Ougon Musou Kyoku – Golden Fantasia (PC/Xbox360 Game)

After the first season of Umineko No Naku Koro Ni (When the Seagulls Cry), comes Ougon Musou Kyoku! Also called Golden Fantasia, this awesome 2D doujin fighting game was produced and released by Ryukishi07 together with his team. You get to fight alongside both Battler and the evil Golden Witch Beatrice herself in this alternate universe of Umineko. Time to spin a whole new tale with the mysterious events revolving Rokkenjima Island! Welcome to the Symphony of Golden Dreams!

Let me just say first that I fell in love with this game at first sight because of the fact that it supports up to 1080p Full HD resolution, and not show even a single crappy pixel from both the 2D characters and 3D environment while playing! After launching, the game starts with a dark yet nice Victorian-esque opening that introduces the ten playable characters.

With its 2 vs 2 battle system, you get to select among Battler, Ange, Beatrice, Virgilia, Eva Beatrice, Lucifer, Ronove, Shannon, Kanon and Siesta 410. In the 1.10 patch, Jessica Ushiromiya is added in the roster of characters, but cannot be played in the Arcade Mode.

The modes in the game are simple and just like any other: Arcade Mode, where you get to pick two characters and play through a number of battles, and get an ending depending on the pair you choose; Versus Mode, where you get to fight with a friend, AI, watch replay matches and even play online with people from all over the world; Training Mode, the place for you to hone your skills and also find out about those glitches in the game that bring about infinite combos; and of course, Options. Click here for the English translations in the Options and Training menu, as well as how to play online.

The computer AI is quite good and worthy of human matches. But I have to say that in the Arcade Mode, the AI gets tougher and harder to beat as you play along. Not to mention irritating you without fail by spamming you with their long range moves. Ronove and Virgilia are usually the ones who get on my nerves.

Umineko No Naku Koro Ni Review

Umineko No Naku Koro Ni, or When Seagulls Cry / When They Cry 3, is the successor to the exceptional anime Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni (When Cicadas Cry) by Ryukishi07, but didn’t quite rate as great for many. Most were probably turned off by this show because they were expecting something Higurashi-like. Although Umineko sports similar concepts (parallel dimensions, grotesque murders, misery) reminiscent of its predecessor, it takes on a risky yet new approach by dwelling away from mystery-solving to a battle of wits between magic and reality using logic and reasoning.

It has its flaws and didn’t quite make the legendary impact Higurashi did, but the good things found in this anime still outweighs the bad. And I still love it nonetheless.

Plot: In year 1986, the annual family conference of the Ushiromiyas is held at their private property Rokkenjima Island. The four family members, along with their spouses and children, arrive at the island to discuss how the assets will be divided among them once the old and near-dead family head, Kinzo Ushiromiya, passes away. Shortly after, a typhoon traps them in the island and bizarre things started to happen where people in the island start dying.

Higurashi Poems by Frederica Bernkastel

13 more days until Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Kira File.01! And to keep fans like myself from going crazy over the agonizing wait, here are some rare Higurashi stuff I’ve found online – specifically the English translations of the poems presented at the beginning of each chapter in the original visual novel game. I never was able to play the game, but I loved the anime like family. If you were able to watch the series as well, I bet these poems would take you to a nostalgic high – if you still remember the chapter titles, that is. If you don’t know Higurashi yet, maybe these poems might interest you in watching as they are the precursors that describe every arc’s situation via the point of view of Frederica Bernkastel.

Don’t know Higurashi: When they Cry? Read the review I wrote about it here!

So who is she? Even for a hardcore fan, you still may not come to know her. If anything, she looks like an older Rika and is only briefly seen at the last episode of season 2, talking to a young Takano Miyo. You may also have seen her in Umineko No Naku Koro Ni (When the Seagulls Cry) as the Witch of Miracles, but her existence begins in Higurashi’s Atonement Chapter, when Rika Furude loses herself to despair, hopelessness and lost of interest in overcoming her and her friends’ tragic fate.

Upcoming Anime Reviews

Due to work and my self-sufficing indolence, I haven’t been able to post much lately – and I am terrible sorry for that. But fear not! Blogging will be my top priority whenever free time permits, so entries will still keep on coming as usual – though it’s only a matter of when.

So, how much have I lagged lately? I’ve been keeping a list of my favorite anime to be reviewed ever since I started this blog, and it seems to have been piling up one after another. Not to mention that occasional writer’s block I’ve been having. Well, watching anime certainly is delightful – but sharing it with other people also gives a unique sense of gratification and world peace in itself. And that is exactly why I shall keep on writing.

Below is a list of 20 shows and if it’s in red, I still am yet to make a review on that anime. Wait for it! :)

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