Higurashi When They Cry Hou
Also known as Higurashi no Naku Koro ni · ひぐらしのなく頃に · Higurashi When They Cry
Mystery, Horror, Thriller · by 07th Expansion · published by MangaGamer · 2015
A new kid settles happily into a tiny mountain village in 1983, until he learns of the murders that strike each year during the summer festival.
Who it's for: Patient readers who want a very long, episodic mystery-horror saga with a slow, cosy start and a dark turn.
The story (spoiler-free)
Keiichi has just moved to the quiet village of Hinamizawa and quickly falls in with a lively group of classmates. Days of games and jokes give way to unease when he learns about a string of deaths tied to the yearly festival.
The story is told in chapters that each replay that June from a different angle. The first half poses the mystery; the second half starts answering it.
It is a 'sound novel': there are no choices, just reading, with music and backgrounds setting the mood.
Where to play
Why play it
- +A landmark of the mystery-horror visual novel genre
- +Unusual chapter structure that invites theorising
- +Strong contrast between warm slice-of-life and real dread
- +Try-before-you-buy: Chapter 1 is free on Steam
Keep in mind
- −Very long, and the opening of each chapter is slow
- −No choices at all
- −Sold as many separate chapters rather than one package
Content warnings
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