Okabe is a self-proclaimed mad scientist who often goes by the pseudonym Kyouma Hououin (Japanese: 鳳凰院 凶真, Hepburn: Hōōin Kyōma).

To express the character's struggles of trying in regards to how Okabe aims to save the world, Matsubara said it was necessary for the team to create a game structure that was a little jarring.

J. Michael Tatum plays the character in English dubs and had to change different parts of Miyano's take when doing commentaries so that Western audiences would understand Okabe's explanations.

[5] As Rintaro sends a text message about the incident to his friend, Hashida "Daru" Itaru, he experiences a strange phenomenon and the people around him disappear, with no one else noticing anything had changed.

After going through a painstaking journey across multiple 'World Lines' due to the invention of 'D-Mail', text messages that can be sent to the past, Rintaro Okabe has assumedly landed in the "Steins Gate" World Line, in which he was able to prevent the deaths of both Shiina Mayuri and Makise Kurisu, as well as prevent a future ruled by SERN due to the invention of a time machine that no longer exists.

The next day on August 4, a mysterious visitor shows up at Kurisu's hotel, telling her to remember three things: a cell phone, a microwave oven, and SERN.

[13] RiceDigital listed Okabe and Makise as one of the best couples in visual novels history superior to his favorites from Danganronpa based on how carefully is their relationship developed across the narrative of the game.

[17] In another review, GamesTm stated that Okabe deconstructs the ideas for a scientist in a positive fashion due to how he avoids stereotypical traits seen in fiction comparing him "Rick And Morty’s titular professor more than any other genre rival".

[18] IGN felt the bonds Okabe has with his friends were also appealing when talking about multiple subjects based on different types of ideas to help his dialogue be easier to understand.

Crunchyroll stated that while his appearance has not changed with the exception of his black coat, Okabe shows signs of suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and depression as a result of Kurisu's death.

[21] Destructoid referred to him as the most changed character due to his lack of crazy demeanor and that did not care about the future of his life in a possible World War III.

[22] Hardcore Gamer found that players might be affected by how Okabe passes his free time interacting with an AI based on Kurisu, something that might instead hurt him rather than recover from his trauma.

[24][22] In regards to the anime adaptation of the visual novels, DVD Talk enjoyed Okabe's character arc as he becomes a more realistic person across the story.

[26] Pierce Drew at The Fandom Post regarded Okabe as having "massive, spotlighting personality" due to his "mad scientist" actions, like delivering laughs in a chaotic manner regardless of voice actor.

The critic also praised the relationship Okabe has with Kurisu, stating they have "chemistry" while both of them acting as tsundere while also enjoying the way the protagonist also bonds with his childhood friend Mayuri.

[30] According to Macquarie University, the character has a notorious mental problem; Okabe's paranoia produces this reduction of everyday objects to items of dread.