Short answer: Start with Bancroft Academy itself. It's still free on itch.io. Then try other 18+ magic-school visual novels with a real story and choices that matter. Our remake, Signed in Secret, isn't out yet, so this page helps you fill the gap.
We're Moar Interactive. We made Bancroft Academy, and we're remaking it as Signed in Secret (18+). Episode I is in production. No build is out yet. It will be $10, one time, and free if you own Bancroft Academy on Steam.
Follow Signed in Secret on Patreon (free to follow)
1. Play (or replay) the original
Bancroft Academy is free on itch.io: mraurora.itch.io/bancroft-academy. It runs on Windows, Linux and Android. It's 18+.
It's an older, shorter game than the remake. Signed in Secret keeps the world but has a new story, new renders and new systems. So playing the old one won't spoil the new one much. It will show you where it all started.
One note: the free itch.io copy doesn't count for the free Signed in Secret deal. Only owning Bancroft Academy on Steam does.
2. What makes a game "like Bancroft Academy"?
Look for these four things:
- A hidden magic school. A normal life first, then a door into a world of magic.
- Story first. The adult scenes are part of the plot, not the whole point.
- Choices that stick. People remember how you treated them.
- Made for adults 18+. The store page says so clearly and lists its content.
3. A few to try
- Lust Academy (Bear in the Night). An adult visual novel about a magic academy called Cordale. Season 1 is on Steam, and there's a free demo on the official site.
- Bewitching Sinners (Miss Xero). A dark comedy dating sim in a world full of witches. On Steam and itch.io.
We didn't make these. We list them because fans of Bancroft Academy may like them. For more, see our full list: Are there adult visual novels set in a magic school?
4. How do I find more on my own?
Use VNDB, the big visual novel database. Open the Magic School tag at vndb.org/g685. Then filter by age rating and language.
Get games from the official store or the dev's own page. Those builds get updates, and your money reaches the people who made them.
Can I play Signed in Secret now?
Not yet. Episode I is in production, and there's no build to play today. We won't give a date until we're sure.
What will Signed in Secret be like?
You work the closing shift at Kingsley's Curiosities, a dusty little bookstore. Kingsley goes missing. A book with no title starts to talk. Twenty-one days later you're on a train to Bancroft Academy, a magic school hidden in another world. Athena, a 5,000-year-old woman, rides along in your head.
It's planned as 8 episodes in 3 seasons. It's made in Ren'Py with custom 3D renders. More: About Signed in Secret.
How do I hear when it's out?
Follow us on Patreon. Following is free. Paid supporters get builds sooner, but everyone plays the same game. No scenes are locked behind higher tiers. A paid pledge is monthly, and you can cancel anytime.
Follow Signed in Secret on Patreon
Adults 18+ only.