-This game is translated-
Wiki
Official Website
Higurashi is a murder mystery game described as a "sound novel" by 07th Expansion. A sound novel is similar to a visual novel in that the gameplay requires relatively little player interaction as most of the game is composed of text dialogues. The original release contained no voice acting for the characters. While a visual novel's basis would be the visual aspect, as the name suggests, a sound novel's basis takes more care in producing an atmosphere via the music, sound effects, and the story itself.
The game utilizes intermissions where the player can obtain several TIPS. These TIPS allow the player to read various supplementary information that may or may not be useful in solving the mystery. For example, one of the TIPS can be as simple as "this is a small village; children who go to this school are combined into one classroom regardless of what grade or year they are in." On the other hand, they can provide valuable hints, such as being able to read the excerpts of the newspaper articles regarding the murders that occurred in Hinamizawa. At the beginning of each of the story arcs, a cryptic poem by someone known as Frederica Bernkastel is read; these reveal some of what is going to happen in the following arc.
Story Overview
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni takes place during June 1983, at a fictional rural village called Hinamizawa (based on the village of Shirakawa, Gifu, a World Heritage Site),which has a population of approximately 2,000. The main character, Keiichi Maebara, moves to Hinamizawa and befriends his new classmates Rena Ryuugu, Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude, and Satoko Hojo. Keiichi joins their after-school club activities, which consist mostly of card and board games (and punishment games for the loser, usually him.) Hinamizawa appears to be a normal, peaceful, rural village to Keiichi. However, the tranquility abruptly ends after the annual Watanagashi Festival, a celebration to commemorate and give thanks to the local god, Oyashiro. Keiichi learns that every year for the past four years, one person has been murdered and another has gone missing on the day of the Watanagashi Festival. Keiichi himself soon becomes drawn into the strange events surrounding the Watanagashi Festival and Oyashiro. In each story arc, he or one of his friends become paranoid, and a crime is committed. Usually, the crime involves the murder of one of their own friends. While it seems impossible to tell their delusions apart from the mystery of Hinamizawa, slowly the truth is revealed.
Some Screenshots
Menu
Original
PS2 Sprites and UI Tweak
Megaupload
Download
Crack
Download
PS2 Sprites/BG v1.1b
Download
[size=15]Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Meakashi[/h] (Credits to Gurumao)
Meakashi-hen (目明ã—ç·¨ Eye Opening Chapter),
Solution to Watanagashi-hen. Meakashi-hen consists of the events of Watanagashi-hen told from the perspective of Shion Sonozaki, with only a few minor variations. In this chapter, the audience sees the true reason for the criminal's murderous actions in Watanagashi-hen—a lost love. The first hints of that which ties together the arcs are given.
Gurumao wrote...
Note:
You
NEED TO HAVE Higurashi no Naku Koro ni installed to play this.
Instructions (also included in Readme file in Setup)
*** YOU WILL NEED MG'S RELEASE CONTAINING THE FIRST 4 ARCS ('FIRST RELEASE') ***
- Replace data01000.arc and system.arc with the one from the first release.
- Extract the files in the Kaibrid directory to the one containing Meakashi's files.
- Copy higurashi.exe from the first release into Meakashi directory.
- (Optional) delete BGI.EXE, you won't need it. Run higurashi.exe to play the game.
Megaupload
Download
PS2 Sprites/BG Patch
Download
[size=15]Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Tsumihoroboshi[/h] (Credits to Gurumao)
Tsumihoroboshi-hen (罪滅ã—ç·¨, Atonement Chapter)
Solution to Onikakushi-hen. Unlike Meakashi-hen, Tsumihoroboshi-hen's story is drastically different from the plot of its question arc. In Tsumihoroboshi-hen, Rena experiences a situation similar to Keiichi's in Onikakushi-hen, as she makes a terrible mistake and becomes distrustful of her former friends. It is the first chapter with a (seemingly) happy ending, although the Tips reveal a sinister twist.
Gurumao wrote...
IMPORTANT
readme.txt wrote...
*** YOU WILL NEED MG'S RELEASE CONTAINING THE FIRST 4 ARCS ('FIRST RELEASE') ***
- Replace data01000.arc and system.arc with the one from the first release.
- Extract the files in the Kaibrid2 directory to the one containing Tsumihoroboshi's files.
- Copy higurashi.exe from the first release into Tsumihoroboshi directory.
- (Optional) delete BGI.EXE, you won't need it. Run higurashi.exe to play the game.
Megaupload
Download
Patch
Download
PS2 Sprites v3
Download
*PS2 Background v3
Download
[size=15]Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Minagoroshi[/h]
Minagoroshi-hen (皆殺ã—ç·¨?, Massacre Chapter)
On the surface, Minagoroshi-hen is the solution to Tatarigoroshi-hen; however, it answers most of the major common mysteries of the previous arcs. It is told from the perspective of Rika Furude. Most notably, the true identity of the murderer is finally revealed in Minagoroshi-hen. After Minagoroshi-hen, one more effort is needed to seal the story into a happy ending.
Megaupload
Download
Crack
Download
PS2 Sprites/Background Patch
Download
[size=15]Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Matsuribayashi[/h]
Matsuribayashi-hen (Festival Accompanying Chapter)
Matsuribayashi-hen marks the 8th and final chapter in the Higurashi series. All the players and all the pieces have finally been arranged. This will be the end one way or another, but will be the end Rika and the others seek? Or will it be the end they’re struggling so hard to prevent?
Megaupload
Download
Crack
Download
*Sprite patch v3
Download