No Sleep For Kaname Date is the third entry in the AI: The Somnium Files series. It is a spin-off set before the events of the first game. While it does not serve as a direct sequel, it works to establish the backstory of key characters from AI: The Somnium Files. Fans of the Zero Escape series will recognize Kotaro Uchikoshi, the creative lead behind AI: The Somnium Files. Although Uchikoshi did not direct this spin-off, he served as a supervisor, and his signature storytelling style can still be felt throughout the game. As the title suggests, the story focuses on Kaname Date, a central character from the series, who must help the popular idol Iris Sagan, apparently trapped in an escape room.
This adventure game feels distinct compared to Uchikoshi’s earlier works. Having played all the Zero Escape titles and the mainline AI: The Somnium Files games, I was not entirely sure what to expect from this installment. The first thing that stood out to me was how flexible the game is when it comes to difficulty settings. The gameplay is divided into three core segments: Investigation, Somnium, and Escape. What makes it accessible is the ability to adjust the difficulty level of each section independently. This makes the game beginner-friendly, which is a welcome feature, especially since some of the puzzles can be quite tricky.
The story begins abruptly with the introduction of Kaname Date, one of the central figures in the narrative. The spotlight soon shifts to Iris Sagan, a well-known idol and celebrity, who appears to be abducted by aliens in a UFO. Iris wakes up trapped in a mysterious room, forced to solve puzzles in order to escape. She is aided by Kaname Date and his AI partner, Aiba. Fans may remember Kaname Date from the first game as an ABIS agent with an AI companion. While Date serves as the main protagonist, players will also spend a considerable amount of time controlling Iris as she attempts to escape from a series of strange escape rooms tied to a game called the Third Eye.
This game is filled with nods to the Zero Escape series, down to specific details and gameplay mechanics. It is a welcome sight for longtime fans, especially since Zero Escape concluded some time ago. The puzzles clearly draw inspiration from Kotaro Uchikoshi’s earlier work, and certain hints and gameplay systems seem lifted straight from his past designs. Some of the puzzles can be quite challenging, particularly for casual players, which makes the adjustable difficulty settings all the more valuable. I played on the standard difficulty—the middle option—and still found a few puzzles to be surprisingly tricky, especially the more obscure ones.
Even though some of the puzzles are tough, hints are provided often enough, with Kaname Date stepping in now and then to help Iris figure things out. Iris moves around in third-person, exploring rooms and interacting with objects. These items can be combined, examined, or used in various ways to solve puzzles. On standard difficulty, hints are limited, but I never felt completely stuck since I could always rely on the help system when needed. While the sections where you control Iris are enjoyable, they do not push the story forward in a significant way.
Of course, these puzzle segments are just one part of the gameplay. Kaname Date remains the main protagonist, and once Iris’s sections are done, the focus shifts back to him. This is where most of the character development and story progression happens. He takes on investigations and participates in somnium (Psynic dives)—mechanics that fans of AI: The Somnium Files will recognize. These sections do not introduce anything particularly new, nor do they expand on the formula established in the earlier games, but they serve as a nice change of pace between Iris’s escape room segments.
What stands out most in this game, as with others in the series, are its characters. No Sleep for Kaname Date keeps that tradition alive with quirky humor, a memorable cast of misfits, and an oddball tone that quickly grabs your attention. The game feels like a sci-fi anime full of strange lore and intriguing characters. Although these characters appear throughout the story, their development often takes a backseat. The plot itself is not particularly strong—it mostly serves as a setup to throw the player into bizarre and unexpected situations.
Despite that, the character interactions are well handled, and the dialogue is both funny and engaging. It never felt like the game was forcing me to sit through conversations. On the contrary, I wanted to talk to every character and go through every dialogue option to learn more about them and the world they live in.
Regarding the game’s performance, it runs smoothly on the Switch 2 and works just as well on the Steam Deck. On both the LCD and OLED models of the Deck, the game easily supports the full refresh rate, which makes for a stable experience. While the PC version does not offer many visual settings—aside from choosing the resolution when you first start the game—it still holds up as a solid port. The visuals may not push any technical limits or stand out for high-end graphics, but the game manages to look good thanks to its distinct art style.
No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES Game Information
- Price: $39.99
- Publisher: Spike Chunsoft
- Developer: Spike Chunsoft
- Platform: PC, Switch 2 (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
