The free roam stuff won't be full sandbox. You can skip it and the only thing you'll miss is developing relationships with side chars, and exploring their kinks. Might be maps but also might be short-circuiting it with phone interfaces (call someone for a date or booty call) or just option lists on what you can do now. I've seen a few pretty linear VNs use this kind of thing lately, and I think we make it not disruptive to the flow of the story.
Freeroam is not grinding. I work on Lab Rats 2 sometimes... believe me I know grind. Not doing that here.
U do know that all players that reviewed or complained is for lack of choices not for having features like free roam , maps , phone etc which are sandbox features . Majority don't like games when it comes to sandbox .
And turning a VN into sandbox where u have to check for bugs , errors sandbox version and time spent for sandbox features can be saved with writing nice story and faster updates .
If sandbox will be added for side characters and for romancing them . If I decided to skip free roam then I'll miss developing relationship with side characters then what is use in playing it ?
And Lab Rats 2 that is ur best example really man , I played it and uninstalled it in the start of it , it has worst grind than any other game sandbox .
All top VN games don't have sandbox elements like free roam , maps to go to places , phone for date & booty call exception being BADIK which is a sandbox where it has free roam inside which is only worst aspect of the game for me ( it would have been better without it ) and it has phone to msg girls and for apps , not for booty call or for calling a girl for date .
I am not saying to change ur ideas or change ur story . Just ask for people opinion or polls ( VN / SANDBOX ) before deciding it .
If it turns to Sandbox features which u have mentioned then this game is clearly not for me .
