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Zero Escape Writer's New Game is AI: The Somnium Files Visual Novel

Anime News Network's coverage of Anime Expo 2018 is sponsored by Yen Press.

Kōtarō Uchikoshi and Spike Chunsoft revealed Uchikoshi's new game project, titled AI: The Somnium Files, during Spike Chunsoft's panel at Anime Expo on Thursday. The game was formerly titled project: psync. Yūsuke Kozaki (No More Heroes, Fire Emblem Fates, Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters) is the character designer.

Spike Chunsoft will release the game worldwide for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. It did not reveal a release date for the game.

The game will be a visual novel set in modern-day Tokyo, but with some technology advancements. Players play the role of Kamane Date, a detective tracking down a serial killer performing bizarre murders.

Key to the design of Date is his artificial left eye, differently colored from his right eye, which contains an AI that helps him solve crimes. A key feature of the game will be Date's ability to delve into the memories of suspects and key witnesses, exploring places called "Somnium" (Latin for "dream").

Another key character in the game is Iris Sagan, an 18-year-old high school girl with pink hair. She is a YouTuber content creator who makes Let's Play videos (videos of a person playing through a game).

Uchikoshi co-wrote KID's Infinity visual novel series, including Never 7, Ever 17, and Remember 11. He debuted as a director in Spike Chunsoft's Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, the first of the company's Zero Escape series, which includes Virtue's Last Reward and Zero Time Dilemma. He also penned the scripts for the Punch Line anime, as well as its PS4/PS Vita game adaptation.

Source: Spike Chunsoft's Anime Expo panel (Lynzee Loveridge), Spike Chunsoft's YouTube channel