Umineko When They Cry

VNDB

Story Structure

  • Mostly linear, a few choices at the way end

  • All-Ages

User Opinions

u/applemons9183

Incredibly unique murder mystery that drags at times but has the foundation to support its immense length.

u/baisuposter

Will have you thinking obsessively about it not merely while you play it, but long after finishing it. There isn't and probably never will be another murder mystery quite like this, for good and for bad.

u/AmmoSexualBulletkin

It presents itself as a mystery and does a good job of fooling you into thinking it is. In reality, it's more just a bunch of very detailed "maybe this is what happened" stories about an event that pretty much no one knows the truth of. It's still a fun ride, so I'd read it anyway.

u/moybull

Amazing mystery and simply amazing emotional and very thematically poignant story. Totally changed the way I analyze and theorize for future fictional works. Dialogue is very engaging and among the large and diverse cast of characters there are some standouts. By far my favorite soundtrack in any VN, with a huge array of great songs across the 8 episodes.

u/Stefan474

This one is very hard for me to give an objective review and thoughts on as it's the game that has actually changed my life and the way I think about it, so if that's not the testament to the quality I wouldn't know what is. Umineko is a very divisive game as some people will say it's a boring slog, either genuinely not liking it or finding it overhyped/not understanding the point it is trying to convey, and some people, like me, will swear by it and believe it's one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. At it's core Umineko no Naku koro ni is a love letter to the mystery genre and a thesis on what truth is, and what that means I would like everyone to experience. It was a magical journey from beginning to the end, and if there is one VN I'd like for everyone to care for as strongly as me, it's this one.

u/Garchr

I put off reading Umineko for a long time and that was a huge mistake. I've always struggled to summarise exactly what it is that makes Umineko so good, but I honestly feel that reading it just straight up made me a better person. It's also a super entertaining read featuring some fantastic dialogue, an engaging story with some great twists & mysteries, and what I'd consider to be the best soundtrack in visual novels (or any media because I'm super biased). Some flaws would be the ocassional pacing issues that pop up especially around some action scenes, and some minor technical issues - though your experience may vary. I'd recommend grabbing the PS3 sprites and voice acting for what I'd consider to be the best experience.

u/Some_Guy_87

Umineko requires a lot of time investment and attention, but rewards it with a clever storytelling that keeps teasing you into making up theories and finding the conclusion to the mysteries yourself. It's a versatile mix of melancholic, thrilling, playful and goofy scenes that always makes one thing clear: This is about the reader using their head and judging themselves what to believe and how to interpret an event. You won't be rewarded with solutions, but need to reward yourself - I highly recommend to take notes and share thoughts and theories with others when picking this up.

u/Forestgrant

One of my favorite visual novels ever. Puts a very unique twist on classic murder mysteries, and has a lot of interesting and well-written characters. The soundtrack is also incredibly diverse and great. Recommended for those who like murder mysteries, interesting characters, and debates.

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