STEINS;GATE ELITE Reviews

11/10

This is the wrong version.

10/10 but if you already played the original version then 8/10 because cash grabber :V

Sci-fi isn't usually my genre, but when I was half through the game, I surprisingly got to really enjoy it. The character development from the protagonist really appealed to me and although not expecting it at first [spoiler] I got to appreciate his chunibyo persona he puts on sometimes as well when I realized where it originates from and what purpose it serves. [/spoiler] I'm also very satisfied with how the story concluded (the true ending) and I thought the romance subplot was also well executed (The major one within the main route). I'm looking forward to playing the sequel!

Elite is a funny name for a game that is inferior to both the original version and the anime adaptation, but hey, at least it costs more. This VN is a more streamlined version which replaces the original artwork with content from the anime and takes out a lot of the phone interaction. To give the game some credit, the idea of having an almost fully animated visual novel is great and would be amazing if done for something new. Of course, that would be an insane amount of effort to put into a brand new VN, but reusing old animation to sell a pricier version of the same story is just an obvious cash grab move. There is some new animation to fill in sections which were not a part of the anime adaption. It appears that a lot of it was done by White Fox, the studio behind the anime. Unfortunately, a significant chunk of it is of lesser quality than the original animation. The way the anime footage is edited into the VN is mostly fine, but sometimes the reuse of certain shots will take you out of the experience. The phone is much more awkward to use. Instead of being able to pull up the phone at any moment to look up your messages, the game now slams the phone in your face and covers the whole screen when you get mail. The animation is longer and the whole experience is kind of immersion breaking. In the original, taking the phone out at any time to briefly check something was much smoother. There are even some parts of the original script, where the game is clearly nudging you towards using your phone, but you are unable to do it in Elite. At least all of this results in easier phone achievements. If you played the original, watch the anime. If you watched the anime, play the original. Leave Elite for when nostalgia strikes in a couple of years and this will serve as a slightly new way to experience the story. For newcomers, the original VN and anime adaption are both cheaper ways to get into Steins;Gate and both play into each medium's strengths. Elite attempts to merge the two into one ultimate, 'elite' version but ends up in an awkward middle ground.

Absolutely worth it, does not matter if you saw the anime or do not know anything about this story, completely recommended.