So I've played this game for well over 7 hours, and I'm liking the way it's headed. Although I do have a lot of feedback.
First things first, the game kinda feels like a hustling simulator. You spend most of your time scavenging so you can pay rent, thus you have barely any time to do anything that's not working or checking Sammy's mood so she doesn't mentally breakdown. And while this adds to the hopeless and dark world the game exists in, it also makes no sense. 400 dollars a week is way too much, and is straight up non sensical. Just the sheer fact that money is still used as a currency in a world where most countries fell, over 50% of the population is dead and the government is in ruins instead of resources and junk make no sense. But having to pay THIS much is insane, especially considering the fact that most people are poor and they work as scavengers or sellers just to get by. Not to mention that you don't exactly live in a luxury apartment, so I don't see why it would be so high. Also we have flatmates (Robin) that live with us and probably pay the same amount, so it being so high and requiring this much work is a bit ridiculous. (Especially since Robin spends most of her time either messing around or in school, so how does SHE pay rent consistently while I'm the one breaking down crying in the restroom? Yes, I do know she scavenges aswell. But how much time is that compared to the time WE spend? Way less I would say.) it also leaves you with little to no time to actually do stuff, you're lucky if you can go to school or workout three times a week. And with how tight the deadline is and how much work it needs, any time that's not actively spent towards paying rent or having you in the right mindset to work is time wasted. (So you don't exactly spend a lot of time talking to NPC's or you know.. interacting with the world at all.) Also the fact that scavenging and improving your stats is randomised doesn't help either, because even if you do go out to do theses things, you might just get 1 torn clothes each time or your stats simply don't increase. (Or worse decrease) Which leads to a lot of backtracking and save-scumming. These are all small problems that kinda ruin the experience and leave you stuck in a loop, taking you so long to even try and advance the story or game.
So I would say cutting it down to 200 would do the trick, while it will not remove ALL the problems mentioned above.. It will drastically improve everything, and make it more tolerable. (It will still have you hustling so you don't get kicked out, and drive the same sense of hostility and helplessness that surround this world but much more moderately and also much more logically. It's not like Oscar is now suddenly an angel, he will still be greedy bastard who only cares about money and asks for way too much, but not to insane degree like before.) Because now you will have more time to actually do stuff like work on your stats, go to school, talk to the other characters and buy stuff. (Again I will have to mention the fact that we live in an average resident with flatmates in a world where everyone is poor, the rent being affordable is not only a need but a must if it were to make sense.) Also also it would actually make working for Oscar as a house cleaner a viable way to work your rent off, cuz now if you work 5 times a week you will cut down rent by 60%. (Instead of the 30% from before) which will in turn leave you with much more money to actually buy stuff with.
Another thought of improvement is to have you be able to sell the roll-ups and beer bottles. in a post-apocalyptic scenario it kinda makes little to no sense not being able to sell them, especially since THEY would be the currency that will be used if this were to ever happen.
And having more stuff to buy that's not for looks or consumables, like maybe buying a dumbbell (preferably a cheap one, considering the fact that we live in a post apocalyptic world. I mean who in their right mind would spend money on working out equipment instead of resources and clothes? Well beside us..) to improve the process of working out or making it more consistent. Or buying a shovel to get more drops while scavenging, and unlike the dumbbell I can see it being expensive since it's a quality of life tool to scavengers. ( Would probably cost something like 75 dollars) or even running shoes so putting up flayers, running or playing sports with others will take less of your mood and exhaustion meter. (And in the case of playing sports just your exhaustion meter)
Another fun (although ridiculous) idea is to actually be able to build your own "house", bit by bit. (well more like a shelter that has basic resources for survival and some entertainment..) with this you wouldn't have to worry about paying rent and while living with Jay kinda does it.. it also sorta doesn't since you can only sleep and wash yourself there. (No working out, food or TV) with this you can get all your needs without having someone breathing down your neck. (Like buying what you would get in your apartment, and keeping your stuff there like the aforementioned dumbbell or more workout videos than the ones available at your resident.)
Also for some reason certain rooms like the shops in revel street are purely pink with no features, and interacting with the boys behind school would case a weird window to pop up and some items have no pictures...