Recent reviews by Armor

If you liked Umineko, you will almost certainly like this game. While it doesn't have the same 'aesthetic' of a westernized noble family and a murder mystery story (lets pretend that accurately describes umineko), Ryukishi's writing is perhaps even stronger than before, with many of the hurdles of Umineko (slow plot progression, scenes that drag on forever, needless repetition of obvious points, etc.) being almost entirely fixed. The new setting is incredibly interesting and well-suited to Ryukishi's style and all his strengths, with much of the Umineko music team returning in top form, and an assisting artist to translate Ryukishi's awkward designs into beautiful sprites that still maintain that charm.

If you haven't played Umineko yet, well... Play that immediately, its completely finished and on steam, and a complete and utter masterpiece. Both Ciconia and Umineko are long stories filled with complex and flawed characters dealing with their trauma's, taking place in fantastical scenarios that can almost make you forget the very real messages written from experience by a former social worker, paired with legendary music that makes it clear why these are often called "Sound Novels". While Ciconia's characters have yet to reach the level of Umineko's later episodes in this first phase, even in this state it already goes to show why Ryukishi's Sound Novels are a cut-above the vast majority of similar works.

My only warning is that it took me approximately 18 hours to finish the story + the data fragments. While I would happily pay full price in a heartbeat due to the sheer quality of the work, others may want to wait for a sale or even a bundle once every phase is out, for a better value ratio.