Updated Review for Ch. 1.5
While there are many incest-tagged games available to play, it's actually kind of a rarity to have one that is solely focused on being an incest game. That is exactly what Sinful Summer is doing. It's very up front about it, and is something I appreciate about it. If you're not into incest there's really nothing else for you here, because the game isn't trying to do anything but explore the blooming incestuous relationship of two twins (with the mother eventually being added to the mix).
After a year of separation, twin brother and sister are reunited in an environment where their repressed feelings for each other begin to unleash in full. The game takes a relatively heavy third person approach, where you get just as many lines from a narrator as you do the characters themselves. What's also rather different is that while yes it's a kinetic novel, you're still not seeing everything from the perspective of the male protagonist. The game is about the family as a whole, not just the brother if that makes sense. There's just as much focus on the sister's perspective as there is the brother's. The mom has yet to truly appear in the game, but I imagine it will be the same with her as well.
It's a pretty fast-paced plot in that it moves through the days fairly quickly by use of the narrator. I wouldn't say it feels unnatural, but I will say I think the game would have benefited from slowing down and letting some scenes actually play out instead of getting "the twins did this event together and got even closer because of it." I don't quite feel like both their bond and personalities themselves were characterized enough for me before it starts moving into the lewd boundary pushing. The game tells you many times how close they are, but as a player I wanted to witness more of it first hand. Further because of this, the sappy and emotional moments don't always land like they could have.
Edit: In my original review I mentioned here that a good chunk of the writing was rather hit or miss for me. My main problem was how the first real conflict/drama was playing out essentially. While the teasing sister was sort of ready from the get go, the brother was the one having the "I CAN'T THINK ABOUT MY SISTER THIS WAY!!!" dilemma. Now while I still maintain the opinion of disliking that trope for a multitude of reasons (see my thread comments), this latest update (1.5) has seen that drama resolved. Despite my issues with it, it was a satisfying ending seeing both parties start to give in to their long-standing desires and I'm glad it wasn't something super drawn out.
Now one area where the game actually does stand out a fair bit is during its lewd moments (which there are many of). There's a lot of hot angles, good sound effects, tantalizing teasing, and overall is just an aspect that feels like it has a lot of thought and effort going into. It's almost stylistically unique among AVNs I've played, in that it feels like the dev has really made it their own and ran with it successfully. I also want to mention that I do really like the character models as well. The girls look good in a more realistic sort of way with details like skin imperfections and such.
While I wouldn't say it's the best game I've ever checked out, I actually do think it's one of the better pure incest games I've come across. There's a lot I've sort of forgiven in light of this just doing what it sets out to do, and not bullshitting you with anything extra. I most likely will return to this down the line.
While there are many incest-tagged games available to play, it's actually kind of a rarity to have one that is solely focused on being an incest game. That is exactly what Sinful Summer is doing. It's very up front about it, and is something I appreciate about it. If you're not into incest there's really nothing else for you here, because the game isn't trying to do anything but explore the blooming incestuous relationship of two twins (with the mother eventually being added to the mix).
After a year of separation, twin brother and sister are reunited in an environment where their repressed feelings for each other begin to unleash in full. The game takes a relatively heavy third person approach, where you get just as many lines from a narrator as you do the characters themselves. What's also rather different is that while yes it's a kinetic novel, you're still not seeing everything from the perspective of the male protagonist. The game is about the family as a whole, not just the brother if that makes sense. There's just as much focus on the sister's perspective as there is the brother's. The mom has yet to truly appear in the game, but I imagine it will be the same with her as well.
It's a pretty fast-paced plot in that it moves through the days fairly quickly by use of the narrator. I wouldn't say it feels unnatural, but I will say I think the game would have benefited from slowing down and letting some scenes actually play out instead of getting "the twins did this event together and got even closer because of it." I don't quite feel like both their bond and personalities themselves were characterized enough for me before it starts moving into the lewd boundary pushing. The game tells you many times how close they are, but as a player I wanted to witness more of it first hand. Further because of this, the sappy and emotional moments don't always land like they could have.
Edit: In my original review I mentioned here that a good chunk of the writing was rather hit or miss for me. My main problem was how the first real conflict/drama was playing out essentially. While the teasing sister was sort of ready from the get go, the brother was the one having the "I CAN'T THINK ABOUT MY SISTER THIS WAY!!!" dilemma. Now while I still maintain the opinion of disliking that trope for a multitude of reasons (see my thread comments), this latest update (1.5) has seen that drama resolved. Despite my issues with it, it was a satisfying ending seeing both parties start to give in to their long-standing desires and I'm glad it wasn't something super drawn out.
Now one area where the game actually does stand out a fair bit is during its lewd moments (which there are many of). There's a lot of hot angles, good sound effects, tantalizing teasing, and overall is just an aspect that feels like it has a lot of thought and effort going into. It's almost stylistically unique among AVNs I've played, in that it feels like the dev has really made it their own and ran with it successfully. I also want to mention that I do really like the character models as well. The girls look good in a more realistic sort of way with details like skin imperfections and such.
While I wouldn't say it's the best game I've ever checked out, I actually do think it's one of the better pure incest games I've come across. There's a lot I've sort of forgiven in light of this just doing what it sets out to do, and not bullshitting you with anything extra. I most likely will return to this down the line.