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Old 2005-12-28, 02:41   Link #21
kj1980
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Age: 43
Quote:
Originally Posted by arias
Eh, what is this game/series about? Can anyone provide a lowdown on the story?

Anyways, you guys who've played the game should try to keep your posts and stuff spoiler free, because they're all sprinkled with clues to potential spoilers.
It's a combination of:

1. Suspense, mystery, and horror
2. That deals with local myths, traditions and superstitions
3. Intertwined with serial murders
4. That involves three heads of households
5. Which all began from a unpopular dam project
6. That takes place in a humble rural town
7. Set in 1983


It is highly popular as:

1. The characters are very lively and the story is absolutely brilliant
2. It reminds you of the good ol' days when there were no mobile phones or video games
3. When kids actually improvised existing games and went outside to play
4. At the same time gives importance on family and friendship
5. Which can snap and break with just a little wrong turn...


There are absolutely no selections to choose. All you do is read the text along with the visuals. But solving the mystery through acquiring hints and clues called "TIPS" is the main "gameplay" of this game. And the suspense and mystery is so intriguing, it makes people who at first scoff at this game get hooked into it.

The rest...you have to play for yourself - or at least read the manga.



[edit]
I've also created an English wikipedia site for this game/anime. Feel free to check that out as I've written as much as I can think of for FAQs.

Last edited by kj1980; 2006-04-28 at 09:50.
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Old 2005-12-28, 02:41   Link #22
arias
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Join Date: May 2004
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaFool
Dude, I really have a hard time figuring out how one would answer your first question without violating your second question

A mouse is your friend. Especially one with a working left button:
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=26477

Gah, since I've insulted you already, I'll indulge. The lowdown (very general):
* Upcoming anime is based on the best-selling doujin (non-professional) visual novel / game of same title. It's not really an ero-game, because it doesn't have any ero scenes, and it is a straight-through read (no choice options)
* It's a murder mystery in a small town school setting
* The appeal of the game lay with the anticipation of the next chapter (After the question chapters come the answer chapters)
I don't need to insult you, because your nick is perfect

I did check that page, but no one gave a story summary. I saw the detective, and I accidentally saw ki1980's mega-spoiler so I thought it could be along the lines of murder mystery, but I wasn't sure. Anyway, okay, I guess I get some of it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kj1980
It's a combination of:

1. Suspense, mystery, and horror
2. That deals with local myths, traditions and superstitions
3. Intertwined with serial murders
4. That involves three heads of households
5. Which all began from a unpopular dam project
6. That takes place in a humble rural town
7. Set in 1983


It is highly popular as:

1. The characters are very lively and the story is absolutely brilliant
2. It reminds you of the good ol' days when there were no mobile phones or video games
3. When kids actually improvised existing games and went outside to play
4. At the same time gives importance on family and friendship
5. Which can snap and break with just a little wrong turn...


There are absolutely no selections to choose. All you do is read the text along with the visuals. But solving the mystery through acquiring hints and clues called "TIPS" is the main "gameplay" of this game. And the suspense and mystery is so intriguing, it makes people who at first scoff at this game get hooked into it.

The rest...you have to play for yourself - or at least read the manga.
Aye, I'm not up to date with manga so I'll check it out sometime. So, I guess this was what my Japanese housemate was telling me about.. a very intriguing murder mystery that was revealed in later chapters or such. Ah well.. I'll just wait for the anime to arrive, or see if anyone's scanlating the manga.
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Old 2005-12-28, 08:45   Link #23
Sushi-Y
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kj1980
It seems 07th Expansion is largely a family done effort! Wow!!!
That's probably the biggest revelation, isn't it? Everything from programming to marketing are all handled among family members, it's really something.

As I read the various, er, revelations, I got the feeling that this was the "my mind was totally blank" thing that Ryukishi07-san was talking about in his 12/14 diary entry. ^^;

Quote:
Originally Posted by arias
Eh, what is this game/series about? Can anyone provide a lowdown on the story?

Anyways, you guys who've played the game should try to keep your posts and stuff spoiler free, because they're all sprinkled with clues to potential spoilers.
It's hard to give a proper summary because the game isn't cleanly wrapped into one game, one story. But rather one game, split into many chapters, each chapter taking place with the same setting, but with totally different outcomes.

But if I were to give a general description, it would be something like the following, it's impossible to write a summary without spoiling things, but I'll try to keep it at a minimum:
Spoiler:

As I wrote that, I realized how impossible it is to write a proper "general" description of the story (because I know so much now). Anyone who played through the game would say "there is SO much more to it than that", and I agree, what I wrote is no more than the tip of the iceberg (and there would be multiple icebergs, mind you). This sound novel, like all great novels, isn't limited to a single genre. On top of the advertised "horror", "suspense", "mystery", Higurashi also contains just as much comedy (oh boy the comedy), drama, action, and even some romance (more specifically, just how powerful "love" can be, as demonstrated in the Meakashi chapter). It's a story that makes you laugh, cry, angry, scared, confused, and, most importantly, it makes you think.

At first, perhaps most people would step into the story thinking their ultimate goal would be to "figure out who the murderer is". But as one become more and more attached to our characters through all the events that can make one laugh-out-loud, burn with passion, stunned with shock, or moved to the point of sheding tears, and then faced with an uncertain but unavoidable outcome, the sense of powerlessness is true. As each new chapter releases go by, we see the same characters in the same setting, but with the story unfolding in a totally different direction, the readers will have to discover what similarities and differences that all these "alternate universes" share, think about the possibilities of events happening, and truly, not to find out "who did it", but to find a way to "avoid the tragedy".

Or as the catch phrase on the game package would say: "Challange the Tragedy"

Oh, other than that, it's just a bloody good game, I'm so happy I learned Japanese.

Last edited by Sushi-Y; 2005-12-28 at 17:40.
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Old 2005-12-29, 12:59   Link #24
kj1980
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I'm heading out to Comike right now in order to get my hands on Minagoroshi-hen!! I'll weather the cold for this hot item.
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Old 2005-12-30, 07:00   Link #25
Cloudnine
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Na~ Was anyone able to grab the demo Higurashi Daybreak @ Tasogare's booth?
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Old 2005-12-30, 18:42   Link #26
Sushi-Y
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cloudnine
Na~ Was anyone able to grab the demo Higurashi Daybreak @ Tasogare's booth?
If all else fails, you can always look to Wi○○y... (The only way for me to play it I'msorryI'llbuyitwhenitcomesout m(_ _;)m)

Undefeatable Rena-pan. ヽ(゜▽゜)ノ

My Minagoroshi shipped one hour after it was released yesterday (go Mangaoh), but it probably won't get here until next week, so I'm going to escape this thread before kj comes in and blows everything up.
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Old 2006-01-08, 10:52   Link #27
Sushi-Y
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Took me two days to finish Minagoroshi, but in any case, I finished it.
Spoiler for Minagoroshi-hen spoiler comments:

Last edited by Sushi-Y; 2006-04-21 at 15:15.
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Old 2006-01-08, 16:13   Link #28
kj1980
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sushi-Y
Took me two days to finish Minagoroshi, but in any case, I finished it.

...How many time does a game make you seriously want to just absolutely KILL the bastard who just so deserves to die, like, 100 times?
Spoiler for comments for Minagoroshi:

Last edited by kj1980; 2006-04-21 at 13:30.
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Old 2006-01-08, 19:45   Link #29
Sushi-Y
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kj1980
Spoiler for comments for Minagoroshi:
Spoiler for Minagoroshi comments:

Last edited by Sushi-Y; 2006-04-21 at 15:14.
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Old 2006-01-09, 02:03   Link #30
kj1980
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Spoiler for Minagoroshi:
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Old 2006-01-09, 14:25   Link #31
Gitami
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Join Date: Dec 2005
The spoiler button are just like those signs that mysteriously hang in the open and say "do not pull". Well I pulled and the snippets makes me want to know more. Is there any website that explains the games in detail for those of us who can't really read Japanese?
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Old 2006-01-09, 17:50   Link #32
Freakman
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What I could add as someone that has read most of it, is that you don't want to read details about the game, since it is really all the more enjoyable that way.
The creeping feeling you get as events unfold in the first scenarios is definitely ruined if you already know what happened in the 5 past years beforehand.
Other than that, I can only say... either you learn Japanese, or you try to forget about Higurashi before the anime comes.
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Old 2006-01-09, 22:03   Link #33
Gitami
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I am muddling through the manga (yay for kanjis) for Onikakushi and Watanagashi and they appear to be alternative or at very least simultaneously occuring(to give perspective for the overall plot). Are each of the game/chapters the "same world, alternate result" or simultaneous occuring or linear one after the other?

I'll take the advice and limit my contact with things Higurashi as much as I can. >.>
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Old 2006-01-09, 23:11   Link #34
Sushi-Y
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gitami
Are each of the game/chapters the "same world, alternate result"?
Bingo.

The mangas' biggest weakness, besides not being nearly as detailed as the original sound novel, is the lack of explanations that's not directly related to the story. In the sound novel, you receive critical pieces of information that's important to the player (you), but disconnected from the actual story, in the form of a "tip". As you progress through the story, tips accumulate and are read seperately from the actual story, and sometimes they can provide valuable insights to the player.

In any case, the one thing to keep in mind is that "the characters, and the world itself, are the same across all stories. Just because _____'s behaviors are so different between 2 chapters, it does not mean that two different _____s exist."
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Old 2006-01-10, 01:26   Link #35
kj1980
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sushi-Y
The mangas' biggest weakness, besides not being nearly as detailed as the original sound novel, is the lack of explanations that's not directly related to the story. In the sound novel, you receive critical pieces of information that's important to the player (you), but disconnected from the actual story, in the form of a "tip". As you progress through the story, tips accumulate and are read seperately from the actual story, and sometimes they can provide valuable insights to the player.
Marketing-wise, I am assuming that there will be "TIPS" only manga for this purpose, just like the drama CDs.

Although I do appraise all three mangas in their respective ways in being true to the original game. But yes, the manga lacks the critical informations that is necessary to bring out thoughts and your own theories.

An important thing to remember when reading the different chapters is "what caused it to lead to this result" and "what are the similarities between the different worlds." (i.e.: _______'s action here caused the domino effect and ______ always seems to die no matter what)
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Old 2006-01-11, 22:53   Link #36
Sushi-Y
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I read an after-play comment of Minagoroshi written by Shun-san over at ろくでなしの詩. He took it off now because it was a rather negative review bordering on being extreme, which probably pissed off a few people. But overall, I think he raised some good points.

Spoiler for Minagoroshi comments:

Last edited by kj1980; 2006-05-08 at 18:03.
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Old 2006-01-11, 23:06   Link #37
Nightengale
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Okay....I've finally finished Onikakushi with a 70% understanding of the whole scenario, and while it is quite interesting, I'm not sure I want to nurture out the strength to continue it. It has yet to touch my addicting point, and translating really takes a lot of effort in my hand. I'll have to go to the advanced Japanese class when my holidays are over.

At this point, I may even be thinking to wait for the anime before playing the rest.

Question, does it get more ~addicting~ later on?
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Old 2006-01-12, 00:09   Link #38
Freakman
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Hmm. If Onikakushi can't hold your interest...
WataNagashi is a really good downward spiral once the matsuri is over. Although obviously you'd have to read through the cheerful first part of the story.
I found that enjoyable, but if you're still uncomfortable with your japanese and you find it tedious well... I can't quite help you.
The least involving scenario would probably be HimaTsubushi, but it's short.
Other than that I got helplessly addicted to all of the other scenarios.
Can't wait for the end of MinaGoroshi <3
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Old 2006-01-12, 00:30   Link #39
Sushi-Y
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nightengale
Question, does it get more ~addicting~ later on?
Onikakushi is probably the weakest of all three major question chapters in terms of content (the 4th chapter, Himatsubushi, was meant to be a "side-story" to begin with, so I'm not counting it).

The appeal level really skyrockets when you get to the Kai 解 (answer) chapters. Not just story-wise, but even the presentation for the Kai chapters appears many times more polished compared to the earlier chapters (especially in terms of new musics).

Imagine it this way:
Reading through the question chapters is like finding empty cans to set up in a row.
Reading through the answer chapters is like blowing the the cans away with your air rifle.

Some people might find the "first-half" of the chapters (happy daily life) to be boring, but they're there for a purpose. Only after you have become familiar with all the characters and their daily lives can you feel the shock at full force when "something goes wrong".
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Old 2006-01-12, 19:50   Link #40
Freakman
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Wow. Just finished reading through Minagoroshi.
Spoiler:

Last edited by Freakman; 2006-04-21 at 14:12.
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