Do I need the original game files to run shin?

Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy. Requires the romfs from Umineko no Naku Koro ni Saku game (title id 01006A300BA2C000), which can be dumped from Switch.

Can I play the game without buying it?

No. The project does not include copyrighted game data, so you need to buy the game to play it.

shin

Engine reimplementationSporadicSemi-playableWindowsLinuxOSX

A new engine written from scratch that loads the original game's data files.

Based on Umineko: When They Cry Saku

compare all 3 clones

Links, repository & details

About

Umineko When They Cry is a Japanese dōjin visual novel series by 07th Expansion, first released for Windows in August 2007, about eighteen people trapped on an island facing a series of unexplained murders. shin is an unofficial, Rust-based reimplementation of the game engine Entergram used for several Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS Vita visual novels, currently focused on running the Switch version of Umineko no Naku Koro ni Saku ~Nekobako to Musou no Koukyoukyoku~. Core features (character sprites, backgrounds, BGM/SFX, text) already work, but advanced features are still missing, so it isn't fully playable yet. The repo also includes a companion library (shin-core) and CLI tool for extracting and converting the game's asset formats.

How it differs from the original

The project ships with none of the original game's copyrighted assets or script data — you must dump your own legally purchased Switch cartridge's romfs to supply them, and the disclaimer notes the project isn't affiliated with Entergram or 07th Expansion.

Getting started

Download a pre-built binary from the releases page, dump the romfs of your own legally purchased copy of the Switch game using nxdumptool and hactoolnet, and place the resulting assets folder next to the executable. Controls include mouse click/space/enter to advance text, Ctrl to fast-forward, and F-key shortcuts for the overlay menu, resizing, and fullscreen.

Known issues & limitations

gameplay: Not fully playable yet; many advanced features are still missing.
Many advanced features are missing, and the game is not fully playable yet.

What you need to run it

Original game files required. The project ships code only; you provide your own copy of the game (Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation, PS Vita version). Requires the romfs from Umineko no Naku Koro ni Saku game (title id 01006A300BA2C000), which can be dumped from Switch.

Features

The project is not fully playable yet.

How to install

Download the latest release archive for your platform and extract it.
Put the extracted `assets` directory beside the executable or in another documented location, then run the game.

Controls

Mouse click, Space, or Enter advances text.
Ctrl fast-forwards text.
F3 shows the overlay menu.

Summarised from the project's README.

Media

FAQ

What is shin?: shin is an open-source engine reimplementation of Umineko: When They Cry Saku. A new engine written from scratch that loads the original game's data files. The original game ran on Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation and PS Vita.
Do I need the original game files to run shin?: Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy. Requires the romfs from Umineko no Naku Koro ni Saku game (title id 01006A300BA2C000), which can be dumped from Switch.
Can I play the game without buying it?: No. The project does not include copyrighted game data, so you need to buy the game to play it.