Umineko When They Cry - Answer Arcs

tldr: umineko the greatest. overlooked because of the format it is presented in. go in blind

to everyone whos come here wondering looking for the answer for the question i posed in the title, with all the reviews being something along the lines of "this is the greatest piece of fiction ever" ive come here clarify some stuff. to start off, umineko is an experimental mystery visual novel, which features narrative text over images or animations. in that sense its better to think of this as a book or a long form cutscene rather than a traditional game. this is a the second entry of the when they cry series. reading the previous instalment isn't a requirement, but is strongly recommended. if this is your first time getting into anything anime-esque, it might be hard to sit through the first episode, but the quality of the story has led to some classical literature reviewers comparing it to some of their favorite classics.

i have to preface this by saying that its pretty hard to talk about what makes this game good without giving away the game completely, but ill do my best regardless.
reception for this game is pretty divisive, because the nature of the story changes in its second half. some hated it because of how different it was from the first half, and others like me greatly enjoyed it. i can confidently say that if you are a fan of stories with complexity or a fan of the mystery genre this game is definitely for you. it is however a pretty massive time sink. maybe about 80-100 hours of reading. but i can assure you that this isn't a case of obsessed fans jacking the ratings.

umineko features thought provoking writing, memorable characters, great music, and some of the most well thought out complex mysteries i have ever seen. kind of like a weird blend of agatha criste with some touches of dante allegri in there. going through umineko, i was skeptical that it would dethrone every other game, and story that ive experienced. it was good for sure, but not top 1. by the time i finished i more than sold.

to conclude, umineko is not for everyone. if you're impatient like me you'll probably have a hard time getting into it, even more so if you're not into anime stuff. but in it there's an amazing narrative that's grossly overlooked because it is a visual novel. if you do read umineko keep an eye out of anything that might solve the mystery. you'll find out soon that no theory is too absurd. there is a reason everyone who finishes this says that its life changing, or that it's the greatest of all time, you name it. it changed the way that i looked at stories, and made me appreciate life a whole lot more.

if you do decide to embark on this journey, you're in for a damn good ride. be sure to go in blind.

make sure to never neglect the heart.

The character development, exploration of humanity, emotional connection, and the sheer force of the writing astounded me. Yes, Umineko sometimes was excessively dramatic and repetitious, but it still managed to wow me consistently to a point where it's unquestionably a 5/5.


I will also mention one thing I read in one of the comments on this page quoted from beautifulideachild

Both Ange and Battler realizing they can be functional adults that carry that trauma with them without enacting it on others after having grappled with the entirety of their family history (Battler does not even know if he wants to visit Ange's orphanage at first because he doesn't know if he wants to remember any of it!) is the entire point of the ending.

redefined the mystery genre as a whole
thank you ryukashi

Best piece of fiction, or even art, ever created. Please read, you will see the world and yourself entirely differently.

Thank you.

The best story ever told in a videogame (by a fairly substantial margin). The best cast of characters ever in a videogame (by a fairly substantial margin). A strong contender for richest atmosphere ever in a videogame. A strong contender for best soundtrack ever in a videogame.

The Answer Arcs in particular are some of the finest works of narrative fiction ever made. Catch-22, The Wire, Watchmen. That is the territory here.

What are you waiting for?

The conclusion of what is personally my favorite narrative I've ever experienced, the Answer arcs wrap up the mysteries established in the first series with perhaps the most soul-crushingly beautiful, unforgettable ending ever. More incredible music, more development for each character (you will still come to love them all by at least the third chapter in the previous installment), and other treats await you here.

This series' eclectic nature is easily one of is strongest suits. Both the first and second installments feature remarkable romance, horror, mystery, and even action, the reading of which is far more thrilling than one might first anticipate.

This series clocks in to around 100-120 hours and features some honestly irritating repetition at times, but I can't recommend it enough.