Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 83 | 16 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 91 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 88 | 12 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 96% | 91 | 51 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 90.1, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 8,541 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 145 reviews sampled · 130 total reviews in window · weighted 122.7 up / 4.8 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (45)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“While the game is incredibly gripping, be prepared to read through thousands of words to get to the heart of it.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Although an important piece of the story that sets up the true ending to Steins;Gate, it wouldn't be an absolute disaster for fans to brush over this one. The character writing is excellent, and the concepts and effects of AI in this world are intriguing, but the fact the story drags itself out for so long means it can be tough to get through this novel. Thankfully, quick saves and the very fact this is portable by nature help to make getting through much easier by picking it up for a bit before bed each night.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Steins;Gate 0 is essential for fans of the original and a fascinating experience for newcomers. A great continuation of the classic virtual novel and anime world, it's not a format for everyone, but if you have the patience for leisurely paced sci-fi, then this is a worthy investment.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Although the darker themes may throw fans, Steins;Gate 0 tells a grand tale that fans of the series will still enjoy immensely due to how well the characters and story as a whole are written.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Regardless of the mistakes in the translation, Steins;Gate 0 is a worthy follow up to one of my favorite stories in all of fiction, and enhances the original by further expanding its narrative scope and filling in the gaps that were left open-ended. Those who have played Steins;Gate or watched the anime should already know well enough to pick up zero, so I’ll take this opportunity to firmly recommend the original again and again and again and again and again.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“Ultimately, Steins;Gate 0 is a novel. A rather good novel, with interesting, unique, and ironically very 'human' characters, but a novel nonetheless, so you're enjoyment will be dependant on how much you like the storyline, although I can say I really enjoyed it.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“With an intense and intriguing narrative, Steins;Gate 0 is a joy to play through though too many times the story slows down for sometime much more mundane. Without knowledge of the characters or larger plot of previous games, you may struggle to get the full experience.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Steins;Gate 0 is phenomenal. Every part of it is bigger and better than the game that came before it.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“If you were a fan of the original Steins;Gate visual novel and want to continue exploring the characters and the world that it established, Steins;Gate 0 will be able to provide that need in droves.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Steins;Gate 0 easily lives up to the emotive journey of the original, delivering a darker half of the story that fans didn’t know they needed.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Steins;Gate 0 could be better. It could be shorter and do more to explain the complicated parts of its story. However, it's the follow up to one of the best visual novels out there. It contains the same awesome characters (and minimizes the impact of the annoying ones) and puts them through serious trauma until they come out the other end. It’s a tougher read than Steins;Gate, but you should persevere until you reach the other side. The reward is worth it and I cannot wait to see where this story goes next.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“After finishing Steins;Gate 0, I can't think of it as a sequel. With how well it fits into the original story, complimenting it - Steins;Gate 0 feels like the missing half to the original that I didn't even know I wanted, let alone needed. Now that I've read it though, I can't think of Steins;Gate without it.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Cubed3
Push Square
Capsule Computers
ZTGD
Chalgyr's Game Room
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis
Niche Gamer
We Got This Covered
CDavis_Games
TechRaptor…and 33 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Graphics Issue Fix NoticeDec 1, 2023
- Graphics Issue Fix NoticeNov 22, 2023