If you were an anime fan during the 2000s, you've probably heard about Higurashi When They Cry, that anime that starts like your average slice of life and then devolves into a massacre. However, most people ignore that the original story is a visual novel of a series called When They Cry, and that there is another game called Umineko When They Cry, which is a spiritual sequel to Higurashi.

Now, many people think that visual novels aren't games, but interactive books, and as someone who considers video games a form of art, my opinion is that you can't limit art media to strict definitions, as humans can express themselves however they want, so visual novels are as valid as any other game genre you can think of.

That being said, Umineko isn't a conventional story by any means, and trying to explain it without spoiling major parts is impossible. So, instead, I'll talk about the themes and experiences of reading it.

First, in my opinion, the first of the eight episodes is the hardest one to read, as the story starts really slow, with exposition dump after exposition dump and characters that feel kind of annoying when you first meet them, but if you can endure that first impression, you'll learn to appreciate how important it is all that info you are given, as everything you are told will be important at some point, so even if the narration can be redundant and verbose at times, it's amazing how even little details become extremely important later on.

But when the "main event" occurs (if you know you know), the tension and mystery become amazing. What is happening? Who's the bad guy? What is real and what is fantasy? And many questions are raised at you, but if you want to know the answers, you'll have to keep reading, and it isn't a quick adventure, as there are more than one million words in total, more than all the Harry Potter books combined, which means that even if you are a quick reader, you'll probably spend at least 100 hours in Umineko.

That is the main problem of recommending reading Umineko. How can you convince people to read 100 hours of a visual novel? Most people nowadays don't even read books, much less their video game equivalent, and when you can't even explain the story or do a proper synopsis, it becomes even harder to sell. But I assure you, if you are willing to play at least the first chapter, which isn't that large by itself, you'll understand why fans love so much the characters and the setting.

Although I'd say the best part of the entire experience is the second half. The episodes are divided into two arcs: Questions and Answers, whose names are pretty self-explanatory, and believe me, when you thought you already understood Umineko, The Answers Arc changes your whole view. The themes get subverted in ways you would have never expected, and when the questions asked as soon as the first chapter gets answered, you will be shocked at how complex and tragic the story really is.

Finally, the last episode, while it is controversial for not answering the main mystery (although you can read the manga to get more details that aren't in the visual novel), I'd say it is a perfect finale, because for me the mysteries weren't the most important element, but showing the importance of love, how "without love, it cannot be seen", and after crying at the ending and thinking about beautiful it was... I'd say they did a great job at that.

So, is it a perfect story? Far from it. Is it easy to understand? Not really. Are there parts that are hard to get through? I'd say yes. But even with that in mind, I don't regret spending 200 hours reading Umineko, 200 hours full of laughter, shocking moments, tears, but, most important of all... Love and magic.