Steins;Gate 0 (visual novel)

Steins;Gate 0 (シュタインズ・ゲート ゼロ) is a full-length visual novel serving as a midquel to the original Steins;Gate visual novel. It has been marketed as a "true sequel" visual novel as opposed to being a fan disc like the previously-released Steins;Gate: Linear Bounded Phenogram. Zero is part of the main canon and narratively -though not chronologically- takes place before the true ending of the original story as it explores events from the Beta Attractor Field's future that contribute via time travel in making the end of the original story possible. Zero primarily takes place in the Beta Attractor Field, starting in world line divergence 1.129848% and depicting divergences ranging from 1.053649% to 1.382733%, as well as a small glimpse of Alpha Attractor Field 0.571082%. Beta AF 1.130209% was also brought into connection with Zero when it was displayed at the end of the anime episode 23(β) countdown timer shown on December 3, 2015 on the official visual novel website.

It was released in Japan on December 10, 2015 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PS Vita , and was ported to Windows PC on August 26, 2016. It was released on February 21, 2017 for Xbox One An anime adaptation of the visual novel has already been green-lit.

PQube released the visual novel in English in regular and limited editions on the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita for Europe on November 25, 2016 and four days later for North America.

Preview description
Zero takes place starting in November 2010 in the Beta Attractor Field outside of the Steins Gate. It depicts the Rintarou Okabe who had given up on saving Kurisu Makise after his first horrific failed attempt. Caught in despair, Okabe abandons his "Hououin Kyouma" persona and is tormented by flashbacks of Kurisu's death and the incidents of the Alpha world lines. The Labmems are worried about him, and at Mayuri's recommendation he begins treatment at a mental health clinic.

His life is stirred up again when, while helping out at a university seminar, he meets Kurisu's professor and research supervisor, Alexis Leskinen, along with Leskinen's assistant, Maho Hiyajo. Kurisu had worked in the same lab as them at Victor Chondria University studying artificial intelligence. From them Okabe learns about the "Amadeus" system, which stores the memory of a human and creates an emulation of that person. His life is changed completely when Leskinen asks Okabe to become a "tester" in interacting with Amadeus and Okabe meets Kurisu's "Memories" held within the system.

As a tester Okabe continues to speak with "Kurisu" using a dedicated smartphone application. As their conversations pile up, like in the past Okabe begins to grow closer. However, Okabe is also filled with anguish.

Other plot points include, the labmems hold Christmas and New Year's celebrations to hearten and cheer Okabe up. The girls dress as Santa Claus and shrine maidens and attention is given to the story of Yuki Amane and Daru and their future daughter Suzuha.

Also, while the Labmems are all gathered, a mysterious masked group bearing firearms attacks the lab, and Okabe is struck by the recollection of Mayuri's many deaths in the Alpha world lines. This is a world line where the PhoneWave no longer exists, and there should be no other reason for SERN to target them, but...

Though it will draw from the Epigraph Trilogy light novels and the stories from various drama CDs, Zero is not a "game-ification" of those stories but will have its own new scenario. Characters not seen in the original visual novel and anime will also be joining the cast, such as Maho Hiyajo, Yuki Amane, Kagari Shiina; Fubuki (Katsumi Nakase) and Kaede Kurushima, Mayuri's cosplay friends; Alexis Leskinen; and Judy Reyes, a professor of physiological psychology.

Release
On March 28th, 2015, Chiyomaru Shikura, executive director of Mages. Inc., held a TwitCast, in which he announced the visual novel. It was originally slated for release on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PS Vita on November 19th, 2015. However, on October 13th, 2015, 5pb. announced that the game would be delayed until December 10th, 2015 in order to improve product quality. On March 31st, 2016, a port for Windows PC was announced, slated for release on June 24, 2016. However, its final release date became August 26, 2016. After announcing on January 26, 2017 via Twitter that a digital-only release would be coming soon for Xbox One, the Xbox release was launched on February 21, 2017, during a special Winter Sale held by 5pb. for several of its titles.

The English release of the title by PQube for PlayStation 4 and PS Vita was announced on May 25, 2016. The title launched in Europe on November 25, 2016 and four days later in North America. Zero has been given a "'C' ages 15 and up" rating by CERO in Japan. A PEGI rating in Europe of "ages 16 and up". And, an ESRB rating of "Mature, ages 17 and up" in North America.





Staff

 * Planning and Author: Chiyomaru Shikura
 * Producer: Tatsuya Matsubara
 * Character Design: huke
 * Scenario: Naotaka Hayashi, Toru Yasumoto, Masaki Takimoto, Tsukasa Tsuchiya
 * Music: Takeshi Abo

Gameplay
Zero features a new twist on the "phone trigger" system introduced in the original work. The protagonist Okabe's old mobile phone has been changed to a smartphone, and the story's route can be changed using two applications installed on the new device.

As a tester given access to Amadeus, Okabe is able to communicate with "Kurisu" through a dedicated app, and "Kurisu" is able to contact him at will as well...

Further, in place of the emails from the previous work, a messaging app called RINE, which was developed by Daru, is used to respond to Okabe's friends. Even the digital stickers used in the app are expected to effect the course of the game.



Plot
The story of Steins;Gate 0 consists of fourteen unnumbered sections that are woven together and lead to six endings.

For the plot summary see: Steins;Gate 0 - Plot Summary

Promotion
Main article: Steins;Gate 0 - Promotions 

Since the game was first announced in early 2015, a variety of promotions have been held both in Japan and abroad for the Japanese and English releases, ranging from convention giveaways and voice actor panels to video trailers and online countdowns.

Music
The opening song is sung by Ito Kanako with lyrics written by Shikura Chiyomaru and is entitled "Amadeus"(アマデウス). Zwei sings the ending song, entitled "Lyra"(ライア). Shikura Chiyomaru once again provided the lyrics and Oshima Kousuke did the composing.



The new BGM in the second trailer is used in the story.

Visual Novel CG and Screenshots
❈Pictures not necessarily in order of appearance within the game.

❈Some pictures are from prerelease and may differ from the final product.