Witches & Woodlands 3.5 Review

Title: Witches & Woodlands 3.5
Release date: 2011-12-30
Developer: Jan-Poo
Publisher: Jan-Poo

"Witches & Woodlands" or W&W is the second of the two "Umineko" fan-made games in English known to me. I have played and reviewed "Seacats" and so it's time to conclude everything "Umineko" related and review this game.

When the Seacats Cry review

Title: When the Seacats Cry
Release date: 2011-12-30
Developer: Kinjo (a.k.a. SeagullCrazy)
Publisher: Kinjo (a.k.a. SeagullCrazy)

It's really not that strange that with "Umineko no Naku Koro ni" series being so popular, there are fan-games created based on the saga. What's actually strange, that those games are proper visual novels and not just short parody works. Many probably have heard of "Higurashi no naku Koro ni Fun" - a 5 minute comedy short of the "Cicada" series. If you are expecting the same from "When the Seacats Cry" then you will be in for a surprise.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni Tsubasa Review

Title: Umineko no Naku Koro ni Tsubasa (うみねこのなく頃に翼)
Alias: When the Seagulls Cry: Wing
Release date: 2010-12-31 (2011-01-30 in English)
Developer: 07th Expansion
English publisher: various translators (as a partial fan-patch)

Just days ago I reviewed one of the fandiscs for "Umineko", known as "Hane". "Hane" was a disappointing release and included only two short stories that weren't even enough to whet my appetite. The second fandisc - "Tsubasa" contains whooping fifteen stories. Let's rip their guts and see the insides.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni Hane Review

Title: Umineko no Naku Koro ni Hane (うみねこのなく頃に羽)
Alias: When the Seagulls Cry: Feathers
Release date: 2011-12-31 (2012-05-23 in English)
Developer: 07th Expansion
English publisher: Ars Magica (as a fan-patch)

In my review of “Umineko Chiru” I have mentioned the two fandiscs that are also available. One of them – “Tsubasa” – is just a regular fandisk that was sold separately. “Hane” on the other hand was never sold in stores by itself and was only available in a bundle with “Higanbana the 2^nd Night” and the fighting game “Ougon Musou Kyoku”. This time I’m gonna review “Hane”.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru Review

Title: Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru (うみねこのなく頃に散)
Alias: When the Seagulls Cry: Breakdown
Release date: 2010-12-31 (2011-12-17 in English)
Developer: 07th Expansion
English publisher: Witch Hunt (as a fan-patch)

"Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru" is the second half of Ryuukishi07's "When the Seagulls Cry" saga and contains the four remaining chapters that finish the tale. Well, I'll concede that there are two more fandiscs for this specific tale - as I said in my review of the first game, Ryuukishi07 just loves making money out of additional material. Still, I cannot fault him for monopolizing of the doujin scene. He is a very prolific writer that does his own art too. In a short period of time he did "Umineko", finished "Higanbana" and started onto "Rose Guns Days" and I barely managed to follow his progress. It's time to rectify my sloppiness and finish the Seagull tale that I started last year already.