Harlequin

Well I dunno what kind of connection you have...

If it's a big deal to download 1.2gb that the complete pack takes, and if you simply only want to patch the version of the game that you've already downloaded (with arcs 1-4), then:

1. Get the 1-4 music pack compilation (non-PS2)

2. Get the sound patch v2, because the version of the game that you downloaded from that mediafire link might not be fully updated

3. Download the font patch and install the font file in it (drag it into the Windows Fonts folder if necessary)

The game you have should already have the PS2 graphic patch in it.

Well I got a simple answer for you about that stuff actually: Get this complete pack of Higurashi I made recently! part1 part2 part3 part4 part5 part6

With this you don't need to worry about anything except one thing, which is mentioned in the readme. The pack contains arcs 1-8. As many patches as possible are included while also keeping it as "stable" as possible at the same time. I made sure that no extras are unlocked from the start, and I also removed a patch that causes a bug in arc 7. And that's different from the versions of the game that you linked actually.

Download pack - check readme - play. Easiest that way!

PC music > PS2 Music, if the PS2 music is the same thing as the Matsuri music.

------- Personally I prefer Hinamizawa (Higurashi) to Rokkenjima (Umineko) as a setting in general. As for the story... we'll see. Episode 3 in Umineko was better than any arc in all of Higurashi (1-8)... I think... pretty sure. Well it's reeeeally promising in any case. Might end up loving Umineko even more, though that's not for certain.

Both were written by Ryukishi07 (GREAT writing)... and after completing Higurashi, I feel right at home in Umineko even though the story is certainly different and all that. I know you've been trying to get Ef working for ya, which is also a great VN - especially the last chapters in it. But if you can't do that... then... well... might as well start on Higurashi, no? Can't absolutely guarantee that you'll like it though of course. Different tastes and all that.

Yea I had to post this in two parts, haha. Character limit. :S

Heh, thanks ^^. It's Rena from Higurashi!

Well it's easy to say at least that Umineko is awesome. It sure as hell has the best music in any VN I've read so far, though that seems to be a really common opinion (that it has the best OST). Same thing with the voice acting, which is something you can only get with the PS3 patches. It's very, very enjoyable overall. Great characters, fun story, a lot of thinking to do (a plus), and so on.

But is it better than Higurashi? That's more difficult to say. Most people do consider it to be better I think, though it's really subjective anyway. Technically, it is better in several areas. For example - it has faaaar more and better quality music, a lot more characters to love, awesome voice acting which Higu doesn't have any of at all, and maybe some other stuff. But the story? The setting? That's different. It'll come down to taste for sure. -------