I think the very first updates of the game were an open game where you click to move and find/unlock/repeat and grind events.
I'm glad it changed soon to become a storyline with choices, but then It had some sort of required points earned after choices that impact the unlock of scenes according to previous actions throughout the story. It wasn't bad, we still had choices AND different outcomes.
The points were like a classic lust points vs love points I don't remember well (they were hidden but could be seen with a specific mod). But you could trigger different pictures at some point.
I don't know if it still exists in recent updates, but I have to repeat the game some day and see.
But then choices started to fade away slowly or at least have no major impact.
But As you said I too have high hopes for this game, it's at least the most realistic in terms of scenario compared to others, and it have some character into it.
What turns me off in other games, and I don't mean to be rude, sometimes -if not most of the times- they give me the impression that the authors aren't mature enough to think out of their pants and provide a living situation of realism to the gameplay.
You only feel like you are the only man who owns a dick or the last man on earth and all women want to fuck you for no reason.
Xenorav on the other hand, knows how women think and act and he is able to mirror that on his story, and an author needs maturity to have such thinking and provide similar results.
It's just hard to play a game written by a child even with high graphics and animations, you feel like they are made by guys who never touched a female. compared to a game made by Xenorav who seems to know about women and have matured thinking.
I think that's what made a huge difference between that game and others for me.