Think the recent updates typify the problem that this game has too many characters to keep track of, especially when so many of them seem to be functionally the same trope.
Stan, Robert, and Perry are basically all Nice Guys, but one is potentially more interesting because of the "redemption" stuff. Seymour and Axel are both the same "dom photographer" character except the latter is far, far more interesting because of the history with Lena. Cindy and Holly are basically just Lena with different hair colours but you don't play as them (i.e. sweet love options or "fallen angels").
There's enough character traits and writing quality to have 6 or 7 really good characters but instead we have closing on two dozen now and the result is most are threadbare, lesser versions of others, or just plain forgettable.
And related to this I think it's clear EK is struggling to allow routes to work with stats, hence why there's now a "cheat" version where they just don't matter because otherwise exploring different routes is a ballache as you try to remember the 50 or so minor buttons to press to hit an arbitrary stat level.