AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative highlights new and returning characters

Spike Chunsoft’s AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA initiative doesn’t hide much when it comes to details. The company has shared even more information about the upcoming sequel, which will center on fan-favorite character Mizuki along with a brand new investigative agent, Ryuki.

Between these two characters, the game’s story focuses on the “Half Body” case, where six years after the right half of a body appeared, the left half was suddenly found. As Mizuki, now a newly appointed special agent, and Ryuki, an agent from the past, you must unravel the mystery of this case.

We have a bit more detail from Spike Chunsoft on what this past-present split will entail.

A story in which the present and the past intersect. A story told from two perspectives.

The story begins with the discovery of the left half of a victim of the half-body serial killings six years ago. Even more bizarre, the body shows no signs of decomposition. Mizuki seeks the help of Ryuki, the agent who was once used in the serial killings.

Mizuki’s Story: The Present
This story is told from the perspective of Mizuki, a newly appointed ABIS agent. Guided by a mysterious message, she is the one who discovers the left side of the body. To solve the case, she seeks out Ryuki.

Ryuki’s Story: The Past
Here we see the story of the half-body serial murders from Ryuki’s perspective. The investigation begins when suddenly only the right half of the body appears in a studio during a game show. Mizuki also appears here as a 12-year-old girl.

Not only do we know more about the story of this crime thriller sequel, but the publisher has also revealed the identities of a few more characters we’ll meet along the way, and Mizuki isn’t the only returning favorite.

iris

Fans will remember internet idol Iris, also known as A-set or Tesa, as the bright and energetic teenage girl who knew the internet and social media. Her interest in the occult and urban legends is still strong. Now Iris is a senior at Sekiba High and she is also part of the dance studio. She sees a half-corpse suddenly appear next to Mizuki.

kizuna

Kizuna, a brand new character for the sequel, is part of Iris’ dance club and a good friend of hers and Mizuki. She is the daughter of a very rich family.

Komeji

Another new character and a professional comedian. His television appearances were not very successful, but he makes a living as a quiz show host. He was the host of a webcast where the right half of a dead body suddenly appeared.

It seems Spike Chunsoft wants to reveal all the details today, because after a quick look at some of the new gameplay elements a few weeks ago, Spike Chunsoft revealed just a bit more, along with a brand new look at how these play out .

We spotted some of these features ourselves in our interview with the game’s director, Akira Okada, so be sure to check them out if you want even more information on what to expect:

New investigation items
The game consists of two parts: Investigation and Somnium. During the investigation, the story unfolds as players navigate the real world, investigating crime scenes and conducting interviews with suspects and witnesses. This is about gathering information and collecting evidence.

The main protagonists Mizuki and Ryuki both have a prosthesis in their left eye. This prosthetic, or “AI Ball,” is equipped with advanced artificial intelligence, as well as visual capabilities like X-ray, thermal imaging, and night vision that can help them find clues. Mizuki and Ryuki used the AI ​​Ball to secretly see what’s behind a wall or inside a closed box and even body temperature changes; something that is not possible with the naked eye. For the sequel, AI-Ball’s new features include Wink Psync, Virtual Reality, and Truth Reenactment.

Psync wink
When the conversation brings little results, Wink Psync allows agents to easily read other’s minds. Wink Psync shows strong memories as dreams to reveal the lies and concerns of other parties.

reenactment of the truth
When enough clues have been collected in virtual reality, the game proceeds to reenacting the truth. While checking the course of an incident, clues are applied to questions that have arisen to clarify the truth. If the truth can be uncovered without contradiction, agents can see a visual re-enactment of the incident.

We’re getting closer and closer to the mystery of the Half-Body case when AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative releases on Switch on June 24th. Let us know what you think of the game’s look so far in the comments!