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Welcome Back to Future Gadget Laboratory

The anime series Steins;Gate has always been one of the most fascinating series, as most fans came into it without realizing it was an adaptation of a video game. It is often ranked among the best anime series and widely praised for its take on the time travel concept in science fiction. Yet it is often left out when discussing the best video game adaptations, rarely making the list even though the bar was remarkably low at one point. This is also unusual because the visual novel is likewise ranked among the best and has been easily available on PC, mobile via Crunchyroll Games, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4.

For those who are only familiar with Steins;Gate through the anime, there is now a reason to experience the visual novel. STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT is a remake of the acclaimed visual novel and the second game in the Science Adventure series. The remake updates the visual and audio elements while preserving its defining features. Readers who missed the original can make this their chance to experience it for the first time. At the same time, longtime fans can revisit the story with fresh updates and new story paths.

Universe has a Beginning

Just to avoid any confusion, STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT is the second remake of the acclaimed visual novel. The first remake was Steins;Gate Elite, which launched in Japan on September 20, 2018. Elite was a notable remake because it incorporated scenes from the anime adaptation while using a trimmed text script to accommodate the anime clips. RE:BOOT is a remake of the original game that uses Elite‘s script.

Akihabara Circa 2010

Set in the Akihabara neighborhood of Tokyo in 2010, self-proclaimed mad scientist Rintaro Okabe, going by the pseudonym Kyouma Hououin, has established the Future Gadget Laboratory in his apartment and is experimenting with time travel. While attending a conference, he finds the body of Kurisu Makise and sends a text message about it to Itaru “Daru” Hashida. To his shock, he later finds Makise alive and discovers that the message arrived before he sent it. Investigating this phenomenon with Makise, Okabe discovers that the cell phone operated machine they are developing can send text messages back in time. Dubbing this discovery “D-mails,” they begin experimenting by sending messages to the past to alter the present.

As they change the past, new worldlines are created and the world around Okabe shifts. Everything comes to a head when their actions attract the attention of SERN, a secret research organization working to monopolize time travel for its own nefarious goals. When SERN strikes at the Future Gadget Laboratory, the raid results in the death of Mayuri Shiina. Okabe must use the D-Mail to try to save her by undoing the changes that led to the current worldline.

There is not much to critique about the story. It is a classic built around a number of conspiracy theories from the time, redefined the concept of time travel in fiction, and introduced a number of iconic characters. However, it hits differently when looking back at it now as someone who remembers this era in games and tech. Steins;Gate now stands as a time capsule of the late 2000s and early 2010s, from its use of flip phones and CRT TVs to the major role of John Titor in the lore and the recreation of 2010 Akihabara. RE:BOOT takes players back to this era with a fresh perspective and a renewed appreciation for how it recaptures that moment in time.

Choice of Steins;Gate

The core gameplay of STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT follows the standard visual novel setup. Players read through the story while dynamic images bring each scene to life. Over the course of the story, players must use their phone or make a choice through a system dubbed the “phone trigger.” The phone trigger prompts players to answer calls, reply to text messages, or send D-Mails at key story beats. These moments direct the story, and the actions taken create branching worldlines that lead to multiple endings that are either good or bad. Going down each worldline presents a new narrative pathway that have there own secrets and challenges.

What has changed compared to the original game is that the visuals are now dynamic rather than static. Characters move and show emotional expression to better convey the mood of the moment. Dynamic characters also require the backgrounds to be upscaled and redrawn in greater detail, creating a world these characters can truly inhabit. This change adds a more vibrant look to the game while also making it feel more alive. At the same time, it does not compromise the artistic style that defined the original. It is all there, but now truly brought to life.

Another major change is the introduction of a new worldline and new ending that can be unlocked. These additions to an already branching narrative allow returning fans to have an additional experience compared to before. Returning players may be revisiting a familiar story, but it is not the same experience as before.

Tutturu~!

The original Steins;Gate visual novel is a masterpiece and one of the greatest visual novels of all time. RE:BOOT preserves what made it a classic while enhancing the audio, visual, and performance elements of the game itself. These updates are noticeable right away, and players will appreciate the attention to detail while the original aesthetic remains intact. This is what a remake of a visual novel should look like, and MAGES. Inc. has done a stellar job recreating one of their defining works. Fans of the series will enjoy this return to the Akihabara neighborhood of 2010.

When it comes to its shortcomings, they mostly stem from issues that plagued the original still being present, along with the use of Elite‘s script, which many longtime fans consider a downgrade compared to the original. The script decision is going to be a sticking point for many, though it has been somewhat polished for this remake. Even so, it is a curious choice to have a remake of the original fall back on a questionable script. Other issues are subjective and depend on the individual, while some are more noticeable for those who played the original. They are not as egregious as before and some have been mitigated, but they are still there. This can also be easily forgiven, as sometimes a shortcoming cannot be fixed without throwing off the narrative direction or charm of the overall experience.

God’s Final Warning

STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT recreates one of the greatest visual novels in an enhanced experience that still preserves the original’s defining elements. It’s a solid remake that preserves the defining elements of the iconic game while enhancing the overall quality of the visuals and sound. Characters and visuals are dynamic without sacrificing its artistic style. For fans who played the original back in the day, it’s a time capsule of technology and the arts from the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Hopefully, we could see a remake of Steins;Gate 0 in the future.

Disclaimer: The publisher through a PR representative provided the game used for this review.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt, then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent news outlet that provides insightful reviews for Bay Area Gamers.

Steins;Gate RE:BOOT (PC)

10

Masterpiece

10.0/10

Pros

• It’s a solid remake of the acclaimed visual novel.
• Preserves it defining elements while enhancing the overall quality of the visuals and sound.
• Characters and visuals are dynamic without sacrificing its artistic merit.
• A timcapsule of technology and the arts from the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Cons

• Minor issues that plagued the original and the use of the Elite script.