Steins;Gate (PS Vita) Review

El Psy Kongroo.

 The first time I've heard of Steins;Gate was when a friend of mine recommend that I watch the anime years ago. I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but it I remember it being a fun Summer watch. Little did I know that it was originally a visual novel game developed by 5bp and Nitroplus way back in 2009 for the Xbox 360. I remember buying the game during a sale a while back after hearing that it has a reputation as possibly the best visual novel game, or anime if you watched the anime adaptation. It follows a group of young scientists, who accidently discover the ability to send messages to the past. I went into the game with high expectations of it being one hell of a ride and after being done with the adventure, I can definitely say that it's one of my favorite games that I've had the pleasure of playing.

 Taking place in contemporary Japan, we follow teenage scientist Rintaro Okabe, along with his friends Daru and Mayuri, who accidentally find a way to send text messages to the past using a modified microwave. With the help of genius prodigy Kurisu Makise, they attempt to understand the mysteries behind the phenomenon. However, things get out of control when they severely alter the future and catch the attention of a shadowy organization, SERN. I have to say that the story lost me at times when it got super deep into science-related theories, which may dumbfound the average reader. That being said, the characters remain the heart of the narrative and I absolutely love them. Okabe's wild antics as the self-proclaimed mad scientist "Hououin Kyouma" were wacky and never got old, Daru cracked me up with his anime references and perverted gags, and Mayuri's an absolute gem thanks to her ditzy personality. There's obviously chemistry between the cast, and their stories are well told to the point where you start to genuinely care for them as if they're actual people. That and the writing will have you go through a whirlwind of emotions with anger, joy, terror, and sadness. You'll be even laughing along the way with how well the game handles its humor.

The science-heavy plot may lose you, but the 

memorable characters will surely entertain you.

 Steins;Gate is pure a visual novel in the sense that there's practically no gameplay involved. The most you can do is interact with your cellphone, where you can call your friends and message them. Whether or not you reply to your friends calls will have a slight change in the story, leading to a different ending. In the game's case, one that focuses on a specific character's story. Text messages also give an insight into each character's hobbies and interests too, so it's always worth checking out. As a bonus, most conversations will give you a cool wallpaper and ringtone to customize your phone, which I found to be a small, if not neat feature. Throughout the course of the game, certain words will be highlighted in blue, which automatically get stored in your "tips" folder. Tips alleviate some of the story's confusing terms and concepts by giving you a short but brief explanation, which I greatly appreciated. While the lack of gameplay may put the game on the short side in terms of length, it's anything but that. Steins;Gate isn't a quick read by any means as my first playthrough took me over 30 hours to beat. This included getting all trophies on the Vita by completing all character endings as well as the true ending, so it's a light-to-medium read.

Talk to your friends and keep updated on the 

"organization" using your trusty phone.

 It's hard to believe that Steins;Gate came out almost 10 years ago. Within the first hours I fell in love with the gorgeously drawn 2D character models and the neatly packed backgrounds. Also, the rich colors give the game a vibrant look as well. This is easily the best looking VN I've played so far. The voice acting, while in Japanese, is pleasant to hear and blended well with each character's personality. It shines the most during the game's emotional scenes and adds a sense of believability to the characters. The soundtrack composed by Takeshi Abo was a fantastic listen, featuring many chilling electronic tracks to keep you on edge, which I enjoyed. My favorite tracks, however, were the game's vocal themes, "Technovision", "Another Heaven", and "Farfalla of Fate" which were some of the most memorable pieces of music I've listened to in a while.

The game's presentation is outstanding, with

the top-notch visuals being a standout.

 Like all great VNs, Steins;Gate delivers a memorable experience. I love everything about the game, notably the tear-inducing story and awesome as fuck characters such as Okabe, Kurisu, and Mayuri. I might have previously stated that 428: Shibuya Scramble was the best VN I've played, but it takes second place after playing Steins;Gate. I mean holy crap, it was one hell of a surprise even though I watched the anime years ago. I don't know what to say anymore other than to check it out if you're new to the visual novel genre or just looking for a good story. My recommendation is to check out the remaster that just released this year, Steins;Gate Elite, which combines the look of the anime and first-person storytelling of the game. Regardless of what you choose, Steins;Gate is a fine example of a modern classic.