I’ve not had a chance to finish reading STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT yet, and considering how busy my current work schedule is, I think I’m going to put it down for now and concede defeat. (I do intend to get back to it at some point.)

However, I still wanted to get something up on the site about this visual novel, which is a second re-release of the 2009 time traveller tale, developed by MAGES.

Fans will be familiar with the background behind this game, but just in case you’re not: STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT repurposes the condensed plot from STEINS;GATE ELITE, which was based on the anime adaptation of the original release.

It features fresh artwork and story threads, some of which connect it to STEINS;GATE 0. (Although if you’re playing this for the first time, you probably won’t notice where the new stuff has been added.)

I personally really like the revamped artwork overall, and I appreciate the faster pacing of the storytelling. (Although I must admit I’m not massively familiar with the original, so your mileage may vary there.)

I think this is the type of game that the PS Portal was made for, as there are no quick reflexes required here; you are quite literally just reading and looking at the artwork.

I did notice an issue with some of the English text being a bit squashed, but this is a minor irritation overall. I’ve seen a few other critics mention that.

Anyway, here’s what the reviews are saying:

Nintendo Life - 8/10

Did Steins;Gate Re:Boot need to exist? Probably not — and, yet, I’m glad it does. As a remake, it doesn’t take many big swings and its adjusted pacing and visuals are largely a matter of taste. However, it crucially preserves all the core elements of what made the original Steins;Gate so special and presents them in its own richly enjoyable, refined style with a few exclusive perks in tow.

RPG Site - 9/10

Consider this a nitpick, but it was at the back of my mind while going through Re:Boot. This is, to my tastes, the best version of Steins;Gate - but I don't necessarily see that being the universal opinion. If you've never read or experienced the story, I have no qualms suggesting you start here; I just can't help but wish this wasn't effectively the only option on the market for so many players.

DualShockers - 9/10

Steins;Gate RE:BOOT doesn't replace the original, nor does it try to erase what came before. Instead, it stands as a respectful modernization of one of the greatest VNs ever made, redefining its presentation, smoothing out the pacing, and offering enough meaningful new content to justify another trip through its tangled web of both old and new Worldlines. Whether you're stepping into the Future Gadget Lab for the very first time or returning after years watching just the anime, this remake captures everything that made Steins;Gate unforgettable. It's not a perfect remake, but it's easily now the definitive way to experience one of gaming's finest science-fiction stories.

The game’s got an 82 score on Opencritic overall, so good scores then. Will you be picking this one up at all? It’s out next week on the PS5 and PS4.