Watanagashi, the second chapter of the episodic Higurashi series, has finally crept onto Steam. As expected from the stellar work done on CH1, MangaGamer have not disappointed in making Watanagashi a worthwhile purchase:

• Unlike the previous (non-Steam) MG localization of Higurashi, no licensing issues hinder this release. The original music is fully intact as it was in the original release nearly 13 years ago.
  
• Like CH1, the translation quality of this release far surpasses the 2009 MG localization or the various fanslation projects, owing to MangaGamer's decision to retranslate this behemoth from scratch. Wordplay, idioms, descriptions, characterizations, all are delicately handled in a way that immerses the reader without straying from the original transcript; in many situations, comparing this new translation to the old is like night and day.
  
• Detailed new character art has been provided for the user's convenience, replacing the original low-res Ryukishi art if so desired. Alternatively, those who prefer the original art have the option to switch between the two on the fly by pressing 'P'. Going even further beyond these options, MangaGamer's intentional decision to allow modding of Higurashi's graphic assets means that discerning fans can even go as far as using the PS2 character sprites, or the PS3 backgrounds, or even custom fanmade sprites. Even voice mods using the VO of the older console releases of Higurashi are popping up, thanks to the flexibility provided by this rerelease's engine.

I can only assume if you're reading this review for CH2 you were (rightfully) in love with CH1 and wanted to see if MangaGamer's handling of CH2 is up to snuff. The answer is a resounding 'yes', and you should go out of your way to support such an excellent release.

I will not quench your thirst, for you seek the truth and could not accept that.
I will not quench your thirst, for the truth you desire does not exist.
But I still want to quench your thirst, for I am the one who cast you into the desert. - Frederica Bernkastel

Well, here comes the second chapter of Higurashi When They Cry series: Ch.2 - Watanagashi. It is equally ambiguous in its narrative and mysterious with its story pacing just as the first game, yet this time its revelations hold more of a chilling murder/mystery rather than a supernatural horror compared to the first game. The game is just as good though, feeding into your curiosity furthermore by presenting a storyline that doesn't fit with the timetable of events presented to us in the previous game.

Completing the first game - I detest spoilers, so I'll try to be vague as possible when it comes to plot points - it should be obvious that it is impossible for both games to be part of the same timeline. Even though, the core story elements are more or less the same with the first game - in which you are Keiichi Maebara who has just moved into the silent town of Hinamizawa and befriended a bunch of girls with quirky characters - the dynamic and events themselves in nature completely differ. Sure, we go through a sweet, careless period with girls from Keiichi's perspective; and after the night of the Watanagashi festival everything takes a turn for the creepy and mysterious. But this time we are presented with some kind of a "what if" scenario. This time, Keiichi isn't present during the festival, since he's been busy breaking a taboo alongside Takano Miyo, Tomitake Jiro and a newly introduced character in this arc: Shion Sonozaki, our beloved friend Mion's little sister.

This arc takes a turn to shed some light into the background of all three families leading Hinamizawa - clans Sonozaki, Kimiyoshi and Furude. Alongside many narrative details that we are already familiar with, this new game brings in a closer perspective to Sonozaki clan, and Sonozaki twins themselves respectively. Being the second question arc in the series, it arises more questions rather than answering old ones, but the game is invaluable for its quality on introducing a thorough history of the village, including both the folklore narrative and actual historical facts, very useful to explain the local psycho-dynamic for the village.

As we've been able to observe in the first game, the narrative pacing heavily relies on sound effects, soundtrack pieces and the timing of them to be introduced with appropriate narrative sequences. Through this formula, a cheery scene may suddenly turn into an uncanny one; and a dramatic moment may suddenly turn into a full throttle horror scene. Everything within the game relies on this element of absurd consequentiality, keeping you on your toes.

It may be important to note that this storyline is a bit more brutal compared to the first one, since we have mostly observed a period of dreadful paranoia, alongside some not very closely examined murder occurrences in Onikakushi. Here, we'll travel down into the belly of the beast, dealing with more death scenarios, more gore scenes and probably more psychotic monologues than necessary. I sure do love the series but I cannot handle villain monologues well, so there has been moments that I couldn't wait for someone specific to shut up... Oh, well, it ended up being satisfying in its own right anyhow.

Ready? Here it comes then. It's the same pattern: carefree days of youth and friendship, followed by a brutal mystery that ends up with an eerie, eerie trauma. Result? There is a village named Hinamizawa... There, weird and brutal things happen all the time. I am yet to see any kind of good ending in these series. Well, we'll see. 2 games down, 6 to go. Enjoy!

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There's a One Piece poster in the background in the toy shop, even though it was released in 1999, 16 years after the game takes place.

Do you know that feeling when you finished an amazing movie/book/anime and you know you'll remeber it for the rest of your life ?

Higurashi writing quality before it hits: 4/10

Higurashi writing quality after it hits: 14/10

Why did Keiichi go outside? Is he stupid?

If you don't play with the original sprites, you're a coward

After I finished this, I did something un-expected... I got up from my crusty computer chair, left my basement, and began walking.

I eventually found myself at the local toy store. I spent 53$ on 10 dolls, then I proceeded to give them to every female I've ever made eye contact with. After handing it to them, I made a point of saying how feminine they were. I also said that I would never imagine that they could put me into a head-lock position... Best choice I've ever made.

I am typing this from Guantanamo Bay, apparently I was "providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization", well whatever. At least I can rest easy and feel safe that I'll never get chained up in an underground torture chamber located in a Japanese mountain village.

All in all, I recommend drinking whole milk and eating raw eggs. If I'd done that, none of this would have happened.

This keeps happening to my buddy Eric

Use the 07th mod