Somnium

Bloom Park as it appears in PSYNCIN' IN THE PaiN

A **Somnium** (plural: **Somnia**), sometimes called a **Dreamworld**, is a type of world that exists within the universe of *AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES*.

Somnia are worlds that exist within the subconsciousness of a person. They are shaped by the dreams and memories of the people in the realm of reality.

The Psync Machine allows the Psyncer to delve into the subject's Somnium and interact with their dream to find information. The appearance and nature of each Somnium is created from memories of the subject.

## Somnia Mechanics

### Mental Locks

Mental Locks are the core gameplay mechanic of Somnia. In order to extract the truth from the Psync subject, the Psyncer must dive as deep into their mind as possible. The subject's mind is divided into several layers, each of which is protected by a Mental Lock. As such, breaking Mental Locks is required to proceed deeper into the subject's consciousness. Every subject has several Mental Locks, with 3-5 being the standard.

### TIMIEs

TIMIE is a core mechanic feature of Somnia. It allows the player to alter the amount of time spent on any given action, such as cutting the amount of required time in half or reducing/raising the amount of time to a fixed number. While TIMIEs can be very beneficial, there are also negative TIMIEs which increase the amount of time spent on any action-and unlike regular TIMIEs, their usage is not optional, meaning the player has to be careful when taking options that will give them negative TIMIEs.

### Keys

Keys are a concept introduced in *nirvanA Initiative*. Keys serve to clarify the rules of a Somnium, or otherwise offer insight into the subject that can help to understand their dreamscape. Keys are unlocked the deeper the player gets in the Somnium. The keys are missing their information when first unlocked, but are steadily filled in as the player investigates objects.

### Map

The map details the landscape of a Somnium. It shows all floors of the Somnium, the current location of the Psyncer, and the location of objects that can be investigated. It also shows the name of the Psync's subject and the real-world location that the Somnium is based on. *nirvanA Initiative* adds the Navigation ability, allowing the player to set waymarks and gauge their distance from objects.

### Hidden Items/Eyeballs

The Hidden Items/Eyeballs are a collectable that unlock concept artwork in the FILE or in the Dream Album. They have the same design as Aiba, with a star-shaped pupil and yellow cornea, and a flesh-colored backing. The eyeballs are initially transparent, but become more solid and start emitting particles the closer that the player is to them. In the first game there is only one hidden item in each Somnium, while in *nirvanA Initiative* there are five hidden eyeballs in each Somnium.

### Swimming/Flying

Swimming/Flying is an alternate way of moving in Somnium that appears in Naixatloz's Intentions and Novel Ingress. Rather than moving across the ground, as one would in the real world, the AI-Ball instead moves through the air of the Somnium, allowing for a greater exploration of the 3D space. The reason for this change in movement is tied to the Psyncer's desires or mental state: for example, Tokiko Shigure has an affinity for flowing water, and so swimming is a core component of her Somnium.

## Properties of Somnia and Psyncs

### Compatibility Rate

Compatibility Rates are a concept that are alluded to in the first game. The nature and effect of compatibility rates are unknown, but it is shown that if a Psyncer and subject have a low compatibility rate then it can cause strain on both the Psyncer and the Psync Machine.

### Defensive Barriers

Defensive Barriers are a property of Somnia that appear in PSYNCIN' IN THE CURTaiN, New Investigation, and Nightmare Irreconcilable. These barriers appear when the subject desperately wants to hide information, and so erects the barrier to either push away or trap the Psyncer. The barriers in CURTaiN and New Investigation are non-permeable, and the Psyncer must break the surrounding objects in order to unlock the barrier. In Nightmare Irreconcilable, the barrier is permeable and instead unlocks more objects to interact with the more that it spreads.

### Conscious Anti-Bodies

Conscious Anti-Bodies are a property of Somnia that can be seen in Nefarious Institute and Nonentity Incognito. Anti-bodies are a representation of the subject's caution: when the psyncer attempts to access information that the subject is trying to hide, the subject's synapse is overstimulated, and they emit norepinephrine which creates the anti-body. Touching the anti-body causes a huge delay spike in the information transfer system, quickly depleting the amount of remaining time in Somnium.

### Real-time Countdown

Real-time Countdown is a mechanic exclusive to Neurotic Inception. The Somnium takes place in a nightmare, where the subject is constantly hunted by a terrifying figure. Whenever the subject needs to hide or sneak around, the usual slowdown of Somnium when the AI-Ball stands in place is removed, and time proceeds at a normal pace. This means the player must think quickly as to where they want to hide or move to obtain their objective.

### Shadow Traits

Shadow Traits are a mechanic that feature prominently in New Investigation. Objects in Somnium that display shadow traits lack properties that they have in the real world: for example, fire that does not emit heat. These traits are heavily affected by the malleable, unpredictable nature of dreams, and thus cannot usually be dealt with in a conventional manner. In New Investigation, dealing with items that exhibit shadow traits is required to progress at all in the Somnium.

## Somnia Levels

The following is a list of all playable Somnia in *AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES*:

The following is a list of all playable Somnia in *AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative*:

## Known Psyncs

*WARNING!!*
*This article contains spoilers for* AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES *from this point on. Proceed with caution!*

***WARNING!!***
***This article contains spoilers for*AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative *from this point on.Proceed with caution!***

Throughout the story, additional Psyncs occur beyond the playable Somnia listed above. Every known Psync is listed in chronological order below.

**(Note: Instances of "Kaname Date" are shorthand for "Hayato Yagyu (Host: Saito Sejima)," and use of *italics* indicates that the Subject and Psyncer swapped bodies.)**

## Trivia

* The name of the Somnia in *AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES* are references to the 1929 song, and the 1952 film it inspired, named "*Singin' in the Rain.*" The word "singin'" is swapped for "psyncin'" (with one exception swapping it for "sinkin'"), the last word is replaced with a rhyme to "rain," and all the letters are capitalized except for the "ai" vowel pair at the end of the phrase.
	+ The main soundtrack for the game, *REVERIES IN THE RaiN*, keeps the word "rain" at the end, while switching "Singin'" for "Reveries."
* The name of the Somnia in *AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative* are two-word phrases that have an acronym of "NI", referencing Nirvana Initiative and/or the number 2 (二, *Ni*), itself a reference to the game's status as the 2nd entry and/or the main thematic number of the game.
* Currently, there are only six locations that can be visited in the real world of *THE SOMNIUM FILES* that do not have a corresponding Somnium world: Boss's Office, Kumakura Office, Lemniscate Entertainment Offices, Central Hospital, Marble, and Sekiba High. Marble appeared as part of Golden Yokocho in one Somnium though.
	+ Interrogation Room, Sunfish Pocket and Sejima Residence did not have a Somnium world in the game they were introduced in, but did receive one in the sequel.
	+ Sekiba High is the only location introduced in *nirvanA Initiative* that does not have a corresponding Somnium world.

## Navigation

Hitomi Sagan • Mayumi Matsushita • Renju Okiura • Mama • Shoko Nadami • So Sejima • Moma Kumakura • Rohan Kumakura • Cyclops Serial Killer

 Locations | **Tokyo**
*Chiyoda District*: Police Headquarters (Boss's Office, Psync Room, Interrogation Room) • Sunfish Pocket • Sekiba High
*Chuo District*: Horadori Institute of Genetics (Underground, Hostage Room) • Naixatloz Japan Branch (President's Office, Cathedral)
*Koto District*: Harbor Warehouse District • Date Residence
*Minato District*: Studio Dvaita • Aioen Orphanage • Ikume Shrine • Kumakura Office • Sejima Residence • Central Hospital
*Shibuya District*: Lemniscate Entertainment Offices • Yoyagi Park
*Shinagawa/Kabasaki District*: Matsushita Diner • Sagan Residence • Enda Residence • Kabasaki Chemical Plant
*Shinjuku District*: Golden Yokocho (Marble, Brahman World Cuisine) • Misetan Department Store • Tokyo National Stadium
**Side Ryuki:**
Dispossessed • Anyone Imagines • Ought to Know • Nothing to Be Done • Go • Farewell
**Komeji and Shoma Route:** Joy for Anguish • I Found Me • Past Its Ken
**Explosion Route:** Smiles for Tears • Well-Known • The Mind of God • Not All A Dream • She Was the Universe
**閭｡陜ｶ荵句､｢邱ｨ Route:** 遐ｴ邯ｻ逋ｾ蜃ｺ • All This Happened, More or Less
**Side Mizuki:**
Alone • Pass Mildly Away • End Where I Begun • Traveler • Left Behind • The Expense of Spirit
**Gen and Amame Route:** All Living Things • Of Arms and Of Man • Who's There • All That We Are
**Kizuna and Lien Route:** Bid the Soldiers Shoot • Sweet Silent Thought
**Resolution Route:** Hell • Visions • In Truth • Births • The End of Craving • Braver Than All Flowers