VN - Ren'Py - Completed - Dirty Texts - Melissa's Secret [v1.0] [RoyalCandy]

This was the second Dirty Texts game I played after Are You Sure. Honestly, I can't say I enjoyed it as much as the first one. The system is, of course, the same as the other, but Melissa didn't really catch my interest. That's why, unlike Are You Sure, I'm giving this game two stars. By the way, the game revolves around a young girl’s photo-sharing relationship with her stepfather. I'm unsure whether it requires an incest tag or not.

It gets hard to objectively look at a game if after starting two times, you still can’t push yourself to finish it. Tried a third time and finally plowed through, finding all the endings and capturing the psychological profile of both Melissa and her stepdad.

This game is in a weird spot because it’s mostly talk, little show. What is shown are well-crafted renders that show Melissa cares about how she looks. But when you’re this text-heavy, you absolutely have to properly line out psychological profiles, mental changes due to context and character development. It’s in there and for the most part, it works. But in the end, Melissa feels written like she’s struggling with some kind of underlying mental handicap aside from her daddy complex. Her responses don’t always make sense and while I think that’s deliberate, that also means she couldn’t be the ‘master strategist’ the story makes her out to be.

The stepdad is an idiot and hastily written. Again, I think it’s deliberate but it doesn’t make for a powerful dynamic. He’s not in control nor does he actually lose control (unless it’s ending 2), so it basically feels like two awkward people flirting - aside from the taboo situation. Kudos for writing mom in here and there, but in the end a missed chance for emotional manipulation to further hurt the main character.

What could have been a masterclass in jailbaiting stepdads and walking the hellish fine line between satisfying a young woman who you care over lusting over you and a man’s primal desires to satisfy the urge of dominating situations and people, ends up being a somewhat flat fantasy with little to no psychological development. That said, I do think the developer is massively talented and that in time, this format could grow to something special where the text grasps you before the images come in. I'll look into his other work to see what else he came up with.

Melissa’s secret, for now, is that she’s a mentally instable basic girl trying to hard to pose as a hot slut fantasy.

I love the concept of a game taking place entirely within your phone. It adds a sense of realism and allows you to get lost in the character of the MC moreso than most fap games.

That said, I was not attracted to Melissa. She's a decent model, but her personality is very off-putting for me. Plus the whole "MC catches family member with an OnlyFans page" is already a really tired trope. So, while I cannot recommend this particular game, and definitely won't be playing it again myself, I do really look forward to other games in the series. I think that this subgenre could really take off and bring us some truly magical games.

I really enjoyed Dirty Texts - Melissa's Secret

I hope they make many more Dirty text games as i would enjoy that.
I like how it feels like a real but naughty text message thread.

Just imagine this kind of game with different sexy girls.

This is a small, well made game. It simulates a phones text app, where you, the step dad, interacts with the step daughter. Its well written and does the job well. It has simple mechanics with an emphasis on the story. Its straight forward it, its straight to the point, its interesting, and it does not try to be a more than it claims. Well done!

I would love to see more games like this.

Short, sweet and very well-written. Can be completed with all endings in about half an hour, but it's a great experience to just have a quick evening of fun with. I really look forward to future games in this series.

I like it a lot. Its a bit on the easy side comparing to other games of Dirty Text series, but still very good. It has easy mode in case you want to find out how the game works and it could help you unlock all the images and endings, which is really nice. I have to take one star because, as any other game in Dirty Texts series it really needs proofreading. There are lots of grammar mistakes, which are not critical, but take away your attention and enjoyment. Overall, solid little game, I hope I will see more of Dirty Texts series.

Rather short and only a handful of still images. The answers only change one or two lines mostly, so the only thing affected is the end, which is about one image. And those endings are not worth the effort.

I absolutely loved it!! The text was snappy and not sappy. Melissa is totally believable and characteristically accurate, at least in terms of what I would certainly expect of a rebellious young girl's tone and attitude towards her Mom's, to her at least, oppressively concerned boyfriend.
The "corruption" if you choose to follow that route (which I did in a later play) was subtle, perfectly paced and lasciviously exciting its in execution. The dialogue was not just snappy, but both humorous and, in places, razor sharp too from both characters and the pendulum swing of power (offence and defence) throughout was both astute and consequently noticeably impressive too.

Visually, Melissa, the starlet of the show, is simply gorgeous in every aspect and a breath taking joy to look at. Her renders are crafted, as we have come to expect from RoyalCandy, with his signature loving attention to detail (earrings, choker, makeup etc) and everything absolutely impeccable and to my mind anyway, at all times incredibly erotic, meaning tastefully sexy. That first fully topless image of her in lingerie leaning back against the wardrobe mirror is breathtaking and so. so erotic.

I loved every second of this and although I realise this will sound (as the whole review probably does) gushingly obsequious, I am, regardless, completely sincere when I say I feel truly privileged to have experienced such immaculate and creative talent at work in this particular field (adult visual novels).

Anyway, enough...This tale, in my experience, is definitely worth 5 stars and more if only more were available to me to give.

PS/ Though I honestly can't afford to regularly sub this creator through Patreon I have bought the remaining two "Dirty Texts" titles on Steam. So albeit only peanuts, I have at least put a little money where my considerably larger mouth is, in support of RoyalCandy as best I can. My conscience is as clear as I can manage - hooray!!

I do urge everyone who is honestly able to and has enjoyed this FREE title in the series to do the same and pay a little bit in return for, what I feel sure will be, the immeasurable pleasure of enjoying the two remaining titles.