Many "cutsey" and "comfy" games ultimately try to hard to extract emotions from the player, and I find the benefit of Lil gator game is how simple the story telling is in comparison. The whole game is a kid's fantasy game so there is no attempt to make combat and instead the game fully focuses on the characters with the open world and movement offering the variety and fun needed to make treks between people interesting. There is a level of pathos and sadness to the story but its never overwhelming and always reasonable. Issues are solved in a reasonable way which radiates a genuine kindness and love of people. Character archetypes normally cast as villains in other media: "cool kids", smart preppy kids, and the work-a-holic are instead just as a reasonable as everyone else with everyone coming to a greater understanding by the quests end.