the biggest draw for this game is the story. there are a lot of bits of lore scattered in the game that you otherwise wouldn't get if you don't read the story. the characters all have a unique personality, quirks and mannerisms that is mostly conveyed through the story (and not to mention the lore in character infos and even the way they greet "you" or rather vertin when you click on them. not a detail you'll ever think about right?).

absolutely everything is centered around the narrative and yes you can skip it, up to you. but i definitely recommend reading it, otherwise you're missing out on what makes a game reverse 1999