I couldn't help but notice a research flaw in Umineko. Maria is said to be a fan of an anime entitled "Card Master Sakura." Three guesses as to what that is really supposed to refer to. However, here's the problem; the anime version of Cardcaptor Sakura first aired in 1998, twelve years after Maria started watching it. The manga version came out in 1996, which also makes this impossible. Were it not for the concept of Artistic License, I would be saying,
"NERD RAAAAAAAAAAGE!"
right about now. Unless . . . this is somehow a part of 07's master plan of some sort. Maria would love a show like Cardcaptor Sakura, after all.
I'm partway through Episode 4 of Umineko right now. Ange and Maria are the biggest Woobies ever since Sakura Matou. Reading their backstories was one of the most emotionally devastating experiences I've ever had with a work of fiction. How often can you say that for what is essentially a computer program? Not frequently, I know.
For the longest time, if you were to ask me what game had the best story I've ever seen, I would say Grim Fandango. A few plot developments were cliched, sure, but its original premise, noir influences, sharp dialog, pitch-perfect voice-acting, witty characters, and overall unforgettable atmosphere made it not only the most memorable LucasArts adventure game ever, but also, the best narrative I had ever seen in a video game. I've seen games come close to dethroning Grim Fandango in this regard: Knights of the Old Republic, Final Fantasy 9, Tales of the Abyss, Persona 3 and 4, Mother 3, Shenmue 1 and 2, and Tsukihime to name a few, but none of them actually matched Grim Fandango, let alone surpass it.
If Umineko continues to grip me the way it has been from the beginning, it will become the greatest story I've ever seen in a video game. I'm dead serious. If a kinetic visual novel can be considered a game, then it may as well be the video game equivalent of MacBeth. (Come and get me, curse! I am not afraid of referring to The Scottish Play by its true name!) (Read the italicized text in Kinzo's voice for maximum effect.) Do you get that? I just compared Umineko to my favorite Shakespeare work! Shakespeare, said to be the greatest English writer ever! Well, personally, I find his works to be . . . slightly above-average at best, (I still don't get the hype for Hamlet), but Macbeth though . . . despite how old it was, it gripped me by the balls when I read it in high school, and Umineko is doing the same thing to me right now, and then some!
Never have I read a visual novel as beautifully written as this one! Never have I seen a mindblow so thoroughly engaging! Rarely have I seen characters so amusing, cruel, human, demonic, deep, vile, lovable, loathsome, relatable, and plain awesome! This . . . is something to be treasured!
And I haven't even mused on about the soundtrack yet!
Well, I have in earlier entries, but now that I've heard more tracks, here's some more thoughts. This soundtrack is not just confined to one genre. At first, most of the music sounded either like European classical, or like horror movie music. Granted, those samples sounded great, (Red Dread is a truly powerful piece), but there's many other genres, and they all sound great, too! Some of the music sounds like Final Fantasy music, some of it sounds like Castlevania music, some of it even sounds like Megaman music, all good comparisons, I assure you. The synthesized pieces used during intense sequences, like Golden Slaughterer, World End Dominator, and Mirage Coordinator not only sound great, they will get your blood flowing. The vocal song at the end of Episode 3, Active Pain, sounds exactly like an opener for a Type-Moon anime (Hey! If Kara no Kyoukai was a televised series, I'd use Active Pain for the opener!), and I can't stop listening to it! Happy Maria sounds like something Danny Elfman would compose, and it is delightful in the same way the Scarlet Sisters are delightful! There's even some jazz; Like The Gale is a fast, frenetic, and fun tune to listen to. But if there was one piece I found more irresistable than all of the others, it would be "u2_黒のリリアナ" When I think of witches, I will think of this piece, and how wonderfully sinister it is! *cackle*
Oh yeah, and although it's hard for me to pick a single favorite character; I can tell you who my favorite witch is; Bernkastel. She reminds me of Patchouli, and she's also the funniest character in the game.
So . . . my thoughts on Umineko thus far? Two words:
OH DESIRE!
