Thank you so much for the thoughtful feedback! I am glad you enjoyed the game. :)
There are actually 3 endings, with the relationship bar only affecting the “stay together” branch. You are right that scope creep/limited time affected this - I did want to implement a system that made it more clear, but in the end kept it simple to ensure I made the deadline. This is only my second VN and I’m learning a lot!
I can definitely see the art clash as well. My original set of backgrounds turned out to be AI-generated and I had to pivot. I do love the gloomy backgrounds, but agree they don’t really match the sprite art style. It’s something I will keep an eye out for next time. :)
I really appreciate your thoughts and will keep your feedback in mind for my next project!