Recent reviews by phm

I am usually not writing reviews for games because I am bored even if I like the game. Then there are some games that just makes me want to talk about them.

I haven't played many VNs although I have been an anime fan for years in the past. Now I am mostly detached with the anime culture with the exception of music. However, I still want to give some titles a try if I am convinced it's worth it.

I learned about this game, basically after it has been hyped so much and after I have learned that it is meant to be something different. I guess that's why I decided to give it a try out of curiosity considering it's also free. Initially I had my expectations low but after playing for a bit I realised that there is more to this game than it seems to be initially.

This game doesn't have any sophisticated plot or well-developed characters. It's the presentation and the structure of the experience that gives meaning to the title. It's fairly hard to define the genre of this game but the basis of it is a dating sim.

Overall, I would say that it was a really pleasant surprise and it's worth trying considering it's also free. I wouldn't exactly call it a no brainer, I can see that it's not going to appeal to a lot of people, but I would say that if you are curious about the game and want to try something fresh, go for it.

Does your life suck? Do you want to forget about your life and invest all your free time (and your sleep) in a virtual world where you will engage in expressing your aggression by killing monsters, while at the same time try to find the most creative and efficient way to do this?

Do you also like gambling and the feeling of luck (not) being on your side but you are too afraid to try this in the real world?

Also do you like competing with other players, but you are finding it too frustrating to do this directly?

Do you like speed and being in situations where you don't understand what's going on because there are too many flashy things happening?

Finally, are you a masochist who likes to go through the same trouble again and again?

This game then is for you.

I am sure there are many great reviews already but I felt the need to add my review (or more like proportioning of the VN and my feeling about this piece of work) myself. Like most of the reviewers below, I read the game years ago and now I got it on steam in order to support it. A few years back if someone told me that Umineko would be on steam I would laugh at them but here it is.

Obviously my play time on steam doesn't count and as most of the reviewers here, I have been a huge fan of the series in the previous years. So perhaps my view on it may not be what would someone call objective but I don't think it is easy to be objective with a series like this. It's important to note that I am on a different phase of my life now and probably re-reading the VN is not something I will have the courage to do nor will I enjoy it the way I did back then. All things considered, it is very long and I have never been a book reader, quite on the contrary (Umineko has been a big exception in that regard). Even so, seeing Umineko Steam, brought me some deep excitement because new people can get a chance to ready this masterpiece by just getting it from steam.

Let me start by making a disclaimer that this series is not for everyone. It is not meant to be a big hit enjoyed by the masses. You have to like the genre and style of the game and also you have to be a bit crazy I think to enjoy this. Having said that for those that meet the criteria this series is absolutely amazing. I understand that those who haven't played the VN before and see all those reviews praising it that much, they will think that they are just overexagerating. Surely, as I said there is no warranty that you will like the series. But many people that liked the series loved it deeply because it is so well made.

So after the long disclaimers above, let's go to the main topic: What is this series about and whether you should get it. This series is a love story and also two genres intertwined: Fantasy and Mystery. It's also a story about desire and impossible wishes. I don't want to spoil the story but let's just say that the main setting is in a private island owned by a powerful family. They gather to discuss about inheritance issues (well the grownups really) and then things starting getting bad, with murders, witches and more.

The theme of fantasy vs mystery (meaning that whether what you see is something that can be explained rationally or whether magic has to be employed to explain what happens) is very strongly explored. If you have been questioning this in your real life, from a philosophical or religious point of view, this will probably interest you and keep you thinking a lot. Seriously, this VN demonstrates how magical thinking works in a brilliant way.

Another part of the story that is very strong and perhaps more important is the main characters themselves and their love story behind the main story. I can't really such much about this without spoiling anything, you have to read it yourself and make your own conclusions.

The style of the game is great but this is highly subjective. The figures are of anime style and also there are many tropes taken from anime. So if you hate anime you probably won't enjoy this. If you also like lolita fashion like dressed characters (which correspond to some of the witches), which is kind of similar to the style you see in anime like Rozen Maiden or games like Touhou you will like it even further. Something I also liked was the gracefulness shown by the speech and behaviour of some of the characters, after all this is about a powerful family and some very powerful witches. At the same time though it is notable that very often the series have moments with a more casual/realistic atmosphere. Ryukishi07 (the creator of the series) likes to make a great contrast between the calm scenes where things progress in a normal manner and some scenes where madness emerges.

Another part that is very important is the music of the series. Again highly subjective but I personally have loved the music and have listened to it countless times. Sometimes it is the typical calm music used for similar series but also it has some very strong tracks for the more heated scenes. Some say that some themes have been changed for the Steam version, but I suspect that on the most part it should be the same as the original. I like the combination of baroque church organ/harpsichord genre with modern beat music. If you are into this kind of music you will love it. In fact I think that music plays a huge role into creating the mood of the scenes, from happiness and excitement to dread and horror.

Well since I did mention what the series is, let me mentioned what the series is not. First of all, despite some mild fanservice shown here and there (mainly in the form of the style of the clothing and the way some characters behave), this series is not for those who want any serious ecchi moments and doesn't use any cheap tricks to turn the story into lovey dovey heart-warming moments that makes you feel so "moe" etc. If you want a charming lovely story to relax and feel warm inside, this series will greatly disappoint you. In fact the series is one of the saddest and most cruel stories I have ever read/seen. This of course also depend by how emotionally engaged you will get by the series, but at least for me it was like that the first time I read it: it very emotionally engaging. Seriously, if you suffer from depression don't get this. Don't get me wrong it certainly has various comical/casual moments but the overall tone of the series is not on the bright side.

Finally, just so you know this is a long series, it consists of 8 arcs (currently the first 4 are released) and it takes some time to read. If you want a bit of a shorter version you can read the manga but please, do not waste your time with the anime, it was too short to show all the details needed and to allow you to think of the various matters and most importantly it didn't really capture what the series was about.

There is no point of me rating the series as it is obvious by now that I liked it quite lot. I didn't read many visual novels but I did watch many anime in the past and there are only two series I have considered to be a true masterpiece: Neon Genesis Evangelion and then it was this. The reason is simple: I didn't find much I didn't like about the series or that I thought it was badly made. Everything is executed with much care and masterfully. Well you could argue that the original artwork is bad, but in the end this series is about some abstract concepts and the not so great graphics help in a way to create some distance so that the suspension of disbelief can work well, without the uncanny valley effect sometimes realism produces.

So I totally recommend the series for those that find its concepts appealing. You may not necessary like it (and perhaps you may hate it) but if you are into this kind of stories and concepts I would greatly recommend to at least try it.