Game: Annie and the AI
Genre: Casual, Puzzle
System: Steam (Windows)
Developers | Publishers: NoSleepGames LLC
Controller Support: No
Price: US $8.99 | UK £ 7.49 | EU € 8,79
Release Date: May 23rd, 2023
Review code used, with many thanks to Game If You Are. .
Annie and the AI is a 2023 puzzle game developed by NoSleepGames LLC.
Story
In Annie and the AI, we follow the unique bond between Annie and her creation – the AI Esme. Annie is our shy and unsure heroine, who is probably also a genius for being able to create such a perfect AI as Esme. Annie is teaching Esme about the world through her own life by telling her about her own family and life experience, good and bad. In the end, though, it might be that Esme is teaching Annie something about life, choices and freedom.
Gameplay
Design-wise everything the player controls in Annie and the AI happens entirely on the screen of her computer. The game is a unique blend between a puzzle game and a visual novel. We have snippets of the story, intercepted with Annie’s lessons for Esme. The lessons consist of 2 different types of puzzles.
The idea is that Esme needs to connect two pictures together by idea or feeling. The pictures are pixeled, and by progressing through the main puzzle, the details start to emerge. At some point, it is possible to rearrange the picture and actually see what’s on it. The main puzzle combines the old Windows games Pipes and Minesweeper. We have to build a path between the two pictures by turning over the least possible amount of cards on the game board. There is a detailed tutorial. We can’t skip at the very beginning of the game.
That being said, while at first I was diligently solving each puzzle, it quickly became apparent that it makes no difference to the game’s progression whether you are being careful or clicking on everything in sight. Even if you fail to find the picture, you still progress. It seems to me that the puzzles were put there more for the effect of the player assuming the role of the AI rather than a genuine desire for the game to be a real puzzle game.
At the same time, by progressing in the story, we also get additional “files” on Annie and her family, but to unlock them, we need to play a different type of puzzle, rearranging letters to form a word or a phrase. Then we get to read the files and learn more about Annie and her family.
Art style
Annie and the AI is simply a very well-made game. The story is presented via comic book panels or pictures. The voice acting is on point, with enough emotion to make you sympathize with Annie and Esme. The music is also well-chosen, and I can see myself buying it if it gets its own release.
Difficulty
As I mentioned above, how you solve the puzzles bears no difference to the story’s progression. It is more of a visual novel than a game. However, it also means that in terms of replayability, Annie and the AI does not offer much. Once you are done with the story, I can’t imagine going back for more.
Conclusion
I was excited for Annie and the AI, and in general, I think it is a very solid game with what it strove to do. That being said, I feel like it should be known that it touches on some very serious issues in the family and school, which might not be anyone’s idea of fun. However, if you are okay with those topics coming up in games and you like visual novels and AI, I think you’ll like this one.
Final Verdict: I Like it. 
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