Bats in the Belfry
Spike Chunsoft, as it is wont to do, has opened a mysterious teaser website that appears to be counting down to a special reveal. While the “Hidden Bats” website does not openly state its intent, savvy fans deduce that it is related to brain-busting anime adventure franchise AI: The Somnium Files.
The teaser site, which is available in both Japanese and English language, features the surprisingly popular anime trope of TV sets stacked atop one another, alternately displaying hourglasses and simple static. Accompanying this disquieting image is an equally disquieting video, which you can check out below. The near four-minute clip features weird ’90s CGI and some ethereal music. Cursed af.
It wasn’t long before commenters on Gematsu ascertained that the “Bats489” video title references a message in the previously released story trailer for AI: The Somnium Files — nirvanA Initiative, thus it seems that the new website is related to the upcoming release. AI: The Somnium Files, which launched on PC and consoles back in 2019, tells a tale of psychic detectives, able to enter the minds of suspects and victims in order to solve gruesome cases of murder and mayhem. nirvanA Initiative, the game’s sequel, is currently in development at Spike Chunsoft.
Creepy stuff, regardless. Here’s hoping that watching that video hasn’t broken my brain. That would sure suck, especially right before the weekend. AI: The Somnium Files — nirvanA Initiative is currently in development for PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms, with a release scheduled for June 24.
