Steins;Gate: Variant Space Octet is an 8-bit-style visual novel originally released in 2011 in Japan and set after the events of Steins;Gate. With a full translation patch from Committee of Zero released in July, this game has become easily accessible to everyone in English. Now, let’s take a look at the game; you can either watch the video or read the article below.
Presentation
Variant Space Octet is unique, reminiscent of many games made in the ’90s. Playing it feels like playing an old game in an emulator, and you can even select which retro PC you are “playing on,” which changes how the game looks, how fast it renders scenes, and even how the audio sounds. As someone who enjoys playing retro games on emulators, playing Octet felt exactly like that, in all the good ways.
When you boot up the game, you also get a unique loading screen depending on the PC you’ve selected, giving it a feeling like you’ve just entered a diskette into a real retro PC. In-game, when you enter a new location, you have to wait a few seconds until the entire scene is “drawn” by lines and colors. This is accurate to the era the game references, but you can still skip the animation by pressing Spacebar or a mouse button.
The game’s sound effects are all retro beeps, and the music is an excellent 8-bit remake of the original soundtrack for the Steins;Gate visual novel, even featuring songs like Skyclad Observer, Gate of Steiner, and others. Each sound and piece of music also sounds different based on the “PC” you’re playing on. This actually inspired me to play the game again with different settings after I first beat it to see how the full soundtrack sounded and how the scenes looked.
Gameplay
Variant Space Octet doesn’t just look like a retro game—it also plays like one. You need to enter various commands to take actions throughout the game. Some commands are obvious and are shown on the screen, while some are hidden; players are able to experiment with their various options. Since the game doesn’t feature any real guide, it’s quite fun to try different words and see what, if anything, will happen.
Some commands, like kiss, hug, punch, trigger funny instances of Okabe’s internal monologue. You can also use the command phone to experience Okabe’s chuunibyou firsthand as he talks into it, or use the assistant command to call your trusty assistant for help.
You can move freely through Akihabara by using commands like left, right, back, and front. While the freedom to move through locations is appreciated, I did get lost a few times. Sometimes, typing the opposite command of what you typed before will not return you to the previous screen but take you to a different location instead.
Story
Unlike 8-Bit ADV Steins;Gate, Octet features a fully original story set after the events of the true ending of Steins;Gate. Okabe is on a train when Reading Steiner suddenly activates and the world line shifts. He receives a D-Mail from his future self that reveals that an elusive esper called Neidhardt has stolen the IBN 5100 and changed all the key world industries into “moe industries” in the future. It is now up to Okabe, and you, to locate the computer and prevent another apocalyptic world line from coming to pass.
The story does not take itself too seriously, and the dialogue between characters matches that perfectly. It’s an over-the-top narrative full of funny and snarky dialogue, especially between Okabe and Kurisu. Since you can call Kurisu at almost any time, it makes for great banter between them.
While the entire story is funny and exaggerated, toward the climax it becomes surprisingly heartwarming, and I really enjoyed that. The connections to Chaos;Head are also a fun touch for longtime fans.
If you only play straight through the story, you can beat the game in an hour or two. However, if you want to see all the dialogue and try different commands, you can easily add another hour or two to that. Since the game’s presentation changes based on the “PC” you select, you can easily jump into another playthrough to see how it looks and sounds. I definitely did.
Conclusion
8/10
Steins;Gate: Variant Space Octet is a charming and creative entry that captures the spirit of retro adventure games while delivering a lighthearted and surprisingly funny story. Its unique presentation, interesting command-based gameplay, and great character banter make it an excellent experience for any Steins;Gate fan. While the navigation can be a bit confusing, the game’s humor, atmosphere, and many visual settings give it plenty of personality and replay value. If you’re a fan of the original Steins;Gate and like the 8-bit aesthetic, I think you’ll really enjoy this game.
Pros:
- Charming 8-bit presentation
- Fun, playful command-based gameplay with lots of hidden interactions
- Lighthearted, over-the-top story with great character dialogue
Cons:
- Navigation can be confusing and easy to get lost in
- Very short if you only follow the main route
- Lack of an in-game guide may frustrate players unfamiliar with retro-style command systems
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