In western markets, the only way of officially enjoying the original Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (Localised as Higurashi: Why They Cry) sound novels has been through the localised PC releases from MangaGamer. However, since the PlayStation 2 era, those residing in Japan have had many opportunities to enjoy the game across multiple consoles, adapted more into the style of a visual novel with voice acting from the original anime cast.
During 2018 and 2019, Entergram released Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Hou on the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch – which could best be described as the definitive collection of 07th Expansion’s work. Comprising of every chapter released in the series, including the question, answer and supplementary arcs; this collection also shook things up by making the question arcs route-based, with your decisions as Keiichi determining which route you take.
If you have had your eyes on this collection on either platform for a while but unable to justify the cost, some good news as recently been confirmed by the publisher.
As of 27 August 2020, an “EG The Best” version will be released in Japan, providing every chapter in Japanese only for 3,980 yen (ex. tax). While the storyline would be challenging to follow if you are unable to translate Japanese, if you have wanted to add this to your collection, now might be the most affordable means of doing so. Pre-orders are now open via a number of services, including Play-Asia. Unfortunately, there is no confirmation of there ever being an English localisation of the console release.
So, get ready to return to the rural town of Hinamizawa once more, to solve the mystery behind the ritualistic murders which take place every Watanagashi Festival. Will you be able to lead Keiichi, Rika and their friends to a happy end, or will they meet a macabre ending?
