With regret, i have to disagree with everything you said.
First of all, fighting is a big part of this game, yet there were none in this update.
Second, we finally have the answer to "Vi's thing" it was presented quite superficially.
Third, this whole episode feels like applying breaks to slow the whole thing down, so it will go for a much much longer. At this pace another three, easy!
I actually liked the animations better than the ones before. I mean, girls were turning much uglier everytime an animation kicked in until now.
This is quite an intriguing story and I can't get enough of it. But IMHO, pt7 was kinda disappointing, for the time it took to come out. Honestly, I would be singing praises if had taken a month, rather than almost four.