As of 0.0.4
The only reason I'm giving this game 4 stars, is because I don't believe in giving a full 5 stars before seeing the finished product. Because it could still get better, we just have to wait and see how development goes.
But once again, Mr. Dots has put out a game that I am thoroughly enjoying. In fact it's probably the one I've enjoyed most, in comparison with DMD and Melody.
The story is a bit convoluted off the bat with why the MC goes to Sunshine Bay, some more apparent problems with the girlfriend, Nicole, would help a lot. But that it rectified with the eventual choice of if you want to break up with her, or have an open relationship.
I also feel like there's some realism in the tensions between characters, and reasoning for why they act certain ways. No one is portrayed as perfect, which makes everything feel more real. There's room for characters and relationships to grow, because the characters are on much more equal footing, and therefore the power to acknowledge and work on issues or falsehoods feels much more impactful.
To me, there's a good sense of what characters you'll be able to pursue casually, or to try and have a deeper romance with early on, which helps with decision making. While the point system has yet to really come into play, I don't feel as bad sacrificing points with some characters, if it seems to be a more casual thing.
It is very story heavy early on, which is not out of the ordinary for Mr. Dots, as his other games took a while to get to the action, so if you want that action, I would recommend waiting for a couple more updates. There are a couple scenes, but they're mainly all dream/fantasy. Which isn't inherently bad, just not the main attraction obviously.
Ultimately, so far it's another solid game from Mr. Dots. Things can obviously change, but I think it's a safe bet that by the time this is finished, it will be another enjoyable and satisfying game. Just gotta give it time.