Review: No Sleep For Kaname Date -Off
By No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES is the latest installment in Spike Chunsoft’s AI: Somnium Files franchise and serves as a spin-off to the first two titles. Acting as a ‘mid-quel’ between both narratives, No Sleep for Kaname Date proves to be an engaging piece for enthusiasts of the series but less so for newcomers. Its visual novel components are enhanced by innovative gameplay mechanisms that prevent the game, and series, from feeling monotonous.
This installment also reintroduces our original heroine, Kaname Date. In this scenario, his idol companion, Iris Sagan, is abducted by an alien spacecraft, and she is compelled to engage in escape room challenges to survive, while Kaname tirelessly investigates the sinister truths behind Iris’s disappearance.
No Sleep for Kaname Date resembles the Trails through Daybreak 2 of the series, as its narrative does not significantly advance the overarching plot, instead concentrating on a much more intimate struggle. I have always appreciated the series’ integration of bizarre conspiracy theories into its enigmas, but ultimately, the reality is revealed to be much more grounded.
While I relished the characters discussing how ancient societies acquired alien technology, I must admit that No Sleep for Kaname Date exhibits the weakest surprises of the three titles thus far. The twists feel a bit more foreseeable this time, leading to a diminished impact.
Due to its nature as a spin-off, the plot may leave some fans feeling disconnected, yet it reintegrates characters like Ryuki, the protagonist from the second game, to shed light on his activities before his initial significant appearance. The new characters Hina and Akemi are exceptional additions, as Hina’s passion for puzzles and Akemi’s peculiar reptilian background render the already eccentric cast even more elusive.
This makes No Sleep for Kaname Date a superb link between both games. The game fully anticipates that players are familiar with these characters and how they fit into the broader Somnium Files universe, so it’s advisable to play the previous two entries first.
The earlier titles were crafted by Kotaro Uchikoshi, who also directed the Zero Escape series. However, for this title, No Sleep for Kaname Date is directed and scripted by Kazuya Yamada. Honestly, it’s challenging to discern that someone else entirely wrote this game. Yamada successfully captures Uchikoshi’s writing style. Iris remains as lively as ever, and Date retains his playful nature as seen in past titles. The characters’ traits are coherent, preventing No Sleep for Kaname Date from feeling disjointed.
The primary gameplay mechanic centers around Psyncs, wherein Date can dive into the mind of another individual. Date must resolve “mental locks” tied to the ongoing mystery. In this realm, his eyeball companion, Aiba, maneuvers through the dream-like landscape, interacting with assorted objects. For instance, if she discovers a crucial script, she might be given the choice to “take” or “read” it. Only one of these options is the correct choice to advance past the mental locks.
These puzzles have largely stayed the same from prior titles and often devolve into guessing scenarios. There really isn’t much strategy involved besides hoping you make the right choice. It occasionally feels rather uninspiring.
Nonetheless, the new escape room challenges are significantly more thrilling and compensate for the somewhat lackluster Somniums. Ironically, the installment with the least involvement from Uchikoshi utilizes the mechanic he is most renowned for. These escape rooms truly require you to engage your intellect. For example, in the first escape room, you must analyze patterns on torn flags to decipher a special code for a terminal, or else your enclosure will run out of oxygen.
The escape rooms become intense when timed, particularly in comparison to the Somniums. Balancing the difficulty of escape rooms can be tricky, but they feel suitably challenging in this case. I experienced a great sense of achievement when I succeeded, and they were never disproportionately tough.
If you encounter difficulties during these segments, however, numerous gameplay settings and options are available to make your experience more user-friendly. You can activate infinite hints and even request the game to disclose the solution to a specific puzzle.
Having sampled both the Switch and Switch 2 versions of the title, the latter’s visual enhancements and loading time advancements feel minimal. Nonetheless, No Sleep for Kaname Date is a visual novel, so the lack of significant differences is not particularly consequential. The Switch 2 version includes Mouse Mode, which I experimented with for a while before switching back to standard Joy-Con controls. You can traverse escape rooms and Somniums, as well as interact with clues and items. It’s a pleasant feature to have, but the novelty tends to fade quickly.
Conclusion
No Sleep for Kaname is an admirable spin-off for current AI: The Somnium Files enthusiasts. Although the Somnium segments haven’t progressed much since their initial introduction in the first game, the innovative escape puzzle elements are a commendable addition to the series. Despite a new writer taking charge for this installment, the narrative remains tonally coherent and the characters exude their usual charm.