I understand you. What you want is for more work to be done on the VN part . Usually, sandbox games have a simple storyline and most of the work and attention is focused on the puzzles. In this game, what is most interesting is solving the puzzles of the game. Also, in this game, the variables are more than the games in the same category of this game, so that the player in the game, in addition to solving puzzles, must have a strategy to continue the game and reduce the playing time and the consequences of events.
Adding a storyline and not predetermined events to a game like this is very difficult and time consuming and can overshadow everything. In linear games it is much easier to add such changes. But I agree with you, in some cases can even add text to the game to make the game story more colorful.
Each game that is made focuses more on one part of the game. For example, in linear games, we see that there are games that are a novel in which there are sexual parts, and on the other hand, there are games that focus on the sexual parts and use a story only to connect these parts. So we have games that even if we remove the sexual parts, we still have a game that is interesting to us and has potential. And on the other hand, we have games that, if we remove the sexual part of it, we do not even know what to call what is left of it. And that's more to do with what the game focuses on .
Based on the games that you mentioned in your post and what is in your signature, it can be said that you care more about the game story than anything else. But in this game and a few other games, what is more bold and game focused on it is the puzzle solving part of the game. And this is exactly what I enjoy about this game. Of course, many other strengths and abilities of this game are not far from sight and admiration .
The good news is that we can experience the thrill of solving a puzzle in one game and enjoy a good and interesting story in another. But a game can have both of these options, and this is what you are looking for. And in this game is not far from expectation.