Fall 1986... in Rokkenjima, a private island owned by Kinzou Ushiromiya, eleven of his relatives arrive for a family reunion. He is dying and his children want nothing more than to split the wealth he will leave behind. But as a storm traps them on the island, the riddle of Rokkenjima's legendary golden witch begins to take the lives of several people. Who can solve the riddle and gain the gold & the inheritance? Will the golden witch truly revive?

The story of Umineko no Naku Koro ni is divided into episodes: four "Question" arcs and four "Answer" arcs. Each episode keeps the same main characters, but ends in a different way. However, each episode gives valuable answers, hints, and clues to the previous one, while at the same time bringing forth even more mysteries.