Most important thing first:
Took me really long to notice this, but I wonder if the fleur-de-lys background, on a game figuring a totally crazy mafia family, is a coincidence or a reference to some Stilwater's crazy gang...
On another subject, the reworks of the missions is... hmm, what can describe it better that "amazingly wonderfully marvelous" ? I mean, it add so much depth to the story, and do this in a interesting, funny and entertaining way. Then the idea to mix the two, mission and story, in the last quest of the update ; a real delight.
Talking about the last mission, so much foods for our thoughts in just one quest...
Serpent relation with Eiza's sister, and therefore the Carnefice family. He care for her like... well he isn't her father. And if I remember correctly he also isn't a direct relative (he's not a redhead), but he really care for her.
Siobhan situation in her own family, then her reaction when learning why the DeLuca are here. She wasn't just surprised, it looked more like a "how the fuck is this even possible ?" reaction. The fact she gave the symbol of the family, in order to stop the fights enforce this. Whatever how much she care about the member of the family, if it was a fair trade, she would have left the strongest won. But instead she decided to stop everything and immediately release the girl, what really looks like a, "we shouldn't even have her here".
This lead to something else. The Kazar mole, the disgraced Ombra daughter, the unorthodox moves of the Ombra family. I would even add Wilfred enlightened differently by the replay ; not necessarily in a shady way, but there's more than the initial "more than the surface". MC haven't just jumped in a viper nest, he's also an unexpected player. And with what Blackie (the Pacificatoris representative) said, he don't seem to simply be DeLuca's joker ; looks more like Cordia's dream savior.
And speaking about MC's situation in all this viper nest... He's under contract with the DeLuca family. But also son-like of the Kazar's don and brother-like of the Kazar's heir ; and a beloved son-like. It wasn't evident at first, but Pops don't just want to know why he's with the DeLuca because knowledge is a weapon. He also want to be able to protect MC if it's needed. Then, MC's first, and probably future most faithful, follower (approved by Luna herself) who's the heir of the (late) Carnefice family. And now he's ready to befriend the second daughter of the Ombra family. He's still just a soldato, and he already have a better relation network than probably most Capo.
Edit: Oh, and also this woman he encountered during a mission...
Plus, replaying the game from start was an enlightening experience. Some part of the characters' personality, and their relationship, or thoughts, about each others, become so more visible when you pass through the dialogs with a better knowledge about the characters.
I think it's with Luna/Cordia relationship that it's the most visible. It's only when you know what "My Name Is Luna" teach you about Luna, but also a little about Cordia, that you can understand this relationship. And this knowledge make you see the early scenes in a very different light. Cordia then pass from the cold bitch who despite her daughter (what she seem to be at first), to the tortured mother who deeply love her (what she really is).
If Cordia is so cold with Luna, it isn't because of what Luna did (killing her father), but because of what Cordia failed to do (protecting those she love the most) ; Cordia don't hate Luna, she hate herself. And obviously, Luna can't see it, because she hate herself for what she did. It's also why she never really tried to fix her relation with her mother ; Luna believe that she deserve to be treated this way, especially by her.
This is, among so many other things, what really show the efforts you put in your story,
HopesGaming ; all those, "OMFG ! Of course it's that, now that I read it again I wonder how I failed to understand it the first time", that cross our minds. An attention to the details, but also an effective application of the knowledge.
Like by example MC invading Cordia's office. What could have, at first, puzzled the players, take all its sense later. The first time, say nothing and forgive. The second time, try to understand, then forgive. The third time do not forgive. It's Wilfred teaching, and Cordia applied it to the letter. There were a strong and rational reason behind MC being still alive ; it's just that us, players, learned it later.
Just one bad word to say.
Uncle Mustache ? Really ? The early 20th called, they want their dandy back
Oh and, obviously, praised be Filius Canis, Filius Canis is our only god and only hope