AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative is a sequel to the original 2019 game, created by Kotaro Uchikoshi, who also worked on the legendary Zero Escape series. The game is a visual novel-style adventure game with puzzles, and the story is full of intrigue and mystery.
AI: The Somnium Files, the original game, flew under the radar. Many people playing this sequel may not have played the original. While the game may initially seem straightforward, there are a lot of things beginners may miss, especially early on. Here are some tips for people new to this mystery series.
10 Reset Your Eyeballie When It Becomes An Adult
Eyeballies is a Tamagotchi-like minigame where the player can raise an eyeballie that grows as it asks questions. Once the eyeballie reaches adulthood, it'll give the player eyeballs. The eyeball reward only happens when the eyeballie reaches a particular form for the first time, so resetting it back to infanthood is important.
Playing the Eyeballies game is not necessary for progressing through the game, but it does grant the player eyeballs, which can be used to buy costumes for Aiba and Tama, as well as view concept art. It's a fun bonus that only adds to the game's experience.
9 Check The Appendix For Information
AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative is a mystery game with a heavy focus on science fiction and the occult. It references a lot of very specific, niche things that the player may not immediately be aware of.
The File option in the menu offers a lot of extra information that can't fit in the story. Players confused about a certain concept can reference the appendix in order to get a better understanding. There is also information on the characters that appear in the game, so it's a place that is worth visiting over and over again.
8 Interact With Everything
During investigations, the player is essentially in point-and-click mode, where they can explore a certain area with a cursor. There is a large variety of things to click on — overwhelmingly so — so some new players might choose to ignore some of the less important interactions.
While it is certainly possible to complete the game without checking on every object, there are a lot of silly moments and missable scenes behind a lot of these optional interactions. Players who want to see everything this game has to offer should make sure to click on everything.
7 Stand Still To Slow Down Time
The player is only allowed six minutes to complete each Somnium. In addition, every action takes some time to complete, even the most simple ones. Because of that, the player needs to make sure they aren't wasting their time on unnecessary actions.
While the player cannot gain extra time in Somnium, they can slow down the passage of time considerably by simply standing still. Time will still move, but at an extremely slow pace. This will give players time to assess the area around them without wasting too much time.
6 Use The Map To Scope Out Options
Somniums are some of the most important parts of the game, as well as the most bizarre. Their landscapes are often filled with abstract imagery, and that can make it difficult to navigate, especially when under a time limit.
Using the map can help the player orient themselves. It also shows the location of every interactive object in the game, making it a good resource to map out an efficient route to avoid wasting time. The map may not be a great visual aid, but it still has its uses.
5 Make Sure To Use Timies Frequently
While in Somniums, the player may end up collecting a Timie, an item that can be used to reduce the amount of time that an action takes. Timies are essential for exploring Somniums efficiently, and sometimes it can be worth it to choose unnecessary actions in order to collect a useful Timie.
Timies are powerful, but it's also important to use them when you get them. Players can only hold three Timies at once, and collecting a fourth will cause the oldest Timie to disappear. Make sure to use Timies to clear Somniums with time to spare.
4 Use Negative Timies On Quick Actions
Occasionally, the player may receive a Negative Timie. Negative Timies increase the amount of time an action consumes, and they have to be used right away. This can be pretty inconvenient for the player, especially when there isn't much time left on the clock.
If time permits, it's sometimes better to spend the Negative Timie on an inessential, low-time action just to get rid of it. While it won't be possible in all situations, it's a good strategy to keep in mind if time is precious.
3 Fill Out Keys To Get Hints
Keys are one of the newer mechanics introduced in AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative. Keys occasionally pop up as the player progresses through the Somnium and offer them hints on how to proceed.
Initially, Keys show up with blanks in them, making it unclear exactly what they have to say. However, as the player continues to interact with the Somnium, more and more of the Key begins to fill out. Keys can provide some really good hints to players confused on how to proceed, so fill them out if progression seems unclear.
2 Use The Flowchart To Navigate The Story
Like the previous game, AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative has a flowchart that contains all the major events in the story. The player can immediately jump to any part of the story by accessing this flowchart, making it essential in revisiting past scenes for information.
The game also features multiple routes that have different endings. Because of that, the Flowchart is also useful in traveling from route to route. Since the game's story can be convoluted and follows a variety of plot threads, the flowchart is useful for keeping track of what's happened.
1 Retry And Restart As Much As Needed
Somniums are complex and obtuse, and progression isn't immediately obvious. It isn't rare even for those who've played the first game to run out of time while doing a Somnium. For beginners, running out the time on the clock is probably an inevitability for each Somnium.
Still, there's no need to worry. A player can restart a Somnium as many times as they please. In addition, they can retry a segment of a Somnium a limited number of times if they merely want to redo part of a Somnium. There's no shame in restarting, so keep trying as many times as necessary.