Higanbana no Saku Yoru ni: The Second Night is the second and final installment of Higanbana no Saku Yoru ni.
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A continuation of short stories from Ryukishi07 based in an unnamed school about students getting bullied or whatnot. Well, that's more like what the first night of the game was all about to be honest. I forgot to say this in my "First Night" review but the stories don't really go anywhere in general because you don't really get to know any of the characters and when you do learn about them you don't see them in any other short story besides the one that was about them which sucked.
This game fixes this in a way. Not only it reintroduces several stories that expand and build more character on already existing characters but also introduces new characters which are great in their own regard.
Speaking of Youkai which are a very important part of the story. They weren't exactly expanded upon in the "First Night" as well. They just were there. And that was because that game was primarily ALL just about bullying. "Second Night" manages to fix it by introducing stories which expand on the Youkai, their backstories and why and how they act the way they act (with the final story being my personal favorite).
If you're reading this then that means you've probably already read the "First Night" of Higanbana and if you did, then the "Second Night" for sure is a no brainer. Just like the first game it definitely wasn't as good as Higurashi or Umineko but there's still a lot of fun to be had here if, again, you love Ryukishi's horror.
This game fixes this in a way. Not only it reintroduces several stories that expand and build more character on already existing characters but also introduces new characters which are great in their own regard.
Speaking of Youkai which are a very important part of the story. They weren't exactly expanded upon in the "First Night" as well. They just were there. And that was because that game was primarily ALL just about bullying. "Second Night" manages to fix it by introducing stories which expand on the Youkai, their backstories and why and how they act the way they act (with the final story being my personal favorite).
If you're reading this then that means you've probably already read the "First Night" of Higanbana and if you did, then the "Second Night" for sure is a no brainer. Just like the first game it definitely wasn't as good as Higurashi or Umineko but there's still a lot of fun to be had here if, again, you love Ryukishi's horror.
upon receiving new information I have determined that actually bullying may be bad
Still a mixed bag, but nothing in here is Utopia-tier, not even the direct sequel.
A lot more hopeful than the first one, and has my favorite short story out of both :) "Reaper of the Thirteenth Step" is just an amazingly well written short story that I look back on fondly.
Healing isn't the same thing as removing pain.
It's the pleasure we earn as compensation for withstanding pain.
To know the joy of healing, you have to know the pain.
Be proud of your past suffering, they are what makes it possible for you to know pleasure.
Higanbana shows a crueler spins on various philosophies shown throughout When They Cry but in Ryukishi's conventional fashion, it is not cruelty for the sake of it.
Reaper of the 13th step and Before the Spider Lilies bloomed specifically are beautiful example of what it is to find joy and fulfilment in our suffering and are a beautiful showcase of what drives us.
I found Higanbana as a whole to be somewhat of a mixed bag but God did I connect with it, it reminded me once again that I value nothing more in medias than having a nice back and forth conversation with an author that I truly connect with, R07 never disappoints me in that regard no matter how floppy his writing can be at times.
If you've enjoyed WTC, I would consider this a must read.
It's the pleasure we earn as compensation for withstanding pain.
To know the joy of healing, you have to know the pain.
Be proud of your past suffering, they are what makes it possible for you to know pleasure.
Higanbana shows a crueler spins on various philosophies shown throughout When They Cry but in Ryukishi's conventional fashion, it is not cruelty for the sake of it.
Reaper of the 13th step and Before the Spider Lilies bloomed specifically are beautiful example of what it is to find joy and fulfilment in our suffering and are a beautiful showcase of what drives us.
I found Higanbana as a whole to be somewhat of a mixed bag but God did I connect with it, it reminded me once again that I value nothing more in medias than having a nice back and forth conversation with an author that I truly connect with, R07 never disappoints me in that regard no matter how floppy his writing can be at times.
If you've enjoyed WTC, I would consider this a must read.
I really felt like what I got from what I was missing from the first half in this one. Maybe Ryuukishi was burnt out from Umineko while writing the first one, and by the time this one started, he was back in the swing of things. Or maybe it was intentional pacing. Not sure.
Regardless, these stories felt a lot less bleak and were written with more hope in them than a lot of the stories in the first half felt they had. "Reaper of the Thirteenth Step" in particular was by and far the best story of this half and the game as a whole. I also personally really enjoyed "The Boys' Portrait" and "My Best Friend."
Regardless, these stories felt a lot less bleak and were written with more hope in them than a lot of the stories in the first half felt they had. "Reaper of the Thirteenth Step" in particular was by and far the best story of this half and the game as a whole. I also personally really enjoyed "The Boys' Portrait" and "My Best Friend."