New Nintendo Switch Game Sale Includes This Underrated Gem

It's rare that Nintendo directly offers notable discounts on Switch games, but the roundup of Eshop deals this week is actually pretty solid. In addition to the general deals, a publisher sale just kicked off, and while only six games are included, they're currently cheaper than they've ever been on the Eshop. Spike Chunsoft, developer of the Zero Escape and Danganronpa series, is offering its best prices yet on a handful of games, including its latest major release, AI: The Somnium Files.

AI: The Somnium Files released in September and was one of my personal favorite games of 2019. If you're a fan of Zero Escape, detective games, or story-driven adventures in general, you should give AI: The Somnium Files a shot, especially if you're looking for something new and interesting to play on Switch in this relatively quiet period for releases. The sci-fi mystery game is currently on sale for $36, down from $60.

The story is set in near-future Tokyo and follows a detective named Kaname Date, who, with the help of an artificial intelligence named Aiba, investigates crime scenes and people's dreams to hunt down a mysterious serial killer. In some scenes, you'll point and click to investigate an area similar to Zero Escape, but in dream sequences, you'll be able to run around as Aiba and explore.

The game earned an 8/10 in GameSpot's AI: The Somnium Files review for its intriguing premise, variety of characters, and more. "Despite the occasional frustration in exploring its dream landscapes, the whole of AI: the Somnium Files winds up being a fun, thrilling, and engaging experience," wrote critic Heidi Kemps. "The story is filled with intriguing twists and shocking surprises, and the characters and their individual arcs inspire you to care about what happens to them. The somnium dream worlds add a layer of psychological horror to the ongoing mystery, and Date and Aiba’s constant back-and-forth interactions provide levity to make every investigation all the more amusing. AI's unconventional detective story is one you won’t soon forget."

While AI: Somnium Files is definitely the highlight of this small sale, you can save on other Spike Chunsoft games as well, including several of the Steins;Gate games. The Spike Chunsoft sale is live now until February 10 at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET, and you can check out the full list of deals below. Plus, be sure to check out more of the best Nintendo Switch games on sale this week for more deals.

Nintendo Switch Spike Chunsoft Sale

• AI: The Somnium Files -- $36 ($60)
• PixelJunk Monsters -- $3 ($15)
• Steins;Gate 0 -- $21 ($30)
• Steins;Gate Elite -- $24 ($60)
• Steins;Gate: My Darling Embrace -- $21 ($30)
• Yu-No: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world -- $30 ($50)