Just some general questions about the game

[Uncle Jon]

Do you guys recommend watching the anime first or reading this visual novel? Did the visual novel come first or did the anime? Also does this game play like an adventure game like Ace Attorney or is it strictly a "game" were you mostly just read? Is there any actual gameplay?

[FrozenTrout]

1) the visual novel has more content, but the anime is an excellent adaptation, probably one of the best ever. You really can’t go wrong either way, or even both.

2) Visual novel was first, then the anime was adapted from it. Then they made S;G Elite, which is the visual novel script with the animation from the anime (plus new animation for the scenes that weren’t in the anime).

3) it’s a strict visual novel, there is no “gameplay”. Every so often you choose if/how to reply to a text message, or whether or not to send a text.

[chris.ferrantegerard]

Originally posted by Darunia:

Do you guys recommend watching the anime first or reading this visual novel?

I watched the anime first and bought the VN later because I had enjoyed the anime and wanted to read the original source content. The Stein's Gate anime is an excellent adaption. Don't think it will really matter if you decide which one you decide to go with (the VN does have some details that the anime doesn't cover of course) I suppose you could try the anime and see if you like that first before getting the VN.

Did the visual novel come first or did the anime?

The VN came first, then the anime. There's another version of the VN, STEINS;GATE ELITE. I don't have it but from my understanding it's kind of a mix between the anime and VN, it has animation similar to the anime instead of the original VN's style but is missing content from original VN.

Also does this game play like an adventure game like Ace Attorney or is it strictly a "game" were you mostly just read? Is there any actual gameplay?

This is strictly a visual novel. Gameplay is really limited, the only real gameplay options is choosing when to use your phone and selecting from a limited number of possible replies to emails (getting the true ending requires you to answer in particular ways and is really hard to get without a guide so I'd suggest using a guide to get it once you finish other endings).

You're basically reading a large book. The VN is good but takes a while to get going and build up the world before the action really starts taking off.