Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 82 | 24 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 97 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 86 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 86% | 80 | 18 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 50 reviews sampled · 49 total reviews in window · weighted 38.4 up / 6.2 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (47)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“AI: The Somnium Files starts out slow but once you've traversed a few of its delightfully surreal Somnium dreamscapes and got to an ending or two, working your way back through your flowchart and striking out in different directions, it becomes an engaging and tense affair. Fans of the Zero Escape games will feel right at home here, and director Kotaro Uchikoshi's talent for putting the player into increasingly unsettling circumstances ensures everything takes flight in a very satisfying way as you work your way through the many strands of the loopy central mystery towards its various different endings.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Many years have passed since I played the masterpiece that is Ever 17, and I'm still in awe of his ability to weave in so many strands, concepts, and plot twists and still create something that isn't just coherent, but also adrenaline-inducing and emotionally resonant. Every game is a team effort, but Uchikoshi's brilliance is what's made many of the visual novels he's directed and written become cult classics. AI: The Somnium Files isn't his best work, but it's entertaining from start to end and a game I'd recommend to anyone interested in visual novels, murder mysteries, or simply a great story.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“I know people have been a little concerned with some of Kotaro Uchikoshi’s writing projects outside of the Zero Escape not living up to their expectations. But I can say without a doubt that Uchikoshi is back in top form here in AI: The Somnium Files. It’s a fantastic murder mystery title that will have you addicted from start to finish, and then diving back in to play the other routes. It certainly has me excited to see what he’s got in store for us in the upcoming Death March Club and the other future titles he’s involved in at Too Kyo games.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“When the story hits some of its high points, AI: The Somnium Files is really good, and feels like the same kind of high 999 gave… but it is largely crippled by just how slow and repetitious it all is. Random slapstick and outright unrealistic scenes draws players out very quickly from the attempt at being a serious plot. It goes nowhere fast, and the whiplash between attempts at humour and serious moments are too ham-fisted. The overall plot could easily be cut by more than half, and the overall experience would be better for it.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“AI: The Somnium Files tells an often engrossing tale. It takes a couple of hours to really get going, but when it does, it blossoms into one of the most impressively executed visual novels on PS4. A range of characters, both surprisingly deep and brilliantly stupid, elevate an already intriguing and smartly paced story. It's just a shame that the dream sequences, with their frustratingly obscure puzzle solving, can really put a dampener on the experience.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A lot of my interest in Ai was due to the writing talent: though he's done things since, this is the first post-Zero Escape project from Uchikoshi that I've had the chance to play. I definitely want to see where Ai is going next, and just hope that the experience is a little smoother when it goes wide.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Ultimately, AI: The Somnium Files is a game that has moments of brilliance that are obscured by a disjointed narrative and investigative process. Aside from the Somnium sequences, which are, admittedly, very cool, the game failed to motivate me to truly engage with its overarching story. I just didn’t find it appealing.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Equal parts tense and unpredictable, this serves the kind of memorable experience that makes exploring branching storylines a joy. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The various twists and turns of AI's wild sci-fi, dream-exploring detective tale will keep you engaged and intrigued until the very end.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“AI: The Somnium Files is an extraordinary adventure game that has easily cemented its place as one of the year’s best games.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“A murder mystery that is masterfully told to keep your eyes on the screen until the very end. The visuals are lacking when it comes to the environments, but you quickly forget about them when you discover what plot twist is introduced next.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“AI: The Somnium Files has to be easily one of the best visual novels I've ever had the joy of playing, maybe even ranks as one of the best games I've played this year. With superb visuals, engaging gameplay, likeable characters, and a twist-filled story to rival that of M. Night Shyamalan, this is definitely not a visual novel to be slept on (sorry).”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Paste Magazine
ani-game.com
Cubed3
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD
Eurogamer
GameSpot
MonsterVine
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis…and 35 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.