For an RPG like this, a "chapter select" isn't really the best solution. We'd have to settle on a particular level, inventory, corruption, scenes unlocked, and all manner of other variables.
Some people would no doubt complain they don't have enough money or items. Some people might want to have all the scenes unlocked, and if we did that it'd take away the impetus to actually play through the older parts of the game...
I understand the frustration of losing your saves, especially given that it's quite a long game... but I don't think we'd ever be able to satisfy everybody, or even most people, with a rigid chapter select system