MangaGamer, a company that specializes in the localization of Japanese video games announced at Anime Expo that they are bringing Ryukishi07’s Umineko no Naku Koro ni to Steam. Known also as Umineko: When They Cry, the spiritual successor to the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (When They Cry) series that innovated violent animes as well as gave birth to the psychotic faces anime characters make when they go insane. Some people have even credited Higurashi for the censorship in violent animes today.
The visual novel will feature new sprite work, updated translation, thanks to Witch Hunt, and the full original soundtrack. The release will also include the option to use the old sprites if gamers want to stay true to the original release.
MangaGamer describes the visual novel’s story:
“In Umineko, the player will join Battler, a scion of the wealthy Ushiromiya family, as he attends their annual reunion on the island of Rokkenjima for the first time in six years. However, that night, a disaster falls upon the Ushiromiya family, and they all begin to fear for their very lives. Battler’s cousin Maria believes the golden witch Beatrice has returned and committed murder through magic, but Battler doesn’t believe in such a fantasy. Still, could anyone in his family really have killed their own kin for the sake of riches? You know both the situation leading up to the incident and its tragic result, but the course of events is an enigma, and no one willing to share the whole truth. What really happened on Rokkenjima that night?”
The visual novel spawned an anime which is currently available from NIS America. Yen Press has also released the manga here in the United States as well in omnibus editions.
No release date has been set for the release of the game just yet.
