Higurashi When They Cry Hou – Rei is a kinetic visual novel. It has virtually no gameplay. The player cannot influence the narrative in any way. It is presented on behalf of one of the protagonists. The gamer is offered to read the text, periodically save and sometimes get acquainted with the clues that help to better understand the lore. The graphics, traditionally for the genre, are made in the anime style. The project belongs to the video game series “When the Cicadas Cry”. Based on them, an anime series, manga and video game spin-offs were created. The local setting combines everyday life and mysticism, and the atmosphere mixes horror, drama and psychological thriller.

The title is also known as Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei. This is an add-on to the main game. It contains 3 new chapters: Saikoroshi-hen, Hirukowashi-hen and Batsukoishi-hen. The first act is an epilogue to the main story, dedicated to Rika. The second is something like an alternative episode about an ancient artifact of the Furude Shrine. And the third is an additional arc for fans. To understand the plot shown in the add-on, you must first complete the original. The events unfold in the 1980s. The plot begins with the move of a schoolboy named Keiichi Maebara to the village of Hinamizawa. Its residents revere the deity Oyashiro-sama and hold the Watanagashi festival in his honor once a year. However, in the last few years, people have been dying and disappearing during this holiday. Moreover, their murders are carried out in various terrible ways.