MY REVIEW AFTER PLAYING VERSION 0.1: Wow. Just wow. Badbod is such a fantastic dev. This VN is so great. I liked their previous work, Boxed In, yet it was a little frustrating because I'm not a huge fan of incest and that VN was very incest-heavy, to say the least. At the same time, the story was so well crafted and the lewd scenes were so hot, so I could not NOT play it. This one, however, has a more compelling story and it is so beauitiully executed. Truly brilliant writing and also great "directing"/pacing. I wish all VN's were like this. The only thing I miss is sounds during sex scenes, but hopefully that can be added in a later update. Keep up the good work, Badbod - you are a genius!
UPDATED REVIEW AFTER PLAYING VERSION 0.2: Okay, so now I have played the 0.2 version. Great to get an update so soon. But I have to take back what I said about this VN being much less incest-oriented than Boxed In - it is actually a quite incest-heavy story. Still, everything is so well done, and the scenes all seem natural in a way (from the story's perspective), so the dev gets away with it, so to speak. The scene where Millie wakes up was so hot, and beautifully animated, that it was impossible not to get aroused from watching it. So I still consider Secrets and Promise a great VN, and I still think it is a step up from Boxed In, however excellent that VN was. Can't wait for the next update!
UPDATED REVIEW AFTER PLAYING VERSION 0.3: When I saw that that a new update was released, I was very happy and excited. I didn't want to play it right away, instead I waited until Friday night when my wife and kids were asleep and I really could take my time and enjoy it. What a wonderful update to this wonderful VN. The renders and animations are on another level than basically everything else - but it's the story that really makes it such an engaging experience. The sex is never just thrown in, it is always plot-appropriate, and therefore it feels so gratifying when a sex scene comes. The buildup is magical, the delivery is lovely. When I played this update, I noticed being a bit melancholy after a while, knowing that the update would end and that I would have to wait some months until next update. It's a weird combo: playing with a great appetite for every new frame, and at the same time not wanting it to end. The dev is such an artist, and such a scriptwriter, I am so impressed. Secrets and Promises has convinced me that AVN's are better than porn. I have entered this brave new world and I never want to go back.
UPDATED REVIEW AFTER PLAYING VERSION 0.4: Every now and then, I go to f95zone just to see if a new update for this AVN has been released. When I saw that the 0.4 version had arrived, my jaw dropped. Literally. I have become such a huge fan of this dev and of this project, it feels like I am 20 years old and have a favourite band whose new single or album I can't wait to devour the minute it arrives. And the strange thing is this: the one thing I disliked about Boxed In (and, to be fair, many other AVN:s) was the incest thing, but I don't dislike it here. Because everything is so goddamn well made, on every level: the plot, the psychology, every character's realistic reaction to everything that happens. And add to that the visuals. Not only do every person look human and realistic, but the camera angles and the close-ups are just perfect - it's like watching a movie by Tarantino or Hitchcock, the work of a master. The facial expressions are so fantastically accurate, always, and I think that is what makes the reader/viewer sucked into this weird story. And the sex? It happens so naturally, so unavoidable, you always want it to happen when it happens, it never feels shoehorned in. I have one minor complaint, though: Millie's mother accepts the father-daughter incest right away, which kind of kills the drama and excitement there. I mean, the whole thing is very taboo, but it feels less taboo and kinky when the mom gladly accepts and even encourages it. It would be more hot if the father-daughter thing was something naughty, dirty, secret and shameful. That's just my opinion. But this does not take away the awesome experience of this piece of narrative erotic art. I hope this project will go on for a very long time, and I hope that the dev will want to do more AVN:s after this one, because honestly, this is so much better than everything else. I know it may sound silly, but I really mean it when I say that Secrets and promises is a great, great piece of art. I feel grateful for experiencing it.
