I actually quite like Beatrice’s expressions in the PS3 version, for a somewhat strange reason: the way she’s written is really over-the-top. Her updated sprites feel to me like they capture this aspect of her better.
At the same time, the original sprites feel very… different, like they’re presenting the same character in subtly different ways.
Higurashi’s Hinamizawa is very closely based on the village of Shirakawa and I believe the backgrounds are photos that Ryukishi took there, with a filter applied! I’d love to visit it sometime, it looks so idyllic.
I found some comparison pics with the anime (not mine!):
Now that I’ve actually played the new version of Umineko, which still isn’t available from Steam but is up on MangaGamer’s website… I actually really like the Pachislot sprites! They’re shockingly good. Thought they were ugly and I would hate them, but they fit surprisingly well.
There’s something about the ps sprites that I really dislike for both series - the characters look too tall and thin (like someone just stretched them to fit the entire screen) and they always have a distressed, defensive posture (arms to close to the torso, holding arms or purses too tightly etc. - that’s a bit more visible in Higurashi than in Umineko though). Not to mention the drawn backgrounds which just look way too off and out of place for me because of the weird perspectives and cartoony style.
I played Umineko years ago with the original sprites and enjoyed them, you can really tell that Ryu put a lot of love into them. However, I am really curious to play with the pachinko sprites as well - despite the fact that some female characters seem to have beach balls instead of breasts!
I do enjoy Higurashi’s steam sprites a lot, though. They really make the characters pop out of the background.
And did I mention I love the picture backgrounds, because of their more serious and mature vibe? I remember years ago when I stumbled upon someone teaching you how to make them in photoshop… lost the instructions, but it seemed to work. 
Edit: Been playing Umineko with the steam pachinko sprites for a while, they’re actually quite good! (Battler still looks a bit weird, but the others are ok and they blend in very well with the backgrounds)
I love Higurashi’s Steam sprites! They’re actually full of emotion (something that the Alchemist sprites lack, and they definitely lack a lot of poses).
However, after looking over the Pachinko art book, I just really wish Umineko was as popular as Higurashi to warrant a Sprite batch commission. Battler and George look especially hideous and inhuman, and the sprites except for 34-tan and Erika all lack the expressions and life Ryukishi has in his sprites (not to mention, there are maybe a total of seven total expressions per character when that is far from the case with the original sprites). I also dislike the Umineko Alchemist sprites, as they’re extremely static and again, the expressions don’t fit well except with Erika and 34-tan. For example, when the end of EP4 came, I was legitimately scared by that expression (you know the one), but in the PS3 version, I rolled my eyes because it looked so off. While Ryukishi does have that puni plushie style of art, I always loved that his sprites have so much emotion! It’s such a shame that for me, only the Steam Higurashi sprites come close to evoking the feeling that Ryukishi gave in the original.
Higurashi : I only like the original version. Like it was saying, the alchemist sprites lack of emotion. They aren’t ugly, it’s just that…they don’t have " soul " …? For the steam sprites, well, they have more emotions than the alchemist ones, but I don’t know exactly why I just can’t read with them, I think that they are too differents from the original version. Fun fact, one day, I wanted to read Higurashi with the Steam sprites, and after like 10 minute and without realizing it, I switched to the original sprites…But I think that I will give them another chance
Also, it’s ok for ryukishi to draw with bad proportions, he’s not a pro. But the steam version is supposed to correct things like that… yet look at Mion’s boobs lol they are way to huge 
Oh, and ( Higurashi minor spoiler ) Why Tomitake is so muscular and skinny in the Alchemist/Steam version ? It’s stated by Takano that he is a bit fat, like the original sprite
For Umineko, well I kinda like both, though I prefer the original version, but I agree with @WitchOfGames about stuffs like the end of ep4
The problem imo for all the versions except the original is the backgrounds, I can’t help but think that they dont fit Higurasho and Umineko, maybe I’m just used to the realistic style of the original version…
Only seen Higurashi so far.
Steam version all the way. I understand some people do love the original look and are used to that, but it honestly shatters the illusion for me. The game has such a serious tone that the rough chibi art ruins it for me.
I got shown the console version art after playing Ep.2 but I just found it less detailed and nice than the Steam version art, so, eh.
Only read Umineko (so far!), and I must say I prefer the original sprites. While the PS3 ones are prettier, for sure, Ryukishi just has this way of drawing expressions that the PS3 sprites can’t match. I was going to do a reread with the PS3 sprites though, but considering I’m rereading with the Steam release now that won’t be an option until they’re patched in, which’ll probably still be a while off–and I certainly won’t be going with the Steam sprites.
They’re not terrible, but their chins are so very pointy, it’s distracting. But worst of all is Battler’s hair, imo, it looks so incredibly wrong and sharp that you could kill someone with it, I absolutely hate it. I hate the look of his face in general, tbh, it’s far too angular.
Culprit: Battler, in the billiard room, with his hair.
The PS3 version was way more better than the original PC game because Battler’s, Jessica’s and George’s eyes are black and in the PS3 version, Bernkastel’s hair is blue and 07th Expansion is better. This person is REALLY skilled at drawing creepy and sad faces.
Found an unfortunate issue that has arisen from basing the new Umineko art assets on the pachinko assets.
Character spoilers for Ep.4
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]
this is… rather game shattering
If you ask me, I prefer the original sprites for Higurashi and the PS3 sprites for Umineko. I ended up being introduced to the VN’s for both series with the updated versions and disliked the original sprites until they eventually grew on me. On the orginal BG’s, I don’t know why, but there’s something about the original sprites that made me stare at them while I read the Higurashi VN’s. In comparsion, I don’t like the updated Higurashi BG’s. There something about it that just so boring to look at. Oddly enough, I don’t feel the same way about Umineko’s updated BG’s. It’s probably because I went through the entire story with the PS3 sprites. Speaking of backgrounds, I was reading Arc 2 of Higurashi when something caught my eye.
I swear that looks like Yugi/Yami from Yu-Gi-Oh and Luffy from One Piece. No way you can tell me otherwise.
When you realize that suicide is the only way to escape their eyes. They’re looking at you. Almost pleading.
"Please kill me. I don’t belong here
And you can’t. They’re trapped behind this infernal device of lights and glass. You can never reach them. Never choke the life out of them like they want.
I walk around my house. I see a window, I see my floor. My walls. Across all of them. I see the faces. They just wanted to be released. I could never help them. I could never SAVE them. They’ll always be here in my head. Unable to die.
Oh god, now I’ve doubled the pain. They exist both here and there. Two sets of four characters. One set here. One set in the screen. I can free one of the sets. I feel something hard against my temple. I don’t know where I got the gun. I feel resistance from the trigger. I pull, as I free them from their cage.
are you okay
Play TTS
PS3 sprites all the way for Umineko, Dont really like the higurashi sprites too much in general. They all have their own problems, though I have to say that Original is probably the worst in my opinion because I just cant even with Ryuukishi’s art. Its as bad or worse than Zun’s original stuff.
I’m gonna be honest, I first read Umineko with PS3 sprites and I can fully see the appeal of the original sprites (in fact next time I read it I’ll probably read it with those) but I really dislike these ones. Probably just a bias on my part but it reminds me of a shoujo manga and rubs me the wrong way.
Steam sprites for both, unquestionably.
Barring the fact that they went a bit overboard on breasts with Umineko.
The other two really don’t work for me.
I also prefer the steam sprites, but the original sprites are a close second to me. The sprites have never really mattered that much to me though. I like the stories because they’re stories, not because they are aesthetically pleasing.
BUT! The original sprites did create this… Which is either the best thing you will see, or the worst…
pulls out the Exterminatus button and hammers it repeatedly
OH GOD KILL IT WITH FIRE!
GaaNjo confirmed, Umineko is solved, we can go home, everyone!
