this is false. if you want optimizing the fun out of the game some passage are nearly forced. but you don't need to optimizing the shit out of the game to having satisfactory resolution. just not the absolute best always.
there isn't any difference from the steam to the not-steam version. and save are compatibles.
4. between 100 and 150h i think. depending mostly on your reading speed
5. investment are done in a currency different from normal shopping. my advice is usualy sell most of the consumable you found and buy better gear with that money. it will make a huge difference, expecially in the early game.
1. this isn't the usualy sandbox game. rp threshold are made based on the actual score you can have at that point (no possibility to buy n gift to cap relationship points). for exampe there is a very late character starting very low and don't having a lot of gain, her highest treshold is 45.
2. the step daughter isn't an option, is story mandate, and there are a couple of time the story can works only this way.
what nedara was talking about is event resolution, not beign blocked out of the content. event can have a very broad outcome difference based on your hidden stats. in war you can pass from "nearly everything is pristine" to "a city is burned to ash" the example is refering to an action a character can complete with high enough RP, and the best optimization reach that threshold very narrow. you can change some previous choice to accomodate it, this will weaken result in other section (but you can make it works nonetheless)
the game already has a gallery function, it's unlocked mid chapter 2 with a unmissable story event
it's a game made in rpgmaker vx ace, so no. engie limitation.
some knowledge is hidden to mortal view.
