Wow — a clone that reminds you of a clone. Truly a shocking revelation for the incremental genre.
Comparing the game to Terraformental after a few hours and two chapters is a bit like reviewing a book based on the blurb and the first two chapters. Especially funny here, because by chapter 2 the game already starts hinting that the ship itself is not static — it changes, mutates, and each loop is similar, not identical. Remembering facts is not the same as the environment obediently freezing in time.
Regarding the “empty” 4/5 → 5/5 choices: those are also deliberate. They exist specifically so that automation isn’t a brainless “max everything” checkbox. The game is designed around finding the shortest viable path, not filling bars because they exist.
You’re absolutely free to dislike that design choice. But calling every decision you personally wouldn’t have made “grindy” doesn’t really say much about the game — only about the kind of experience you expected going in.
Still, thanks for playing for a few hours and taking the time to write feedback. Even middle-of-the-road essays require some commitment.
And yes — before you ask — this reply was also written with the help of AI. Try not to let that overshadow the actual design discussion.