No Sleep for Kaname Date – From AI: The SOMNIUM FILES contains five chapters an playtime is approximately 13 – 28 hours depending on your personal play style. With the new addition to the AI:SOMINUM Files I was curious to see more of Kaname Date and what kinds of cases he would get himself into especially knowing that the team who worked on the Zero Escape games had a hand in this and my own research about said games I knew that No Sleep for Kaname Date would deliver with it’s story and gameplay.
Suddenly the budding internet idol, Iris Sagan aka A-set/Tesa was suddenly abducted in the strangest way, by a UFO and forced to open her Third Eye by playing what seems to be an escape game called “The Third Eye Game”. With no way out and only a device that can be connected by mysterious means to only one person, of course Iris calls Kaname Date. Date is suddenly pulled into the mysterious case in effort to rescue Iris and others from this unknown “Third Eye Game” and prove that UFO’s don’t exist and maybe pick up a lewd magazine on the way.
I still consider myself new to the AI: SOMNIUM Files – nirvanA Initiative in 2022. I can confidently say that the story and dialogue/banter between characters are still very well written. The banter is well done, the character development is very well done – I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting Date but this game gave me a decent impression of the old, perverted man.
I also loved that when you thought you had figured things out, there were plenty of plot twists to throw you for a loop and yet still combines everything into a seemingly cohesive story that just fits. The story itself was serious but still very comical in the sense that it’s a game. However, at the same time, some one could potentially lose their life while playing the game. There is a very good balance between that seriousness and humor.
Kaname Date becomes the protagonist once more…
I appreciate the fact that they kept the gameplay mechanics the same from the previous game and it is relatively easy to pick up and become accustomed to. Though in No Sleep for Kaname Date, there is a new gameplay element added which is referred to as “Escape”. Previously, the AI:SOMNIUM files are played in two styles: “Investigation” is self-explanatory and “Somnium/Psyching” is when players enter the subconscious of suspects and key witnesses for the case. “Escape” refers to literally escaping from a room/puzzle. Players will have to solve various puzzles by looking for clues and combining objects to break out.
One thing to note, is that certain parts of the Escape sections are timed and depending on the difficulty you choose.
These three sections make up the game’s entire gameplay. In addition to Investigation, Somnium/Psyching, and Escape, there are also sections where there are quick time events triggered throughout the game where you need to press and choose the correct button for the specific event failure my result in game over and having to repeat the quick time event.
I was pleasantly surprised when these characters that you play as in the escape sections were characters that we know very well from the previous games instead of introducing all new characters. I really appreciated that because each of the characters had an amazingly written backstory to them and how they fit into other characters’ stories.
I was stressed! Stressed solving the very well thought out and detailed puzzles, of course my favorite was about aliens but besides being stress I thoroughly enjoyed the game. I loved how the gameplay was split into Investigation, Sominum, and Escape. I also love how there are hidden alternative endings in the game too based on some of your choices, which I unexpectedly came across while investigating.
I loved the quirkiness of the puzzles, the real references of aliens and the quirky takes on them. I also loved the fact that they had recurring characters that we knew well, and even told us more about their stories/backgrounds.
Akemi’s design and her part in the “Third Eye Game” was perfect. I’m a fan even if she is an alien lizard…
However, there was one thing I didn’t care too much about but can’t be helped was Date and his lewd magazine obsession. Don’t get me wrong I completely understand that it’shis personality and that’s what’s charming about him and yes, I did chuckle a few times at his perverted antics and old man habits but I personally felt that it was overdone in some situations. I completely understand why Aiba, the Boss, Mizuki and Tama responds the way they do.
However, I do hope that at some point that the AI:SOMINUM Files are released to PC, while the gameplay wasn’t affected, there was some quality of the appearance was affected due to the switch, which is normally the case. I am sure on PC or perhaps Switch 2 No Sleep for Kaname Date would look significantly better.
For those who are fans of the AI:SOMINUM Files and fans of a good mystery game with the added stress of escape rooms, No Sleep for Kaname Date is a must play for the Switch.
