Finally, after quite a long wait, it's great to see an update on the game's development.
Personally, I think this upcoming update looks very promising. The additions, such as the new ending system, new content, and the expanded mini-games, are all features I'm looking forward to.
Regarding the mini-games, I felt that in the previous update they weren't something I kept coming back to. After playing them a few times, there wasn't much reason to continue. Adding bonus points that can be exchanged for rewards, along with further improvements to the mini-games themselves, gives players a much better incentive to keep playing them. I think that's a really nice direction.
As for the shader and lighting changes, I'm a bit more mixed. Personally, I wasn't a big fan of the lighting introduced in Update 1.8E. It made some scenes feel a little too bright, which was somewhat uncomfortable for my eyes. I also personally prefer the original CG art style. That said, based on the examples you've shown, I do think some of the new CGs look really good.
Overall, I'm excited to see how this update turns out, and I appreciate all the work that's gone into developing it. I'm looking forward to playing it when it's released!