[Rewrite] Nintendo Switch 2: Sleepless Nights with Kaname Date – A Review of AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES

Alright, so let’s dive into this wild ride—or should I say, game review? No Sleep For Kaname Date is hitting Nintendo Switch 2 (which, let’s be honest, sounds all futuristic and cool, right?). So, this is the first one from the AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES series on this new console gadget. And, get this, it’s picking up post that whole Cyclops serial killer thing. Iris Sagan, who’s all famous as “A-set” online, gets snatched by—wait for it—a UFO! Yep, UFOs are totally on-trend now, I guess.

So, you’re in the shoes of this Special Agent dude, Kaname Date. He’s got this funky AI-Ball called Aiba, and they’re hunting down answers, racing against time, and all that jazz. Oh, and there’s some men in black shenanigans, which feels ripped right out of a comic book. Or maybe I just watched too many late-night alien flicks. Who knows?

Now, there’s this prequel vibe since it all unfolds before AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative. I mean, fans of complex stories and brain-bending puzzles? This one’s got their name all over it. I actually got to dive into the murder mystery magic of the previous games, so coming back to this whacky universe is kind of like putting on your favorite old jacket. Snug and exciting, you feel me?

The voices really sell it—Greg Chun as Kaname Date and Jenny Yokobori as the host, Akemi, bring the whole thing to life. Seriously, it’s like they’re whispering straight into your brain. Creepy? A little, but who cares when it sounds this good?

Gameplay is split into three parts: Investigation, Escape, and Somnium. In Investigation mode, it’s kind of like you’re playing detective—clicking around, piecing stuff together. Reminder: Date’s eye is like super special. It sees all. No idea why, but it does the job. Escape mode is, well, about escaping. Shocker. But still, finding clues and solving puzzles feels like piecing together a Sunday crossword while being chased by a squirrel. I swear, that makes sense.

The Somnium parts are trippy, though. Psychedelic dream worlds, where you’ve got just 6 minutes to decode craziness. It’s like having a weird dream after too much cheese pizza. Just the kind of chaos I dig on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

You get to choose your challenge level, which is sweet because sometimes I’m up for a breeze, and other times—bring on the brain burn! For those who love finding hidden stuff, they can collect these things called Eyes to unlock bonus goodies. Yes, like little treasures hidden in plain sight. Maybe it’s just me, but collecting stuff is super satisfying, isn’t it?

Launching July 25th with a $39.99 price tag, this is priced just right to jump head-first into alien abductions and detective drama. And, cue the disclaimer: this review comes courtesy of a copy from Spike Chunsoft, so no biases here. Just straight-up chaotic fun.