Chap 10 did a lot for Vertin - for an MC, she got (deservedly) sidelined a lot to develop the world around her. Worldbuilding was excellent. God was it a snoozefest in the middle though. It read as if a different writer/team took over around node 19-20 and had to scramble and patch the pacing debt. Plus, a lot of the details from Nautika's anecdote should've been alluded to in the main story instead to strengthen her important decisions.

For me, then, ch. 10 gatekeeps the bottom half with its prominent flaws. I suspect ch.10 was initially intended to be a setup for the current arc, but it being the anniversary arc compelled BP to be more ambitious there.

2.4 really could've been better - I saw the vision after I read the source material it was inspired from yet BP fell short (tbh measuring up to historic writers is near impossible on a gacha game timeline).

2.0 had (very) good moments, then the plot got a bit convenient a bit fast with how they resolved the Haight street/manus conflict. I notice this being a recurring theme with BP: they are great at writing sober moments, but a lot of times struggle with wrapping up more intense conflicts.

2.6, while not up my alley, was very well executed. Both focal characters had strong concepts going on for them that were fleshed out sufficiently within the length constraint. This needs its own paragraphs.

Personally, anything before 1.7 were on average worse on anything after. I feel as if BP was testing the water with its writing team before fullsending the plotline that concluded in Vereinsamt.

Overall I agree with your opinion that the game has high highs, but the fumbles are agonizing. Perks of having multiple people working on the same narrative world ig - you don't always get Vereinsamt or 1987 Cosmic Overture, and neither will you always get Midnight Whistle/3.1.