Umineko: When They Cry is a love letter to the mystery fiction genre with a ridiculous amount of ambition behind it. The way it sets up its central mystery makes for some of the most entertaining twists and tricks mystery stories have to offer, but this all gets put in a new light when the story gets meta, fully deconstructing and examining the tropes it uses. Its themes don't just stop at metafiction, though. Umineko also explores topics such as child abuse, the nature of love, the subjectivity of truth, and even discusses systemic misogyny with astounding respect and sensitivity for a 2007 video game. Umineko has changed my life in a way I'll never forget, and it truly deserves to be called the best fiction of all time.