Hello! First of all I'd like to say that this is the second time in my life that a game has made me think about it so much that I finally decided to share some of my thoughts (the first one was Mass Effect 3 a loooong time ago x3) - it is indeed something else when it comes to immersion, character interactions and overall vibe. Absolutely loving your work and can't wait to see more!
I'd say that one of the most immersive factors for me at least is the usage of only ambient sounds for the vast majority of gameplay, and when there's some "big" moment happening - when you can see a detailed, beautiful artwork paired with fitting, emotional soundtrack AND the descriptions to top it all off - then you can really FEEL it, it is sooo masterfully thought out!
Of course the characters themselves are the main asset of the whole novel, they might fall into some stereotypes at times but that's of course unavoidable and they are implemented really, really well nevertheless. Every single one of them has at the very least "something" interesting about them, you can feel that every one has his/her motivations, past experiences etc. that made them who they are.
I also have some thoughts regarding the plot/characters so I'll put it below leaving some free lines to hide the SPOILERS from the immediate screen space:
Okay so... there is this one part of the plot that got me, and of course I'll not be too much of an original type by saying it concerns none other than the fan favorite Samuel him(her)self and the secret/reveal concerning the character's gender, haha
I fully respect the writers' ideas and on a "plot" level I find it a very interesting addition that makes the character even more so relatable/likeable/being a target for sympathy etc. However, I do have to admit that as a player - one that is really easy to emotionally influence - I kinda felt ...betrayed? Heartbroken? None of these words are fully adequate really, because I wouldn't want to sound overly dramatic/disrespectful - but to be honest I think the main issue here is the scene with the 1st day evening/morning dreams (with nude Sam as a male), which really sets the expectations/hopes for the player. Because shortly after that there's some affectionate bonding over the sunrise, caring about and quickly falling for the character, and only afterwards (in my mind, already after the "romance" has begun really - as the player already has to "invest" time and feelings into Sam instead of other potential romances) the reveal makes it so that homosexual people, who probably were super happy to have found such a gem of a character, are... well, you know... you can't make a straight person gay or vice versa.
I'm only allowing myself for such a suggestion because according to Furscience stats, homosexual people are a really big part (around 30ish %) of the furry fandom, so it's probably not just a "me" issue - I've read some ...really salty comments about this situation. And that suggestion would be to maybe consider removing the morning dream scene, or maybe moving it into a later part of the playthrough, if the player's choices would suggest that he prefers to play a homosexual route (so it'd be more of a "what if" dream, (maybe even with some more spicy additions) and not a "can't wait for that" dream)?
Because right now it is just SO EASY to fall for Samuel in a "romantic" way from the very beginning (which kind of enables the narration that she's a "trap") - so maybe it would be better to limit it to a "platonic/friendship" level until the reveal is made? This way she can still be a player's favorite character, but, you know, more of a "sister" than a "(potential)lover".
Other than that, I really hope Nomax gets some more "affectionate" ways to romance him in the future updates, because right now I feel like a d*** to treat him like that only to have some intimate moments with him :( I'd sooo much rather progress the relationship with him in the similar manner to Sam (so investing myself emotionally before bedding someone). Or maybe Bandile could be made romanceable in the future? His personality/behavior and the player's interactions with him would set him for a perfect "boyfriend material" in this manner.
Basically what I want to say is that both Sam and Rajeeyah (at least I think she seems to be romanceable?) have their romance pacings set out so naturally - with learning a lot of backstories/motivations/emotions first, with them being tender, delicate and loveable - while the only other comparable homosexual romance is either heavily sex-oriented from the start (Nomax), or unavailable (Bandile). I suppose you could argue that both Arthur and Wolf could be treated as such, but it's not really comparable as you have to either be into the "strong/distant male" OR have meta-knowledge that they'll finally open up and/or become more affectionate.
Either way, please don't take the above ramblings as a "criticism/hate", it's more of a "I care so much about this story that I felt like i needed to voice some thoughts" - I'll be watching it unfold with great interest, it is a true work of art <3