I don't quite know how best to put it, but this game has an incredibly dense and raw feeling of a small American town. At least it captures the kind of imagination about a small American town I am accustomed to since I've never really been to the USA. I don't really know what does it to me: either a very particular kind of boring automobile-centric city planning, or its history, or the kind of warmth and communal spirit, emanating from its residents. But it's just there, and it kinda fascinates me.
That said, the way this game tells its story through encouraging exploration and light puzzle solving is just beautiful. I played through it three times to see the consequences of picking different spots, and it always found ways to pleasantly surprise me. This game has so much heart and human warmth, shining through each character and location. My favorite was the auto mechanic, who I expected to be some kind of important character in one of the stories, but it seemed like she was just there. And each time I visited her, she made me smile.
Great stuff!