Good to know, thanks. I've uploaded both a savegame file that may be useful, as well as a link to a beta build to a version of the game that can skip that first week. I'm hoping that between the two, we can get you up and running again!
Every art-style has it's audience. If you dont like it, you are probably not the target audience.
Aside from that you seem to miss out on the purpose of that choice. It actually enabled the dev to create a somewhat unique style, while using real life material. If you had spend just a tiny bit of time on the first few posts, you would have noticed the limitation the dev mentioned. This is actually one of the better examples how a single dev or a small group can overcome limitations, while still making a full product.