I can see this perspective, for sure. I definitely didn’t click with this game quite as much with the first go through, but it was the second time where I wanted to build something specific and get into the world more that I had a lot more fun.

You definitely have to suspend your disbelief with the “ticking time bomb” and I wish the story canonically allowed for exploration after the ending, but I also see how that wouldn’t work that well with some of the endings.

I think they ultimately had to choose their battles and I’m hoping for a bit less of that in the sequel if anything.