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I am in utter disbelief after reading about your opinion, did you check whether this is the visual novel you're actually referring to!?

It is so baffling seeing that someone has basically the polar opposite opinion about this visual novel than me.

This piece of media has, in my opinion, one of the best character writing of anything that I've ever read. And seeing you boil down their personalities to two or three words makes me feel like the whole point of every single one of them has gone over your head.

These characters act anything but stereotypical, and even the ones that do seem archetype-ish, like Carl, make a point by portraying the deeper parts of their reality.

And now that I mention Carl, let us take him as an example. He is one of the "weakest" characters personality-wise, but it is easy to see that such is the point; Carl has been consumed by monotony and depression to the point where his personality as a whole has been watered down to the core, which resulted in an "erasure" of his confidence and sense of self-worth. This premise is typical, yes, but in a relatable, realistic way, not stereotypical. He's not a caricature, yet even he thinks of himself that way. That's where his richness as a character lies.

And the animosity amongst the friend group is such a refreshing dynamic that it couldn't work any better; It feels awful seeing them deal with each other, and that's genius writing. The years of tension and basically forced friendship (because of social circumstances) is felt through every argument and interaction. You feel how everyone knows each other so well, that they've reached a point that they have nothing nice left to say, and communicating that much every time is pretty much a feat. The conversations, the interactions, feel realistic and backed up by backstories, and that just gives so much to the immersion of this visual novel.

I could write paragraph after paragraph about what each character entails, but that would make things too long.

With Echo you're reminded that you're not reading a simpleton visual novel about a bunch of sweethearts in a creepy place. The tension and the insanity within Echo and the friend group sells the horror beautifully and realistically.

The unorthodox way that Echo has of telling its story is key to absorbing the reader into the experience. It's not disappointing; it's novel. And you came here with unfair expectations when you wanted a chewed-up novel without ever having to squint between the lines.

Of course I don't think Echo is perfect, but i greatly appreciate each of the aspects that make it unique as a novel. I'd love to see more writers dare to take up such an experimental atmosphere and message like what Howly did here.

RADICAL spoiler alert!

I'm assuming you're talking about Flynn's route.
It's true that the end of the route is really hazy and confusing, and the change of style is jarring, (as it has been done by another writer) but not nonsensical.

I believe that this portion of the novel is highly symbolic and requires an understanding of the nature of echo and the rest of the routes, i did this route last so i could at least grasp whatever the hell was going on. 

It seems to me that as Flynn burns in the mines, he becomes one with the "victims" of Echo, their minds fusing and intermingling into a supernatural being that (i think) already existed. The memories and acts of the being are reenacted as Flynn AND his possessor, Samuel Ayers are assimilated into the being (rumored to be the socket man)

The wiki affirms that the scenes seen are actually being done by Flynn rather than them being memories, proposing that whatever Flynn becomes is beyond linear time, but its up for debate.

The thing is that Echo is notoriously vague and enigmatic and confirms little to nothing about its supernatural nature, so no certainties should be expected, really.

I am relieved to admit that after the long hiatus, we were presented with a wonderfully polished version of what we had all those years ago, both narrative-wise and artistically. This rework reminded me of why echo project is the phenomenon it is within its genre, and I feel the need to express why to all those who, rightfully, still have their doubts.

When reading this (reformed) first chapter, we encountered a continuation that has managed to build upon the already established intrigue, and deliver an incredibly promising foundation to answer all that which Adastra left intentionally vague.
I can confidently affirm that this point is the most popular, i have still not heard complaints about the writing, even considering the shift in main character and love interest!

Unfortunately, the artistic aspect of this sequel has thrown off some of the established fanbase, and it has been expressed. 

Personally, I feel that this iteration is the best, and that Haps has not failed to deliver once again after so many reworks. It's a shame to see Amicus's slight chub go, but it is only logical considering the context he's in, and the attention to said detail is greatly appreciated. It is a reflection of the new expectations that rest upon Amicus represented on his physique, that now matches the encyclopedic look of an emperor; fit and confident.
Of course, all other sprites are done with the same expertise and personality. Brunis's being, in my opinion, one of the most remarkable ones.
If i had to nitpick one aspect of the art, I would say that some drawn backgrounds don't exactly enthusiasm me, but at least it's better to see than a stock image with a filter thrown over it.

The rough reception of the new art has obvious reasons: people just get used to what they had, and there's little one can do to avoid complaints when a re-imagining is done. I wish everyone appreciated the effort to polish the sprites so much, but "Oh well."

The future of Khemia is finally looking bright again, and i can only wish that the planets don't align to throw another stone to the development of this much anticipated sequel. There is still love for Adastra, and there are still things left to say. This was never over.