and love that is not tied to any setting. Moreover, nirvanA Initiative will go deep into the opposite of love, hate. But as Uchikoshi points out, two is one. So he describes nirvanA Initiative as a love-hate mystery, which starts with half a corpse. He hopes we will enjoy.

Two protagonists

With the theme of two opposites, the team behind the game therefore decided at the very beginning that there will be two protagonists, including Mizuki. You should know that she was the most popular character of the previous episode. Also, Uchikoshi felt like writing a story about his growth. Regarding the other protagonist, Uchikoshi was of course thinking at first of Kaname Date, since he was the hero of the first AI: The Somnium Files. However, if the story were to be about Date and Mizuki, there would be far too many references to what happened in the previous game, and it would have been difficult for new players to follow the plot. It was therefore decided to interweave the stories of an existing character and a new character so that anyone could enjoy this fictional world.

But will Kaname Date appear?

The answer is obviously yes, since we can also see him in the story trailer. Uchikoshi confirms that he will play an important role in the history of nirvanA Initiative. He then asks Date fans not to be afraid, because in addition, this sequel will feature an even cooler (… or less cool…) Date.

A message for the fans

First of all, Uchikoshi wanted to address the fans of the first AI: The Somnium Files. He insists that Mizuki will have a huge role in the sequel. Iris, Ota, Mama, and Moma will of course also respawn, and the energy from the previous game will be retained. If we liked the first AI: The Somnium Files, Uchikoshi thinks that the sequel will satisfy us. In addition to that, it is thanks to the fans that the sequel could be developed and he wishes to thank them.

Next, the creator addresses fans of visual novels. He claims that nirvanA Initiative will be a title that condenses the real thrill of visual novels, while having Somnia, where we can control the characters to navigate inside the dreams or nightmares of the characters. Uchikoshi clarifies that there will be other important parts in the game, but that he cannot say more at this time. However, he reveals that the Somnium games have increased by one level compared to those of the previous game and that it is extremely interesting.

Finally, he speaks to his fans. He thanks them for the wait, it's a new project that, even compared to the previous episode, will have elements that will stimulate our critical thinking. He also thinks Zero Escape fans will definitely love it. It's also a game he's proud of for creating a new adventure filled with mystery, especially since one mystery begs another. Uchikoshi promises a storm of twists.

After Danganronpa Decadence, Just For Games has teamed up again with Numskull Games and Spike Chunsoft for the distribution of physical standard and collector's editions on Switch and PS4 of AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative. An official page is available on the Just For Games website, and it is possible to pre-order both editions on the store. The standard version (Switch / PS4) is priced at €59.99, while the collector's version (Switch / PS4) costs €119.99. Note that the game will be playable in English only, with the possibility of choosing between Japanese and English voices.

Contents of the Collector's Edition:

Spike Chunsoft and Numskull Games will also sell these editions in the US and other territories in Europe respectively. You should know that there will also be the Xbox One version which will be sold in the form of these physical editions, but Just For Games will not take care of the distribution in France. As a download, the game will be available in spring 2022 on Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC. The physical editions will be released during the same period.

In AI: The Somnium Files, the progression of the game was divided into different parts: we followed the story via dialogues similar to a visual novel and cutscenes, we participated in investigation phases as in a point- and-click and with Aiba, we solved puzzles in 3D adventure sequences, all with voice acting in Japanese and English. As a reminder, this Aiba has a great particularity: this AI has the ability to enter people's memories to extract information. These memories appear as landscapes seen in dreams. In the game, it was possible to enter these landscapes, which are called Somnium. At this time, we don't know if the gameplay will be exactly the same in nirvanA Initiative (although the Somniums are confirmed), but either way, the title is still classified as a "Detective Adventure" game.

The team behind the first game is still in charge of this sequel. We will therefore find Akira Okada on the production, Kotaro Uchikoshi on the screenplay, Yusuke Kozaki on the character design and Keisuke Ito on the soundtrack.

If you haven't heard of AI: The Somnium Files, you can try the game for free via a free demo, available on the Switch eShop. You can also read one of our full articles on the game here. And if you want to know even more, all our articles can be found here.

Kotaro Uchikoshi

Kotaro Uchikoshi is a video game director and screenwriter best known for co-writing the Infinity visual novel series (Ever 17: The Out of Infinity and Remember11: The Age of Infinity being the most popular), but also for creating the famous Zero Escape saga (Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, Virtue's Last Reward and Zero Time Dilemma) and Punch Line. Quite amusing detail, it was he who modeled the 3D models of the action game Pepsiman on PlayStation. He also wrote one of Steins;Gate's 10 stories: Linear Bounded Phenogram. Today, Uchikoshi is very popular for his plot twists / atypical reversals and his offbeat humor. He has actively worked on a wide variety of genres, games and stories. Although having left Spike Chunsoft a few years ago, he still works with the studio with AI: The Somnium Files. He is now part of the Too Kyo Games company and a few years ago he also worked on the anime The Girl in Twilight in addition to the game World's End Club (he should also work on the game Tribe Nine). Uchikoshi has even been involved in many other projects, including outside of Japan. For example, he planned and created the escape room The Pop Star's Room of Doom. You can follow Uchikoshi on Twitter and Facebook.

Yusuke Kozaki is the character designer of several video games such as Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, No More Heroes 1 & 2: Desperate Struggle, Heroe's Paradise, Travis Strikes Again and No More Heroes 3, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Fates and Heroes (for the latter, he designed new characters appearing in several history books), Liberation Maiden , Short Peace Ranko Tsukigime's Longes Day, Puzzle & Dragons, Pokémon GO, Tekken 7 (Lucky Chloe and Jin Kazama only), Unchained Blade EXXIV (Hida only), World of Final Fantasy (Mirage Mermaid design), and Chuumon Shiyouse! Oretachi no Sekai. He also did illustrations for Half-Minute Hero, Puzzle & Dragons, the ACES WEB for Ace Combat: Assault Horizon and Lord of Arcana. More recently, he also designed the rare Aegaeon and Agate Blades in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Lately, he handled the character design of Daemon X Machina on Switch.

Kozaki is also the character designer of the anime Speed ​​Grapher, Intrigue in the Bakumatsu – Irohanihoheto, BBK/BRNK, Under the Dog, Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, Human Lost and Donyatsu (where he also voices Menchihuahua). In manga, Kozaki is best known for his work on Karasuma Kyoko no Jikenbo, Donyatsu (which he also created), Tokyo Karesu, Gantz/Minus, and Spiral.

He also illustrated several one-shots like Kaeru wa Tori Tsudzuke, Mi Kakunin Higo Shojo Kaoru and Chick Dismantler, the web manga Naizo-kun and the Erotic Comic of No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle. You can follow the artist on Twitter and check out his Pixiv account as well as his official website.