I do think the ultimate resolution of the narrative conflict is stronger in Royal, and Maruki is just more interesting than EMMA, who is kind of Yaldabaoth 2, Electric Boogaloo in terms of design, even if it is better executed .
'Haru Gets No Screentime' is literally a fandom meme, and Ann/Ryuji both are poorly characterized throughout the bulk of everything that doesn't involve Kamoshida
This game has not one, but two hot springs/bath scenes, and both of them took me out of the story badly enough that I very much sighed. Like really? We're doing this. We're forced into this. Okay.
but it never really sold me on the connection to Mariko, it felt like they shoehorned that in and as a result her Shadow kind of just made me uncomfortable
this aspect of mariko's character waited until now to be brought up, and it just seems offputting when you're set up with this pristine snow city that's obsessed with perfection and glittering ice castles and all these ice personas and
HELP
made me uncomfortable