Probably one of the best, if not *the* best, visual novels of all time. The prose is quite bad and the pacing is off at times, but the story, characters, setting, themes, and core mystery are all highly engaging. Even though this game is ancient (as far as VNs are concerned), it still holds up alright under a modern lens. It is the best of all of the works by the author, and the only one I would recommend wholeheartedly.

Consider installing a voice patch and graphics patch if you are interested- they are nice for the experience, but not mandatory for a good time (I read without them and did fine).

This Steam Store listing is misleading; it is best purchased in tandem with the second half of the story, available here:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/639490/Umineko_When_They_Cry__Answer_Arcs/