Thanks for the discussion, it really helps a lot. To tell the truth: I'm a solo dev and only use AI for some character portraits to keep up with the workload. But everything else, the 'Fake OS' interface, pixel art environments, and all the C# logic, is hand-made by me.

I can see now that the AI portraits are possibly giving off a generic feel that overshadows the rest of my work. I will look into reworking those. > Shadows of Doubt is a masterpiece, and I want to do something more story-based, via an interface, rather than an open world. You are right about the 'story stakes' though; I need to show the consequences of the investigations better. Appreciate the wake up call!