AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative Review | 34 Hours Later | Backlog Battle

[@keegan289]

Wow this looks so good. I really enjoyed the insanity of the first one. The fact that it quizes you on the first one is kind of a nice touch.

[@BacklogBattle]

I totally bombed it lol! I did not expect it to ask me about the first game! It’s like 3 years old at this point!

[@keegan289]

I just tried it today and bombed it so hard

[@PollyPlushie]

The original game was my Game of the Year when it came out, and still stands as the most fun I've probably ever had streaming. I'd say I'm about halfway through nirvanA Initiative and I think the thing I love most about it is just how much it fully embraces everything that it is. It would have been easy to pull back and be more accessible in some real boring ways, but this game just fully dives into the mindset that made that first game and explores those boundaries even more. Even more incredible is just how smart it is about making a sequel that CAN be played before the original. SO many games try to play that card (if anyone remembers NISA trying to say Cold Steel III was a GREAT jumping in point for the Trails series...) and this is one of the only times I can think of where they did it right. This game has so much confidence in itself and swagger that I can only trust that I'll be completely satisfied by the end.

[@BacklogBattle]

To your point about CS3, that would’ve been Falcom and not NISA. It would be foolish of a publisher to ruin their relationship with the developer if they literally said something to the contrary. I have a lot of opinions about CS3 being the first game to play in the series, but that’s not what this game is. I think nirvanA Initiative really does a lot of what the first game does and better. I may have seen one complaint about how easy the puzzles are, but that’s one out of many more you prefer the improvements to the flow of the somniums

[@RyderTZ]

I love these murder mystery games so much. They take everything up a notch from your standard fare. Great review! I'll add this game to my list to play! Love the art direction and the character models are quiet crisp looking.

[@BacklogBattle]

The art and design of the games have been super consistent and great. I think the sequel really ups the ante, absolutely! The first game is also on Game Pass, if you have that!

[@NintendanGX]

I loved the first game way more than I ever thought I would, so I'll definitely play this when I get the chance.

[@BacklogBattle]

It’s absolutely a must play! The way they managed to fix the problems from the first while adding more gameplay elements is so good!

[@DulyDullahan]

Mine is about to be shipped out soon so I’m excited to play it! Watching this makes me super excited 😆

[@BacklogBattle]

Yes! It’s going to be an amazing mystery!

[@Fluorite-Fox]

Absolutely can't wait for the next game by Uchikoshi and the Zero Escape team!!

[@kawinfamily1465]

Ai Somnium file is one of the best games I've ever played.

[@Soulsworth69]

Never heard of this series before but this game looks pretty cool. Kinda like an anime styled detective game, the art style is quite nice too and I love the character designs and style. I really like how the faces look lol. Will definitely have to give this a shot!

[@BacklogBattle]

The character designs are amazing! I really like them a lot!

[@scarlet6719]

You should play the first one

[@RP-mp4ow]

Dude! I'm so glad they've added to the gameplay elements of the game! While I like the narratives of visual novels, and I loved the first game, it was super difficult for me to get invested at the beginning of the first game because I was wanting to find the next somnium to get to the game play Fantastic review, btw! Thanks! I've had this pre-ordered digitally since it was available- counting down the minutes till its available

[@BacklogBattle]

It's almost time!

[@RP-mp4ow]

@@BacklogBattle its a shame the New Zealand trick isn't working for me 😥

[@aclaylambisabirdman6324]

Great video! I just picked up a copy of the first game and this week for my PS5, I played through the first game once for the PC ages ago, I want to get everything out of it and really enjoy this awesome looking sequel 😄

[@ianmiller8282]

Thanks for putting this on my radar!

[@BacklogBattle]

You’re very welcome!

[@hextrum8091]

I didn't think it was possible but this review has me more hyped for the game than I was before. I've decided to even get it physically with your link.

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you so much! I’m glad I hyped a game deserving of being hyped! And thank you for supporting the channel with a link purchase!

[@Olphas]

Looking forward to it. I really liked the first one, even though it had its issues. Thanks for the review!

[@BacklogBattle]

Then you’re going to have a blast with this one!

[@fernandovaldez2617]

Nice! My limited edition comes in tomorrow and I’m ridiculously hyped! Been on a Visual Novel type of binge recently, just finished 13 Sentinels & Danganronpa V3 so it’s perfect timing for this underrated series. I loved the first one when I played it in 2020!

[@BacklogBattle]

It might be a sleeper! A lot of big gaming sites don't even have this in their calendar!

[@fernandovaldez2617]

@@BacklogBattle yeah and honestly it’s unfortunate, if it’s anything like the first game was they’re missing out on a fantastic game 😭🙌🏼

[@weertangel7231]

I still need to start to play the first one after seeing a playthrough of it years ago couse its just so epic and from a little a saw on a stream, this one is gonna be epic, i mean, Mizuki and Aiba are a team now, talk about two wacky girls who compliment each other perfectly! One thing u did't touch on was the voice actors, couse i think its a big plus that they hired the same VA's for this game as the previous one wich for me makes it more memorable, couse its the well brought onesliners that truly say with u after all :)

[@Yeeezy]

Great review! Definitely going to pick it up as I loved the first.

[@BacklogBattle]

You’re gonna have a great time with the sequel!

[@JamesBantz]

I really like the idea of them testing you about the first game. I am still going to play the first one before starting this one up. I'm going to play Somnium files after I finish Great Ace Attorney.

[@BacklogBattle]

TGAA is great! Hope you’re enjoying it

[@wormrights883]

I just finished the great Ace attorney omg, the craving for more detective games is strong. I’m probably gonna check this one out as well!!

[@GameNight87]

Great review. Ai can’t wait to play it

[@BacklogBattle]

That's how you do/say it!

[@spiritdancer36]

Great review! Yep, after watching I will give it a shot.

[@BacklogBattle]

Yes! You’re going to have a great time! Let me know what you think once you’ve played it!

[@Fluorite-Fox]

Just played through it. Absolutely worth my money and it managed to surprise and intruige me all over again!

[@wheelerd00d]

Just like the original. I’m getting this based off of your review like original 2019 one. Time flys Alex!

[@BacklogBattle]

Time does fly! Thanks for being a part of our community for so many years!

[@xoderota]

AITSF might be my favorite game of all time and I can't wait to play NI as well. Uchikoshi's writing is always very fun, I'm sure he's gonna blow my mind again somehow

[@BacklogBattle]

Everyone who’s come back to let me know of their experiences in the comments has agreed with me and says it’s probably Uchikoshi’s best work! I think so too!

[@JaredConnell]

​@@BacklogBattle best work? Have you not heard of his first masterpiece he worked on? Pepsiman???

[@hanslim7]

Honestly one of my favorite games of all time, real shame it isn't as well known :( it's so good esp compared to other recent narrative games like The Quarry that disappointed

[@BacklogBattle]

I think both games are great in their own right. I love both because they deliver experiences that are play to their own strengths. Of course, I'm not trying to invalidate your opinion of The Quarry, I think it's just as valid as any other. But I do agree that this series needs more Ai balls (See what I did there?)

[@pixelchu]

Great in-depth review as always 👌 I just noticed that the collector’s edition of the game restocked recently, but I’ve been still thinking on biting the bullet. I’ve only gone through one ending of the original game. Though it’s good to know that the game is being positively received.

[@TheNrat]

Can’t wait see ryuki and ai partner dynamic in the game why he kinda resembles number 89

[@BacklogBattle]

Tama is 😍

[@thaiboypsp3000]

I just know this is gonna be a banger. Thank you Alex.

[@BacklogBattle]

You’re very welcome!

[@carleenhyatte7708]

I have my copy coming in tomorrow (according to the tracing that is), wanted to finish my replay of the first game through game pass but got sucked into trails but I should be fine because I remember a lot of what the first game did. Looking at how they improved the sommnium with the difficulties settings is a welcoming sight

[@BacklogBattle]

So many great things here! It’s gonna be a blast, I guarantee!

[@CtheIronblooded]

So I beat the game a few days ago and re-watched your video review and just wanted to say I wholeheartedly agree with pretty much everything you said, Alex. Coming from a huge fan of the first game I never thought Uchi could top it, but Uchikoshi has done it once again! AI: the Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative is every bit as much of a masterpiece as the first AI: The Somnium Files was to me. If the first AI was 999 then nirvanA Initiative is like VLR because it is darker, more emotional, longer and most importantly much more C O M P L E X (If you're a Zero Escape fan you'll get the joke). I have a much longer review, but I'll condense it into this one paragraph. nirvanA Initiative is everything you could ever want from a sequel to an already peak visual novel, expanding upon the lore of the established AI universe while telling a mind-bending action-packed murder mystery narrative drenched in thought provoking philosophical symbolism spanning a 6 year time-period, multiple interconnected character plotlines and the most insane twists and turns imaginable in only a way Uchikoshi can write, with a colorful cast of characters both new and old, featuring gameplay in the form of fun and creative puzzle solving and investigating and an OST full of plenty of killer memorable tracks, all while looking better than ever thanks to the improved graphics and animation quality. Simply put, if you're a fan of visual novels or just incredible murder mystery stories in general you don't want to miss out on this one because it is right up there with the best the genre has to offer! If it wasn't for Elden Ring releasing this year nirvanA Initiative would easily be my GOTY.

[@BacklogBattle]

I’m super happy to hear this! I’ve always said that my reviews view differently depending on when you watch it, and you’ve proven it! I’m really happy to see that so many people are having the same experience as I have and that the game doesn’t get in the way of enjoying the story anymore! What a great sequel!

[@TheSaltyGamer969]

I'm thinking that I need to buy this game. Fantastic review.

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you! Let me know what you think of it when you play it!

[@76golong73]

Excellent review, as usual! Definitely not a game for me, but still a well-done review that I enjoyed watching.

[@BacklogBattle]

Glad you think so! I’m still a bit woozy given how late I stayed up to get this made 😅

[@Brandon667x1]

My copy shipped today. I never played the first, but this looked interesting, when I first heard about it. The first one is on Gamepass, so I may play that first, before I hop into this one.

[@BacklogBattle]

Gotta love Game Pass! That said, you don’t need to play the first game to enjoy this one!

[@shadowsofvalentia]

i just finished ai:ni the other day and i totally agree with everything you said! the one big thing i liked less than the original ai was the new cast and their individual character development but i wouldn’t say any character is really written badly as much as they could have been done better. i highly recommend both games!!

[@BacklogBattle]

Glad to hear! It's definitely a must play game this year!

[@Nthdegree2]

I literally just beaten the game like an hour ago, and I'll be honest...it was a bit of an emotional coaster for me (in a good way though)...but I would assume some people could say the same as well. When playing the first game, I was completely unaware what I was getting myself into, I never really played a game like somnium files but I still went in and gave it try. I played through all of the first game's story and was decently pleased with the story/plot and the overall game as a whole but I wasn't too crazy about it...until I played the NirvanA Initiative...I wasn't just simply pleased with the sequel, it made me genuinely like the game even more, it made me actually feel something for the game as a whole with its new gameplay, it's new story and it's new cases, some new characters and some returning characters that made me feel really nostalgic about since they're coming back. I thought I couldn't love characters like date or mizuki even more but this sequel really proved me wrong. I love each character more as I was learning about them through the games story. This game is truly beautiful in my opinion and I would definitely recommend my friends or anyone that wants to try a new game to play the first somnium game and it's sequel. I love it and I hope the people that made this game continue making great games like The Somnium Files.

[@BacklogBattle]

It took me a whole day to figure out the words to say to you, so I'll put it simply: You get it! You get why I love this game over the first, which actually made the original work well worth experiencing too! And that's on top of all of the cool stuff they added to give variety to the investigations! It's definitely a more conscious sequel that does well to address some of the complaints of the first while taking advantage of the opportunity to build on top of what made the original so good! I'm so happy to read that you enjoyed your experience!

[@heyyo3725]

The first one was fantastic, so I'm really looking forward to playing this.

[@BacklogBattle]

It’ll be worth the wait!

[@roogy1622]

It's been a few years since I played the first game so when it asked me who the cyclops killer was I answered incorrectly, I'm sad to find out now after beating the game that I missed some cool extra details

[@EriesAston]

I might replay the first one to have it fresh on my mind while I wait for the sequel to go on sale.

[@BacklogBattle]

It does quiz you on the first game if you want to play it back to back!

[@d_shuffles]

This makes me dream, what if someone made a Ghost in the Shell game in this style.

[@BacklogBattle]

Would be killer!

[@tjreed7797]

Now we just need a mizuki (Nirvana version) and Date figures!

[@BacklogBattle]

YES!

[@beefybaratiddies]

im glad to know they tried to make the somnium sections better. I initially thought it was cool, but i ended up just looking at a walkthrough instead lol

[@BacklogBattle]

It was either that or people just brute forced the Somniums!

[@therenegadegamer7422]

I can't fucking wait for this game the last day of waiting for it feels like years

[@BacklogBattle]

Three, in fact! 😅 Thanks for watching and clarifying the release date to me! You single handedly made this review happen!

[@therenegadegamer7422]

@@BacklogBattle no problem happy I could help

[@ytubeanon]

7:35 I don't get why anyone would want to play the sequel before playing the first game... it's like, both games are so similar, there's no incentive other than it just being 'newer' btw, fans of this series should check out Deadly Premonition

[@BacklogBattle]

Having no time to play the original, wanting to get into the series with this one because the first game is riddled with puzzles that devolve into exercises in trial and error, wanting the newer and cooler stuff rather than something that feels antiquated, wanting a desire to play something they’re actually interested in as opposed to having to play the first game as a chore, the second game’s premise interests them more compared to the first… I can think of many more reasons

[@ytubeanon]

@@BacklogBattle if you are the type to play the second, and the first is considered equal if not better, frankly it still doesn't make sense to me, lots of things are newer than other things, Somnium Nirvana is old compared to something else released today, so you're going to stop playing Nirvana? lol it doesn't change anything

[@pacer1705]

I understand the Switch port of first Somnium Files do not run well. I hope the sequel Nirvana Initiative runs better. I am also hooked to the free limited time only DLC costumes available for the Nirvana Initiative video game at launch. But I cannot get the PS4 game disc for the same region as my existing PSN account region.

[@BacklogBattle]

I got a Switch key very late in the review cycle and the day one patch wouldn’t be available until its launch, unlike the other platforms, so I couldn’t check this for you 🙁

[@pacer1705]

@@BacklogBattle No worries. I am checking with my seller to see which region version he can get me for PS4. I am keeping my fingers crossed the free DLC can still be downloaded on my Asia PSN account despite my disc is R2. Speaking of which there is a sale on the first AI: The Somnium Files is < USD$8.00 digital for Nintendo Switch for a very limited time. I am double dipping the digital despite already having the PS4 physical disc and expecting the glitches may not be fully fixed on Switch after two years.

[@francofleitas417]

HELP! Do you know if I can have different save files???

[@BacklogBattle]

You cannot have different save files

[@francofleitas417]

@@BacklogBattle thanks, u saved me from deleting all of my sister's progress

[@MorikoW]

I'm worried about missing Date (and the Date-Aiba banter). They made the game for me. Also the 'looks'. If you know what I mean.

[@BacklogBattle]

There’s certainly a different dynamic here than with Date and Aiba, but I found it to be an intriguing contrast nonetheless!

[@MorikoW]

@@BacklogBattle that's good to know :)

[@Pike27]

Oh my god the first game is dirt cheap on Steam right now. I will finally grab it. This sequel seems to improve on the first game, which is appreciated. I will definitely put it on my wishlist :) Thank you very much for your videos, you are one of my favorite creators :D

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you so much! It's always a pleasure to make videos like these for you! Also, if you want to play *more games*, the first game IS on Game Pass!

[@Pike27]

@@BacklogBattle I'm now a owner of the first game :D can't wait to play it in a couple of hours. I did consider the Game Pass version, however, for longer games (>10h), I prefer to have them on my account, so I don't feel pressured to rush them to the end. Regional prices on Steam also made that decision way easier (it cost me just half a month of a game pass subscription). Spike Chunsoft is amazing, isn't it? They've got some amazing games under their name.

[@Terranigma23]

It's also really cheap on the Switch right now (8$). :)

[@JustJulyo]

Maybe it is time to give this a shot

[@BacklogBattle]

It’s a good one to start with!

[@CtheIronblooded]

I liked the first game so much that I pre-ordered the limited edition for NirvanA Initiative as soon as it was announced. Glad to hear you thought it was top notch. The story of the first game was right up there with Virtue's Last Reward as Uchi's best for me, so this one has some very big shoes to fill following up what I believe to be one of the best stories ever told in a VN. Def been very excited for this one all year and will be playing day 1.

[@BacklogBattle]

I’m glad you think so! You’re gonna be blown away by this one!

[@NachtKaiser666]

I've preordered a physical copy of it, though I fear I may not get it on time since I haven't heard of it being shipped and tomorrow is a national holiday 😔 But I'm still excited for it! I'm planning to get the platinum trophy for it. Is the save feature as lenient as it was in the previous entry, allowing you to save mid-conversation? Unrelated note: I got the platinum for Tales of Arise Tuesday, thanks again for the contest! 😁

[@BacklogBattle]

Yep! Save functions the same way! Very happy to hear you enjoyed Tales of Arise!

[@watchergirl9]

More so here to help the algorithm then anything. I haven't even played the first one yet.

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you for your support as always!

[@Chaiberry]

Game looks awesome!

[@BacklogBattle]

It really is!

[@s4ad0wpi]

Not watching too much before my copy comes in! But I can't wait to play this!

[@BacklogBattle]

You can use the chapters I added to skip things you don’t want to watch!

[@s4ad0wpi]

@@BacklogBattle All due respect: "What I don't want to watch" is pretty much all of it xD

[@BacklogBattle]

@@s4ad0wpi touche! Thank you for your support, either way!

[@s4ad0wpi]

Yeah, hearing there was a new game by the Zero Escape Guys made me pick up the first game blind with no further assistance needed. When I saw the girl with her eye missing, I instantly fell in love!

[@UndeadGuardian1]

I know it doesn't relate to this video at all, but were you planning on doing some sort of coverage for Disgaea 6 Complete?

[@BacklogBattle]

Unfortunately no 🙁 Between this game, Three Hopes, and another game, I’m locked down for reviews at the moment!

[@UndeadGuardian1]

@@BacklogBattle Okay, thanks anyway! :)

[@BacklogBattle]

@@UndeadGuardian1 thank you for understanding!

[@DaddyGamerDiaries]

I loved the phrase "the gamey aspect of the game"

[@BacklogBattle]

Haha doing alliteration with the same word! I didn’t catch a lot of that 😅

[@andrewtjie6290]

Great review, sounds like a game I would like to play. How long does it take to fully complete the game?

[@BacklogBattle]

As in Platinum? Because I didn't Platinum it. But if you're saying how long it takes to beat the game, look at the thumbnail 😉

[@andrewtjie6290]

@@BacklogBattle just time to get the true ending. Is it longer than the first game?

[@BacklogBattle]

Yup

[@iidrbubbles]

I'm so excited for this game. Too bad I'm European and have to wait another 2 weeks. First game is my favourite mystery I've had to solve in many years.

[@BacklogBattle]

It’ll be worth it! Believe!

[@neil4692]

Good to hear they are fixing up the puzzle stuff. Regarding appealing to newcomers with a sequel. Gonna be pretty blunt about this but that is something I can't help but disagree with. I now it makes sense from a business point of view but as a customer, if it has repeating characters in it I want an extension of what the previous game gave me. Maybe I will change my mind whenever I play it but sadly it isn't likely. A question that you didn't talk about in the review. In the previous game, whenever there were one of the action parts that had a heavy tone on it, it always without fail turned that into some perverted MC comedy skit thing without fail. Does it still does something similar to this in the sequel since this is one of the parts I really didn't like in the first game. It was funny maybe for the first 2 times, then got annoying and then detracted from the experience for me.

[@BacklogBattle]

It’s not as crazy as the first game, but that sort of comedy is still in there. Frankly, I didn’t want to speak about it because I’m still forming my own opinions on it and want to understand others’ perspectives on it. I CAN say that it doesn’t happen as often, which is a great thing!

[@neil4692]

Damn, I wanted it to be completely gone. Definitely a plus that it doesn't happen as often. Will see for myself whenever I play it.

[@BacklogBattle]

To your statement about starting points, I think that merely seeing this from a business point perspective is approaching this design decision from too narrow of a perspective, as there are gamers who would want to start getting into a series with a sequel. The comments here are proof enough of that. That said, I totally get where you're coming from. You get a ton of added context by experiencing previous titles than if you started with the sequel. But also consider that this perspective is personally biased, based on your own wants and desires, which contrasts with other people's priorities. And yes, chances are, you won't change your opinion on this once you play the game, and that's fine. But to someone who is trying to get into a series, asking someone to start at a specific point - or argue that there is a "better way" - is similar to going to a car dealership and being told, "I know you like this new car, but why don't you get this classic 1980 one instead?" That person really wants to know more about the thing they want to get, not to be told they have to consider another. In these cases, new gamers don't care about the series yet, regardless of being told that any prior context that would enhance their experience. Caring about that sort of detail comes from experiencing any game in the series that THEY'RE INTERESTED IN FIRST, not the other way around. Yes, there is a value to companies to create these new starting points, of course. However, with game lengths compounding each year, it is also possible that they also want to respect the amount of time people would like to spend with their games. It *is* possible for companies to be profit driven *and* be mindful of the audience experience. All this aside, what I'm merely saying is that gamers aren't all cut in the same cloth, which makes this whole community of ours wonderful and interesting to get to know! And regardless of whether they start here or in the first game - added context be damned - the most important thing to celebrate is that they took a leap of faith to try something new. The slogan of this channel - Discover Play Together - is all about celebrating the risk people take when trying out a game or genre they've never tried before, and playing these games alongside others in the community who welcome their curiosity. And if my videos had piqued someone's curiosity into trying something that isn't normally within their wheelhouse, that's a big win for me!

[@gorosbat6929]

Can't wait for this game to F### with my mind like the first one did!

[@BacklogBattle]

The premise alone will really mess you up! And that video in the beginning IS part of the game!

[@DavJoestar]

I like it a lot! The game has vibes like Danganronpa and Zanki Zero, I'm definitely going to try it ✨✨✨

[@BacklogBattle]

Let me know what you think of it when you do!

[@MrApplefan44]

Gotta love when this, FE 3 Hopes and a means of getting a PS5 all are on the same day 🙃 🙂 *wallet and credit card screams echos through out the ether* (Then family plans a river float trip the day after, can't be a gremlin forever I guess 😜) Also BB, great work with this review as always 😎👌

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you thank you! Worked so hard on this!

[@MrApplefan44]

@@BacklogBattle now get some needed sleep 🤣 you busy man

[@MrConker98]

Do you think that it is worth the full price?

[@BacklogBattle]

I absolutely think so, regardless of whether you're a long time fan or new!

[@MrConker98]

I played the first one on Xbox Game pass a couple of months ago and i loved it

[@zen6529]

I played about 10 hours of the first game but didn't fully complete it... Do you need to have full knowledge of the events of the first game to understand the plot of this one, or is it a separate story entirely?

[@BacklogBattle]

Watch the review and find out 😉

[@ancientspark375]

The answer is long enough that you should look into the review. But the TL;DR is no, you do not (and there is a specific toggle that lets the game account for whether you know the first game or not).

[@wiiviewer]

LOL simple question. They ask you to spell the main characters name. They give you one chance, if you fail they assume you are lying. It's BS. Just ask us did we play the first game, there shouldn't be a need to "prove it". I played the first game years ago, am I supposed to remember their name, and how to spell it?

[@fagitocumaeda]

ngl liked aitsf 1 way better, i hated the twists in nirvana initiative, most were very obvious, esp in regards to mizuki's character, but i still did have a bunch of fun playing it and the somniums are top tier. so it balances out

[@Sepharite]

I really like the first game but I felt there was only one or two emotional moments that hit me.

[@BacklogBattle]

Same. I’m in it for the mysteries personally

[@Gooshieooshie5000]

My collectors edition arrives on Tuesday. I loved the original because it came out at a hard time in my life, so I’m gonna love the second

[@BacklogBattle]

Absolutely! Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

[@Gooshieooshie5000]

@@BacklogBattle Oki!!! I’ll have to finish three hopes first though, two of my favourite games are back today

[@aarong3340]

34 hrs? Seems kind of short, no?

[@BacklogBattle]

My playthrough of the first game was shorter, by comparison!

[@aarong3340]

@@BacklogBattle Fair. I've heard really great things about them. I just usually like long stories.

[@JabamiLain]

To think I'm gonna have to wait to still get more money before I can start playing the game tomorrow... It's a nightmare !

[@BacklogBattle]

I hope you make the money in time!

[@JabamiLain]

@@BacklogBattle thanks. No spoilers until then !

[@JabamiLain]

@@BacklogBattle hi again ! Quick question. How long does it take for a new game to become available on PS4 ?

[@BacklogBattle]

@@JabamiLain it usually unlocks at 12am Eastern!

[@JabamiLain]

@@BacklogBattle I meant in PlayStation Store ?

[@NycroLP]

One somnium was literally Pokemon while another one was 3 escape rooms. I really like the variety in this game. I just wish that action scenes werent so super cringy. It flattens the "you are in danger" tone.

[@BacklogBattle]

Maybe a harder difficulty option with the QTEs would be a good solution!

[@kalenics123]

PORN MAG!

[@Zneiero]

Played it further along, and Aiba/Tama is the best part of the game. Not to get into spoilers but I can't stand the amount of recycled content used here. Character models included. Story is a bit more involved than the first entry but I haven't gotten to the end, it is much more expansive and longer to play than the first game.

[@BacklogBattle]

Has your opinion of the game changed since you posted this?

[@bezka91]

Come on midnight

[@BacklogBattle]

It’s here!

[@DenHond]

Loved the first one, but I really had to force myself to complete this one. The ending (although kinda flawed) at least made up a little for it. A lot of the characters are hit or miss, too much 'non progression' during the middle section of the game, too much useless travelling all over the map and probably the weakest flowchart I've seen in the AI/999 series. I'm also not a fan of the singing (I played in dub mode).

[@vintprox]

The only problem I have with this sequel is that there are way too many lewd jokes to the point of becoming a hindrance. Everything else is awesome. Don't get me wrong. I like lewd jokes in the context, but game doesn't get it right in 80% of occurrences and just implants weird remarks from the horny AI there and there without connecting 2 and 2. (Imagine being fed poopoo kaka.)

[@vintprox]

@@mrjacko2972 It was executed leaner in the prequel. There you had to pick an up time for flirting with receptionist. In NI, Ryuki just takes her straight to Atami. What's the motivation here other than extraneous copy-paste approach? Nothing was calling for it, and all of a sudden we have poorly written horny characters, no context. I don't wanna be like this, giving the hate to authors that actually care, but I'm pissed off about how less thought was given to the side jokes. Don't even start on that NI is an independent piece. It's just that case when amount ditched the quality.

[@worthythaneofross3925]

@@vintprox I actually found the sequel was less overly horny than the original. Date was far too shameless. Here, the only MC like that is Tama and she’s one of four instead of the main focus. Also, Ryuki provides an excellent straw man to her.

[@vintprox]

@@worthythaneofross3925 heh, I guess you have a point

[@TimoNaaro]

Lol how is this backlog. Its not even out yet.

[@BacklogBattle]

It actually came out last week, and I got a review copy of it. You probably live in a country where it’s not out yet

[@TimoNaaro]

@@BacklogBattle yes finland.

[@BacklogBattle]

@@TimoNaaro lol that explains it. Should be out at the end of the week

[@namlesone]

Thought the first one was awful, hope this one is better. Thank you for the timely review.

[@BacklogBattle]

You’re welcome! What didn’t you like about the first one, out of curiosity?

[@namlesone]

​@@BacklogBattle The story felt very disjointed and tonally incoherent.

[@pacer1705]

@@namlesone I can see where you are coming from. The mix of varied characters, serious and comedy in story and Psync puzzles segments is not expected be to every one's taste.

[@namlesone]

@@pacer1705 yeah, but I still liked some of it, just didn't find all the mood shifts to be well written. The chapter about a cafe owned by a family or something like that was touching though.

[@hs672]

I liked the first but I will only watch it on youtube, you really aren't missing out much by just watching, that's the problem with these type of games.

[@BacklogBattle]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Eikon_FF]

Awesome review! really wanted to buy this day one but sadly they never did release a physical copy here in the Philippines 🥲

[@BacklogBattle]

That's unfortunate :(