STEINS;GATE

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 4,280 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • emotional
STEINS;GATE Game Cover
An enjoyable story and dialogue, which can drag in places, Steins;Gate offers a welcoming change of pace of to the
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Steins;Gate is a visual novel set in 2010 Akihabara, Japan, where time travel is possible through a microwave oversized with a cell phone. As you follow the non-linear plot and interact with various characters, your choices will determine the outcome of the story, leading to multiple endings. This hypothetical science adventure game explores complex moral dilemmas and the consequences of time travel, making it a thought-provoking and immersive experience.

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Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,280 reviews
story859 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • story2,271 mentions

    The story of *Steins;Gate* is widely praised for its intricate and well-crafted narrative, exploring themes of time travel, friendship, and the consequences of one's actions. Players appreciate the depth of character development and emotional engagement, with many noting that the visual novel format allows for a richer experience compared to the anime adaptation. While the pacing can be slow initially, the payoff in terms of plot twists and emotional impact is deemed well worth the wait, making it a standout example of storytelling in the visual novel genre.

    • “I definitely recommend this if you are willing to give a well-written science fiction story a go, knowing from this review and many other reviews that the characters are very well written and are really what makes the story.”
    • “The development of the story is one of the best things this game has to offer, the setting is very interesting and intriguing, filled with mystery and even a little psychological horror.”
    • “The story itself was fun, emotional, and engaging and managed to constantly one-up itself each chapter.”
    • “The pacing is all over the place: many chapters that should be focused on progressing the story just digress and forget any sense of urgency despite time being the central idea of the story.”
    • “The first half of the story is more or less the cast hanging out while experimenting with time travel and during this half it is a relatively chill game.”
    • “The story starts slow, easing you into the world and its characters, a crucial part of any good story.”
  • music382 mentions

    The music in the visual novel is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the storytelling experience, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful soundtrack and memorable tracks like "Gate of Steiner" and "Skyclad Observer." While some noted occasional repetitiveness and a desire for a larger variety of tracks, the overall consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's immersive atmosphere and emotional impact, making it a standout feature of the experience.

    • “The music both vocal and OST itself is a vibe, with Ito Kanako providing excellent songs like 'Skyclad Observer'.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing, probably one of the best visual novel soundtracks I've heard in a while; it really did add to the emotion or tension of scenes.”
    • “The music hits hard at some points in the game, with 'Gate of Steiner' being particularly impactful.”
    • “Musically speaking, the soundtrack isn't all that special.”
    • “From what I could observe, the music was made using MIDI if I had to guess since it has that 'early 2010s' synthetic feel to it.”
    • “The music is repetitive at times and I absolutely hate the cicadas sound effect in the game.”
  • emotional286 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Steins;Gate" is widely praised, with players describing it as a profound and heart-wrenching journey that evokes a wide range of feelings, from laughter to deep sorrow. Many reviewers noted that the game's slow build-up is essential for creating strong emotional connections with the characters, making the impactful moments in the latter half even more resonant. Overall, it is regarded as a masterpiece of emotional storytelling, with numerous players expressing that it made them cry multiple times and left a lasting impression long after completion.

    • “The story itself was fun, emotional, and engaging and managed to constantly one-up itself each chapter.”
    • “I cried multiple times, and the true route especially hit the hardest.”
    • “Steins;gate is a superb story with plenty of emotional and memorable moments.”
  • gameplay223 mentions

    The gameplay of Steins;Gate is primarily structured as a visual novel, focusing heavily on storytelling and character development rather than traditional gameplay mechanics. Players interact mainly through a unique phone system that allows for limited choices via text messages and calls, which can influence the story's outcome. While some players appreciate the innovative phone mechanic and the depth of the narrative, others criticize the minimal gameplay and the complexity of the choice system, suggesting that it may not appeal to those seeking more interactive experiences.

    • “Steins;Gate offers a unique take on time travel and uses an interesting phone mechanic to let you affect the story in more ways than you might first think.”
    • “The gameplay is interesting, innovative (I'm really loving the cellphone feature, it gives a whole other feeling of immersion to the game with customizable ringtones, wallpaper, and the email feature in which you can reply, or not, to lab members) and most importantly, extremely fun.”
    • “The phone mechanic is interesting and I enjoyed the variety of endings to be found.”
    • “The first half serves as the wind-up when mechanics and characters are introduced one after another in lengthy exposition dumps, with some cringe comedy interspersed to break things up a bit.”
    • “The phone system is an atrocious and needlessly annoying mechanic.”
    • “Don't go into this game expecting gameplay, go into it expecting a story.”
  • graphics193 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and captivating art style, which combines detailed character designs and backgrounds that enhance the storytelling experience. Many reviewers appreciate the beautiful computer graphics and the emotional depth they add to the narrative, although some note that the art style may take time to get used to. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive atmosphere and emotional impact.

    • “The game's art style is top-notch, combining detailed backgrounds and captivating character designs that perfectly complement the story.”
    • “The art style and presentation are just beautiful.”
    • “Visually, Steins;Gate exceeded my expectations: the art style is great and there is a lot of CG, and on top of that, there are movement animations when characters get closer/further away from you, etc. Also, the soundtrack is good, and none of the songs felt tiring even after listening to them repeatedly.”
    • “Graphics are what you would expect from any manga/anime visual novel type game, no real animations to speak of and the story is presented mostly through audio/text, but if that's the kind of thing that might turn you away from buying this gem, I'd ask you to reconsider - the story here is top shelf and better than most anything being produced in film/television today.”
    • “The art style was a little difficult to get used to, but that is the only con in my book.”
    • “But the original visual novel version really is by no means as visually appealing as the anime or the extra version of this, but I personally grew to love the stylized artworks of the characters.”
  • humor124 mentions

    The humor in the game is a blend of quirky, intelligent, and sometimes perverted jokes, often reflecting internet meme culture and otaku references. While many players find the character interactions and absurd situations genuinely hilarious, some critique the reliance on predictable humor and crude elements. Overall, the game balances its comedic moments with serious themes, creating a unique experience that elicits both laughter and emotional depth.

    • “The protagonist is hilarious, and the plot intriguing.”
    • “Consistently laugh-out-loud funny, self-awaringly preposterous, and truly captivating.”
    • “It's funny yet serious, with impeccable storytelling and immersion.”
    • “The side cast is a mix of unfunny, clichéd anime tropes, with the major characters being a dumb, happy-go-lucky girl whose defining traits are being dumb and happy-go-lucky, a supposedly genius engineer and hacker constantly acting like a dangerous sexual predator, a psychotic super soldier so stupid she’d forget to eat or breathe if you didn’t tell her to, another psychotic super soldier who should solve all the plot within minutes of starting but there’s another idiot I guess, and the genius tough but shy girl who should sound conflicted but actually has an emotional disorder and is just made fun of by everyone else, including the writer.”
    • “The twists and turns of this game are all over the spectrum from hilarious to cringey (in a good, campy way), dramatic, and soul-shattering heartbreak.”
  • character development69 mentions

    Character development in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers noting significant growth and depth in the characters, particularly the protagonist, Okabe. While some players found the initial pacing slow and filled with filler content, the intricate storytelling and character arcs ultimately lead to a rewarding experience, showcasing well-rounded characters and emotional investment. Overall, the game is recognized for its exceptional character development, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.

    • “The characters are good, the character development is excellent, and the endings are very distinct.”
    • “Steins;Gate holds up to its reputation as an incredibly engaging story with very well done character development.”
    • “The character development didn't feel forced, but rather like a logical reaction to everything the cast had been through.”
    • “Granted, the first half of the game can be a little boring to some (especially to those who don't read books that much) as the story focuses heavily on world-building and character development through ways such as meaningless banter between the cast and uneventful situations.”
    • “If there was some sort of character development from that point, I would appreciate the contrast and growth, but there's not.”
    • “12 hours in and the story and character development hasn't picked up enough for me.”
  • atmosphere27 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack, striking art style, and well-crafted dialogue. Reviewers highlight the emotional depth and unique visual elements that contribute to a captivating experience, making it a standout in storytelling. The combination of these elements creates a dynamic atmosphere that shifts effectively throughout the narrative, engaging players on multiple levels.

    • “The music and art also are fantastic and create a really unique atmosphere.”
    • “Coupled with an atmospheric soundtrack, Steins;Gate creates a truly immersive experience that's hard to put down.”
    • “It's fun, but playing it after watching the anime somewhat diminishes the drama and the atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere set up by the dialogue, the visuals, and the situation-based music is second to none.”
    • “There is just no way to describe it; the atmosphere of intrigue and raw emotions that ooze from just about every crevice of the game is something that is to be experienced, not described.”
  • optimization16 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews. While many players praise the performance on devices like the Steam Deck and appreciate the high-quality voice acting, others report issues such as battery drain, occasional freezes, and subpar mouse and keyboard controls, indicating that the PC port may not be fully optimized. Despite these concerns, the emotional impact of the story and performances remains a highlight for players.

    • “Steam Deck: near perfect performance.”
    • “It is a game that runs smoothly on my laptop which is built for more of a browsing kind of system.”
    • “It seems unoptimized (drains my laptop battery faster than far more demanding games), locks up sometimes, and can even freeze on rare occasions, but as long as you save, you shouldn't ever lose more than a few minutes of progress.”
    • “The resolution tops out at 1080p, the menus are obviously not optimized for a mouse and keyboard and the mouse and keyboard controls are wonky to begin with (plus there's a delay in switching between the two), it doesn't alt tab well, etc. all the hallmarks of something that was poorly ported from a console to PC are here.”
    • “You can't ask for a better performance.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    Overall, the game offers a mix of high replayability due to multiple endings and choices, appealing to players who enjoy exploring different narrative paths. However, some reviewers noted that the initial story progression remains largely the same regardless of choices, which can limit replay value for those who have already experienced all routes. While many appreciate the depth and content, others feel that once all endings are achieved, the incentive to replay diminishes significantly.

    • “Several endings make sure there is quite a bit of replayability.”
    • “Great visual novel with loads of content, and several endings for plenty of replayability.”
    • “Multiple endings provide a large amount of replay value, which is made easier with the skip button that doesn't skip dialogue you haven't seen based on the choices you make.”
    • “While it doesn't really matter otherwise, it does affect the replayability since the first half of the story will play the same way no matter what you choose.”
    • “As a visual novel, there is not much replayability, as the entire appeal is the story.”
    • “I ended up watching the true ending on YouTube, because there was no way I was playing the whole thing again just because I sent a few 'wrong' SMS. This stuff takes 30+ hours and has no replay value.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is often perceived as tedious and slow, particularly in the early chapters, which can detract from the overall experience. While some players find that the effort pays off in character development and story depth later on, many express frustration with the repetitive nature of the gameplay and the frequent interruptions caused by the text skip function. Overall, the grinding is seen as a necessary but unenjoyable part of the journey.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
    • “Even when following a guide to get the true ending, it was still tedious to constantly stop the skip text function barely in time to respond to the questions, or have to deal with the skip function stopping too often on every email.”
    • “I genuinely expected the gameplay to be tedious, but I ended up spending the past two weeks grinding through the story whenever I found the opportunity to do so.”
    • “It just feels tedious and like more pointless bulk.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is heavily influenced by advertisements, with users noting that it serves as a significant promotional tool for brands like Dr. Pepper and microwaves. While some players appreciate the free access to content on platforms like Crunchyroll, the presence of ads can detract from the overall experience, especially when technical issues arise, such as needing to redownload large files when changing language settings.

    • “Just a big advertisement for microwaves.”
    • “As the ads, it is a nice game; however, there is a small bug. Each time I change my language setting from Chinese to English, I have to download 1.6 GB.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, the game runs smoothly on various computer systems, but players have reported encountering bugs and glitches, particularly when attempting to achieve the true ending or specific achievements.

    • “Runs great on any computer.”
    • “There are certain bugs and glitches if you try to reach the true ending or certain achievements.”
    • “Bugs and glitches are prevalent throughout the game.”
    • “The game suffers from frequent crashes and stability issues.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

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Play time

24hMedian play time
27hAverage play time
26hMain story
41hCompletionist
9-36hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 28 analyzed playthroughs

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