Huh... what a weird design decision. Welp, thanks tho
Not really. The beginning choices basically establish your character's personality. Maybe the dev also decided it'd be a pain trying to develop a dark path that could start in every encounter? I don't know, I guess there's more than one plausible interpretation of what a dark route should look like, but it is pretty baffling for someone to stroll through all the beginning LIs being nice, and then bam, suddenly decide to rape the 5th LI you come across or something. Like, how do you even write that in the story? What does that say about the MC's character? It's much easier to just establish it in the beginning and that's that.
I would like for there to be a version which involves a gradual decent into evil, rather than doing it all at once, but Neon gets to tell his story.
Completely agree. I think that would be really interesting, and also way more relatable actually. Unless we're missing something and that route is already being developed. BUT... considering there's already many ways to approach the game, many LIs & minor gals to fuck around with, and so many variables that are being juggled, including a dark route full of guilt & regret that I'm really fascinated to see where it goes... I think I can 1000% forgive Neon for not including this.

Eh, maybe expansion material for the far future.
