No Sleep For Kaname Date from AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES features both the return of the Somniums, uniquely themed puzzle sections located within characters' minds, and the addition of brand-new Escape segments. In these Escapes, Iris Sagan and Ota Matsushita must solve escape room-inspired puzzles in the physical world. No Sleep For Kaname Date's puzzle segments, both Somnium and Escape, will feature new challenges for the players to solve, a variety of exciting new themes, and new mysteries to discover.
The Best War Games spoke with No Sleep For Kaname Date director and scenario writer Kazuya Yamada, alongside series director and scenario supervisor Kotaro Uchikoshi, about the creation of the game's Escape puzzles and Somnium sections. Yamada, who previously designed Somniums including AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative's science lab and Pokemon GO tribute, hinted that some exciting themes and twists were coming up in No Sleep For Kaname Date's gameplay. "I understand that people have high expectations, so please look forward to it," Yamada said.
How No Sleep For Kaname Date Fits into AI: The Somnium Files' Timeline
How does the recently announced No Sleep For Kaname Date fit into the timeline of the AI: The Somnium Files series?
Creating A Somnium Starts With What Will Be Revealed
When asked about the process of creating a Somnium or an Escape segment, Yamada explained: "We start by thinking about 'the information that can be obtained in the stage and what events will unfold.'" Somniums, because they are contained within characters' minds, are often the mechanic for Kaname Date and his AI-Ball partner Aiba to learn key information about the case they are solving - sometimes even information that the character themselves has forgotten or repressed.
Once the decision has been made about what the player will learn from the Somnium or Escape section, the process continues as described by Yamada:
"From there, we decide on a "theme" and set constraints (it's actually easier to create a stage if there are constraints). After that, we come up with puzzle ideas in line with the theme, and put them together so that they connect together as a stage. Stage creation itself is like a puzzle game for developers."
No Sleep For Kaname Date Features Exciting New Somnium Themes
Yamada and Uchikoshi also excitedly revealed that there will be many new Somnium themes that players can look forward to in No Sleep For Kaname Date. "All I can say for now is that I took inspiration from a lot of internet memes," Yamada revealed. Uchikoshi followed up with, "Both the Somnium and the Escape sections in this game are filled with original gimmicks that are unique to the AI series."
The new Escape segments will also provide a fresh gameplay experience for players, although they may have some familiarity with those who have played Uchikoshi's Zero Escape games. While Date and Aiba will still be responsible for traveling into Somniums, returning characters Iris Sagan and Ota Matsushita become playable during the Escape sections of the game. Yamada explained why the two of them were chosen:
"To incorporate an escape game into AI series gameplay, we needed another playable character for the escape game. Among the characters that represent the AI series, there was no one more suitable than Iris. After that, the idea came up to make it an escape game where multiple people must communicate and cooperate with each other. Ota, who'd probably live through pretty crazy situations, was chosen as the partner."
No Sleep for Kaname Date will both build on the AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES series' tradition of tricky, uniquely themed Somniums and add exciting Escape elements for players to experience for the first time. Whatever themes players may encounter and information they may learn, these puzzle sections will be crucial in solving the mystery that Date, Aiba, Iris, Ota, and the game's other characters must confront.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 73%
- Released
- July 25, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Violence, Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Spike Chunsoft
- Publisher(s)
- Spike Chunsoft
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unity
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Puzzle, Mystery, Visual Novel
