Steins;Gate 0

Steins;Gate 0 is the fifth entry in the Science Adventure series of visual novels, is the "true sequel" to the original Steins;Gate, and the final entry in that sub-series. It was released on December 10th, 2015, and it received an anime adaption that first aired in April 2018. Like the previous game, Rintaro Okabe is the main character.

In the summer of 2010, a college student and self-proclaimed mad scientist, Rintaro Okabe was able to construct a time machine out of a regular household microwave with the help of his friends. As they experiment, they discover that they are able to change the past and alter the world line by sending text messages into the past (known as D-mails); however, their experiments do not go unnoticed. A clandestine organisation called SERN has their eyes on the group, eventually raiding the lab, and killing Okabe's dearest friend, Mayuri Shiina. Determined to do everything he can to protect her, Okabe discovers that he has to undo each D-mail that altered the world line enough to cause significant changes, in order to push past the 1% divergence barrier. Although he is successful in preventing Mayuri's death, he remembers that doing so has resulted in the death of his love interest, Kurisu Makise.

Steins;Gate 0 picks up from Episode 23 of the original series, albeit with an alternate ending, with Okabe going back in time to try and prevent Kurisu's murder, in order to reach the "Steins;Gate" world line, in which both Mayuri and Kurisu can live. He also learns that Kurisu's death serves as the catalyst for World War III. However, this rescue attempt ends in disaster when Okabe ends up killing Kurisu himself. Distraught and grief-stricken over his actions, Okabe abandons his quest for time travel, hangs up his lab coat, and resigns himself to the beta world line.

As he tries to rebuild his life, he attends a college lecture hosted by two of Kurisu's colleagues, Professor Alexis Leskinen and Maho Hiyajo, who came from Viktor Condria University over in the States. Their presentation is centred around a new form of Artificial Intelligence that is constructed from a person's memories, using the now deceased Kurisu Makise as the basis, known as "Project Amadeus". Okabe agrees to become a tester for Amadeus, but his old wounds are reopened as he starts to become attached to the avatar representing the AI.

The majority of the cast from the first game returns, but have been given slight redesigns, in addition to new characters being added, and the Rine Trigger system replaces the old Phone Trigger from previous games. While the game mostly follows Rintaro Okabe, there are points in the game that are told from the perspective of Suzuha Amane and Maho Hiyajo.

WARNING! There are unmarked Spoilers ahead. Beware.

Tropes used in Steins;Gate 0 include:

Acrofatic: Despite his size, Daru proves to be quite nimble when on the run from mysterious agents.
Acronym Confusion: When first discussing AI amongst themselves, Faris believes the term to stand for "Ancient Intelligence", while Nae misinterprets it as "Eye Ice".
Ascended Extra: Suzuha is now a main character having played the role of an important side character previously.
- Yuki has gone from cameo appearances to being more involved with the main cast.
- Fubuki and Kaede were previously mentioned without appearing in any prior entry. Now they make physical appearances and show up often in the first half of the game.
Alternate Ending: The visual novel has several different endings, depending on the player's actions of course.
- Ironically enough, this series kicked off because of the alternate ending of the original series' 23rd episode (Divide by Zero), in which Okabe got no pep talk from his future self, nor encouragement to try again from Mayuri.
Always Someone Better: How Maho feels towards Kurisu.
Bad Future: The beta world line is one in and of itself. This entry tries to avert it.
Berserk Button: For Kagari, anyone or anything that threatens Mayuri. She is conditioned to kill anyone who tries to harm her.
- For Maho, she really hates being mistaken for a child, no thanks to her small stature.
- Since he no longer wants anything to do with time travel, any attempt to rebuild the PhoneWave will set Okabe off.
Cold-Blooded Torture: In 2025, Okabe is subjected to this at Leskinen's hands, and it was so bad that he was comatose for 11 years. Thankfully, we don't get to see it.
Color Failure: Happens to Kuroki when he sees that Maho and Moeka have turned Faris' guest room into a rubbish tip.
- Also happens to Faris when the girls' attempts to make chocolates goes south, and the clean-up had drained the last of her energy.
Contrasting Sequel Main Character: Subverted, since the character itself is the same, but with a completely different personality; the Okabe in this series in an empty, hollow shell of his former self, which was more obnoxious, boisterous, and hammy.
- In contrast, Suzuha is an example of a Contrasting Sequel Side Character in the sense that her Alpha and Beta selves are treated as separate characters with completely contrasting personalities.
Darker and Edgier: Very much so. Darker themes are explored, murder is more rampant, Okabe is a depressed shell for most of the story, and we get to see World War III in all its depressing glory. As for the anime, which becomes progressively more violent as it goes on, is it any wonder the second half of the series received a BBFC rating of 15 in the UK, compared to the first half only getting a 12?
- An anime exclusive scene has Okabe suffering a nightmarish hallucination from killing Kurisu in the first episode!
Do It Yourself Theme Tune: Kurisu's Japanese voice actress, Asami Imai, sings the anime's second credits theme "World Line".
Don't Call Me Kyouma: A inversion of what this trope was in the previous game/series. Okabe considers Hououin Kyouma an old shame and has to remind Faris on multiple occasions not to call him that anymore, much to her dismay.
Fanservice: The Christmas party in Episode 3 has the girls wearing some rather revealing Santa costumes, particularly Faris, Yuki, and Kaede.
- There's also a brief scene in Episode 10 in which Moeka is wearing lingerie.
He's Back: The second time Daru gives Okabe a good punch, it revives the long dormant Hououin Kyouma!
Heroic Sacrifice: Yuki dies protecting her daughter in the future by diving in front of a military drone's gunfire.
- Ruka stays behind in 2036 to help his comrades escape. This proves to be pivotal in Okabe's resolve, as witnessing the death of one of his friends snaps him out of his depression and gives him the motivation to stop WWIII from ever occurring.
Hit Me Dammit: After getting back to 2011 from 2036, Okabe bursts into the lab and demands Daru to punch him square in the face.
Innocent Fanservice Girl: As mentioned above, we see Moeka in lingerie in Episode 10, and she does look dead sexy in it. Too bad she doesn't realise this, being her usual socially awkward self, even when Faris takes notice.
Innocently Insensitive: Okabe goes on a massive tirade when he discovers that Maho and Daru have rebuilt the PhoneWave, which was overheard by a saddened and downtrodden Mayuri, who was just outside the lab when this happened. He is so wrapped up in his fury that he goes too far and inadvertently insults Maho and Daru's efforts to help him. A verbal battering from Maho and a punch in the face from Daru are enough to calm him down. Bear in mind, Okabe didn't intend to offend or upset anyone, but his word choices here are poor to say the least.
The Lilliputian: Maho. The only adult character that is even shorter than Faris (at 4' 6"), and she has quite a mean temper if you get on her bad side.
Locked Out of the Loop: Ruka and Mayuri are among those that Okabe tries to keep his time travelling escapades from just to keep them safe from his dark secrets. This does, however, have the consequence from the two knowing that something is amiss with Okabe, and they begin to question why he is acting the way he is, even outright stating that everyone around them in keeping secrets from them. This leads them to feel helpless, as they can't do a lot, if at all, to help him.
Love Confession: Mayuri to Okabe, and of course, Daru to Yuki.
Mental Time Travel: Okabe uses the Amadeus program to time leap.... into the future, that is.
Older Than They Look: Maho, definitely. Despite having the figure of a 12 year old, she is actually 21, a few months older than Moeka.
- Yuki is even older than Maho, at 22 years, though you wouldn't think she was that old considering she is friends with Mayuri's cosplay buddies.
Perspective Shift: Depending on the route, the game will play out through either Okabe, Maho, or Suzuha's viewpoint.
- There is one scene that is shown and played out through the eyes of Katsumi Nakase, aka Fubuki-chan.
Posthumous Character: Kurisu is pretty much this; since she is dead in the beta world line, everything we see of her is merely a digital recreation.
Robot Buddy: Amadeus can give you anything you need if you ask her! Whether it's help finding someone, a question you'd have, or dating advice, she is just one call away.
Setting Update: Okabe has traded in his flip phone for a new smart phone.
Ship Tease: With help from Faris, Suzuha tries to get Daru to go on a date with Yuki in order to secure her future. These attempts end in failure though.
The Stinger: Episode 7 is the first episode in the entire Steins;Gate franchise to have one of these. The 12th episode also has one.
Stock Footage: The anime reuses animation from the original series quite often.
There Are No Therapists: Averted, since Okabe is talking to one in the first five minutes of the first episode.
Time Skip: Between Episodes 13 and 14, a good six months have passed.
Unstoppable Rage: Threaten Mayuri around Kagari. Go on, do it!
Valentine's Day Episodes: The final episode, "Bittersweet Intermedio" is this.
We Win, Because You Didn't: Basically, since the Russians already had a substantial lead in the Time Machine arms race, they chose to destroy Kurisu's laptop instead of retrieving it so as to prevent anyone else from using whatever information was on there.
You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Okabe gives a speech of this nature to Maho the second time he time leaps from 2036, commending her for upgrading the Time Leap Machine to perform a 2-week leap, which surpassed what Kurisu managed.
- Maho tries to give one of these speeches to Moeka, only to stop herself when she realises that she is no different.