Steins;Gate Re:Boot review: time-travel classic in a new look
The remake of the 2009 cult visual novel launched in the West on 29 October across all consoles. Critics praise its pacing and visuals, while veterans miss more new content.
Photo: Stephen Kelly from San Francisco, CA, USA / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Trailer: YouTube · MAGES. GAME CHANNEL · youtube.com
Critics' rating
Scores: Nintendo Life 8/10 · RPG Site 9/10
- Platforms
- Switch 2, Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC
- Studio
- MAGES / Spike Chunsoft
- Release
- 29.10.2026
+ Pros
- Gripping story, told at a tighter pace
- Redrawn, animated character art
- New scenes and an extra ending
- Better translation, phone mechanic restored
– Cons
- New Moeka route is rather brief
- Cuts compared with the original
- Path to the true ending still obscure
- New visuals can feel cold
Critics' verdict
The new go-to version of the time-travel classic for newcomers – though veterans get little that is truly new.
Summary of published reviews – sources below.
Following its PC launch in August and its console release in Japan, Steins;Gate Re:Boot arrived in Europe and North America on 29 October for Switch 2, Switch, PlayStation 5 and 4 and Xbox Series X|S. The remake is developed by MAGES and published by Spike Chunsoft. It retells the story of self-proclaimed mad scientist Rintaro Okabe, who discovers in Akihabara that messages can be sent into the past – with dramatic consequences. It is based on the revised script of Steins;Gate Elite, with new graphics, a new interface and re-recorded Japanese voice acting.
Nintendo Life gives the Switch 2 version 8 out of 10: the story is still gripping, the new script is tighter and the animated characters keep the presentation lively. New features include an 'Observer' timeline and an extra route with its own ending for the character Moeka Kiryu. RPG Site awards 9 out of 10, singling out the redrawn art and an improved English translation; the original's phone mechanic is also back.
Critics point to cuts compared with the original, a timeline that cannot be used to jump between story points and a true ending that remains hard to find. The new route is fairly brief and the fresh visuals can feel cold. The OpenCritic average stands at 83. Both reviews conclude that it is the version to recommend to newcomers, while for veterans at full price it is more of an optional extra.