It’s finally July, which means a whole lot of things. It means that half of 2025 is over, it means that the road to Game of the Year awards across the industry is shorter than ever, and it means that more Switch 2 games will be coming for all of us desperate to play something new on our recent purchase. Most people are getting ready for Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Party Jamboree, but for me and many other clever eggs there’s another exciting game on the horizon. No Sleep For Kaname Date from AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES looks to be a wild and wonderful entry in this delightful series, and it’s coming in a matter of weeks.
I first jumped into AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES for the first time with the second game in the series, nirvanA Initiative. It absolutely blew me away with its unique blend of visual novel storytelling and adventure game problem solving, but more than anything else it was the wacky characters and outrageous sci-fi setting that made me an instant fan. Now ahead of the launch of the next game I had the amazing opportunity to interview both Director and Scenario Writer Kazuya Yamada and Series Director/Scenario Supervisor Kotaro Uchikoshi, who spoke about the existence of aliens, where the game fits into the series, and how important it was to be shown off prominently in a Nintendo Direct.
Kazya Yamada (left) and Kotaru Uchikoshi (right)
So first is the question we all want answered. Why are there aliens in AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES now?
Yamada: Aliens visited our world as early as 3000 BC. They imparted knowledge of tools such as the wheel to the Sumerians, who laid the foundations of Mesopotamian civilization. They also ruled ancient Egypt as pharaohs. During the wars that occurred in ancient Greece during the Dark Ages, the aliens entered mysterious pods and went into a long slumber deep underground. They will one day return to bring about the ‘Great Reset’ and will once again rule the Earth.
Uchikoshi: Humanity must be fully prepared for the coming “Great Reset.” If aliens were to suddenly appear, humanity would be gripped by fear and society would be in utter chaos. For this reason, it’s crucial to gradually release information about the existence of extra-terrestrials. We, the development team behind the AI series, received secret orders from the Deep State, and decided to feature aliens in this work.
It’s nice to see Kaname Date return in a main role. Has anything changed regarding his investigative powers for this game?
Yamada: Date can now use “Wink Psync,” which was introduced in the second game and used by Ryuki and Mizuki. Additionally, in emergencies, he can now choose from multiple possible courses of action to avoid danger, based on Aiba’s predictions.
Iris looks to have changed a lot since nirvanA Initiative. What should we expect from our kidnapped idol?
Yamada: She’s just dressed in a “kawaii” or “cute” outfit because that’s how Akemi, the Escape Game host, wanted it. Inside she’s the same old Iris. Perhaps Akemi is also being considerate of “those on the other side of the screen”…
Uchikoshi: As Yamada-san said, Iris is indeed the same Iris as always, but in fact, inside her there is something like a mass of repressed libido, which may (or may not) seep out to the surface little by little.
The Somnium gameplay sections of the series are so entertaining. How do they fit into No Sleep For Kaname Date from AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES?
Yamada: This game has Somnium sections, and the new Escape sections, and the story is closely related to that. Also, in this game, “the person being Psynced with” is unknown, so it will be important to figure out who they are.
The escape room parts of No Sleep For Kaname Date look different to anything else in the series. What should fans expect from them?
Yamada: In Escape sections, you’ll work through puzzles and riddles while in a confined space, with the aim of escaping from that space. A key difference from Somnium sections is that you alternate between multiple characters to complete the section. Another difference is that, whereas a Somnium section involves exploring a dream world with its own unique rules, an Escape section takes place in the real world and follows the laws of physics as you solve seemingly impossible puzzles.
Nintendo included No Sleep For Kaname Date from AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES in a Nintendo Direct recently, how important is it to be featured so prominently?
Yamada: It seems that there are still many people who are completely unfamiliar with the AI series, so being able to reach that audience carried great significance. In particular, the exposure came at a highly anticipated moment right before the release of Nintendo Switch 2, allowing far more people than we had expected to become aware of the game. Many of the other titles featured were also highly appealing, so this gave us renewed confidence that our game is just as compelling as any of them.
Uchikoshi: I’m very grateful and pleased to have received such a positive response from everyone. I think that the game has reached a wider audience, from fans who have supported the AI series up until now, to those discovering it for the first time. I’m confident that this game will live up to expectations.
How has it been developing an AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES game for the Switch 2?
Yamada: My honest impression is that it was very difficult. We worked on development until the very last minute, more so than you might think. Information was restricted in every section and hidden from everyone in the company except for specific members, so it was very difficult to communicate and we had to figure out how to proceed without revealing top-secret information. However, it was an exciting experience, figuring out how to develop the game under these extreme conditions.
Are you planning on making use of any of the Switch 2’s unique features for the game?
Yamada: Since we had the chance, we added mouse functionality using the Joy-Con 2.
Do you consider No Sleep For Kaname Date from AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES to be a separate work from the main story?
Yamada: In terms of story structure, it’s written in a way that “it wouldn’t affect the existing timeline if it never happened.” However, in order to satisfy fans, as a top priority I’ve re-examined each character’s tone, way of thinking, and motivations, and even wrote in the same format as Uchikoshi-san’s, to ensure that it “stands as a correct version of history.” To put it simply, I’ve written it as if it were “a movie version of an anime TV series.”
Uchikoshi: Personally, I think it’s not just a separate work. I believe the quality of this game is so high that it could be a legitimate number “3” sequel.
There are so many memorable characters in the AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES. Who’s your personal favourite?
Yamada: It’s precisely because I love Kaname Date that I declared I would launch this project and serve as its director, and it’s precisely because I want to write more of Date’s lines and exploits that I declared that I would be the writer. Kaname Date is such a fascinating man that he disrupted my daily routine during development.
Uchikoshi: The forensics officer. I think his name was…um…what was it again?
Are there any series that helped inspire No Sleep For Kaname Date from AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES?
Yamada: Throughout the series, I’ve always played more of a supporting role, but for this instalment, I’ve poured all of my past experience into the project—trying to combine elements with good synergy, or even things that might spark unexpected chemistry. While doing research for this game, I went down the rabbit hole of internet urban legends, and now my entire YouTube recommendations feed is filled with conspiracy theory videos. Right now, I’m desperately watching cute VTuber videos to purify my soul.
Uchikoshi: There are many, but if I had to choose, I’d say Buichi Terasawa’s “Goku Midnight Eye” and Ryogo Narita’s “Durarara!!
