Good art, choices, and more complex characters than usual, variety.
Anyone wondering about a play order: I would not suggest Ernol or Duliae or really even Lacey first. Ernol and Duliae are better played after a couple others so you can get a better sense of the story. Ernol's is less romantic than I thought and more learning, but it makes sense for him. He is a more serious type than originally anticipated (I thought he was awkward but he's more serious than anything). He's close to becoming a general, and fiercely patriotic. Duliae is more romanceable but you almost have to be clever and aware of the scope of things before going into his route. Lacey is hilarious and like trying to romance a Klingon (Star Trek reference). He is a trip. Don't expect anything sweet from him. He is seriously all grit, sarcasm, and tenacity and he likes his women to be that way as well. You'll get the most interesting things from him if you are bold in the face of danger to the point of almost recklessness with few exceptions. Haron has more layers than I expected but is a flirt through and through. Vadeyn is a sweetheart and everyone hates him for it because they are a warrior race. He is the most "typical" I would say but in a good way. Vaedyn and surprisingly Duliae seem to be the most well paced romances. Haron comes on strong and never stops, Ernol is a very slow burn, and Lacey is just himself. None are bad, but I found myself enjoying the pacing of V and D the best.
I don't think it makes sense to rank them because they all offer something different.
Helpful things:
1. If you send Chandler away he will always die and everyone is mad at you or a little extra sad about it.
2. Pick up the handwritten note by your bed in Duliae's route when you first wake in his house and talk to the assassin in the hall on the ship (he wants the paper and has info to trade for it).
3. Running away with Lacey (and I suspect the others as well) the night you get back form the ship does not get you or him killed, just a slightly different end to the story.
4. You can scroll back through options picked previously and avoid a lot of saving with the mouse wheel.
5. If you look in the mirror in your bedroom you'll have an extra dialogue option to tell Haron, Duliae, and Ernol about what you saw later but that is all and increases your noise by 2.
6. Saving the coward doesn't seem to have any upside to it.... So, I always killed him.
When choosing to run or stay:
Duliae and Ernol: stay and never surrender (don't fight the guard either)
Haron: stay and surrender/fight the guard or run and run from the others who try to help you
Lacey: run and yell at stranger on the docks
Vadeyn: Run and run from stranger on docks