I mean Ripple use HS1 and it looks great. This game on other hand.....
Sure, and you also have Pale Carnations in your signature which is also HS1. Ripples and PC each use extremely modified versions of HS1 that no other developer has matched as far as I've seen. Ripples also goes for a brighter almost Disney like aesthetic which is in line with it's cheery story tone. Dropout Saga is a much darker story and the dark art tone matches it.
If you don't care for the art, that's ok. Most of us stay because we enjoy the story.
The prologue was really Lazy just trying to figure things out and isn't a good representation of the game as it stands now.