Do I desperately miss the stories and the business management elements? Yes.

Is the handling of gender and bodies cowardly and prejudiced? Yes.

Is there a BAFFLING lack of a neckware category? Yes

Do I get a bigger rush than anything else in my entire life when someone deems my avatar worth making a thoughtful outfit for, or when they like an outfit that I made for them? Yeah man. Yeah. Sorry. Can't help it. Nothing like it.

Decided to try this on a whim thinking it wouldn't be my thing and I loved it way more than I thought I would. I was completely engrossed in the game and finished it in about a day and a half. Any game that makes me waiting to play more of it is a win in my book. The gameplay loop and combat were really enjoyable for me. I liked that nothing was too overwhelming or complicated and I loved getting used to all of the different weapon abilities to the point that I leveled up everyone to its max level. Whenever there was animation I was a huge fan of it - the transformation sequences were absolutely stellar and reminded me of magical girl style ones.

It's like Hypnospace Outlaw for trans people. Gonna make sure I buy this for all the eggs in my life. It's been a while since I've been this immersed in a game world and it's characters. The writing style may turn a lot of readers off, but beneath it is the best portrayal of trans discovery I have ever seen in media. Beyond some pretty serious bugs and a weirdly rushed maturity of the player-character in the final act, I found the game near-perfect in the portrayal of ideas, vibes and the era. It felt like I was interacting with real people in my life, and their unique flaws, talents and reactivity made the experience absurdly believable. This is something I strongly recommend, especially if you're trans or questioning your gender identity.