Eh, I just disagree. I just dont think the story is as captivating as the last game, and I dont think any character are as well constructed as any of the girls in N&T. Has nothing to do with a different style.The problem is that it is a completely different game, with a different way to play it, a different way to tell the story and a different approach to the very general topic of continuing on after the end of the world.
IF you want and expect this game to be the same as Now & Then you are doing the game a disservice and judge it unfairly.
There are many instances where I find comparisons as you mention them perfectly fine, but if a game is so base-line different to the previous work of the creator, judging it against that doesn't make a lot of sense.
Still, I would be fine with it, if someone just writes he liked the other game better and wanted another straight up VN, the problem comes with the claims that this game is worse, because it isn't told in the same way and doesn't have the same characters.
I just dont think this story which boils down to a dude fucking girls problems away is as interesting as what N&T gave us, even if it followed a tried and true plot device and wasnt hyper original.
I expected the same level of character depth and story telling and I dont think it came close, I didnt expect the same style of game.