Higurashi When They Cry - Ch.1 Onikakushi (PC) Review

Onikakushi handles its introduction very seriously. The visual novel opens up with an unknown figure mutilating and bludgeoning corpses; the reason completely unknown. It's a gruesome and uncomfortable start, but it sets the tone of the VN perfectly. There's a feeling of genuine fear that goes along with reading about the death of two people, and the author, Ryukishi07, manages to make a seeming murderer not just terrifying, but also pitiable in certain aspects. There's a general atmosphere of sadness that goes into the prologue that thankfully carries over into the rest of the read - but there's a catch: that atmosphere doesn't come back until the second half.

While it may not sound like a huge issue at first, Higurashi When They Cry - Ch.1 Onikakushi is a slow burn. It opens up with an exciting and dark scene, but then promptly shifts into the comedic tropes of a typical harem visual novel. Rena is clearly meant to be the protagonist's main choice, Mion is the older but silly girl, Satako is a brash young lady, and Rika is her more calm and collected counterpart. These aren't bad things per se, but the problem lies in the character being underdeveloped. Rena and Mion do develop a little more as the story goes on, but not nearly enough given the overall length. It's understandable that Ryukishi07 would want to pull back from the serious tone of the prologue and let the world unfold naturally, but when the characters inhabiting are irritating and the events largely uninteresting, problems arise.

One of this chapter's biggest flaws is that its 1/8 of a complete story. While it is only a chunk of a grander tale, it should still stand on its own, and from a thematic standpoint it does so. The problem comes from characters like Rena and Mion not getting nearly enough characterisation. They're the two biggest players in here besides Keiichi, but they feel incredibly underused, which is baffling given that they appear just as much as he does. It's safe to assume that the characters will develop more and more with each instalment, but given the eight to ten-hour length of this one and how frequently the characters appear in the story, there is no excuse for anyone to feel underdeveloped.

Reading through the first few chapters can be a chore in that regard. A lot does happen, but it never feels as if anything is that important, but given that Higurashi is ultimately the story of a mystery, the more low key moments may end up meaning much more later on. The second half picks up the pace considerably, as Keiichi enters a state of pure paranoia and Hinamizawa becomes a lot less friendly. There's a tense atmosphere that never goes away in the second half, with every conversation starting to feel meaningful, and with Keiichi's inner monologue quickly switching from charming to distrusting and pained.

The juxtaposition that happens in the second half is ultimately what saves Onikakushi and makes it a worthwhile read, that and the potential that Higurashi holds as a whole. Keiichi's paranoia is truly fascinating and the writing, while already great, becomes incredibly tight, making a reader hang on to every word. The stellar second half doesn't excuse its weak first, but it would be underselling the experience as a whole to say that it isn't anything short of fantastic. Where the first half has trouble gripping the reader, the second half's constant sense of mystery grabs and never lets go. It's a great shift in quality that makes the first chapter such a memorable start to the series.