I also enjoy these elements that are in RPGM games and if the game is designed like that from the ground up it should remain so unless the DEV has a genuine desire to change engines rather than just to satisfy people who simply want something simpleri unironically liked the free roam, especially in the blackmail route. it always feels like you can miss out on something, which adds to the main theme, you know. too bad they moved to ren'py, now it will be just ctrl jumping straight to h-scenes "game" for the vast majority of players. personally to me ntr visual novels feel like just observing someone getting ntred, so it's ntr squared, but with a minus, i think. i neither feel like i play the game nor i can immerse myself in the story as a participant, really. but i guess it's just me, since practically everyone's happy with this change.
you just have to look at the movie industry where studios get involved in the creative and direction process to appease masses who dislike certain elements and force change
most of the times not all i'll admit these lead to movies that are choppy , disjointed and ultimately less good than if they had stayed well out of it
IF they DEV thinks the change of engine is for the better than all well and good , but if not in my opinion he should not change it