Hi, I can tell you a bit!
I realise now how ambitious I was in wanting to have both routes done by mid-year. I takes a lot more time than I expected. I also didn't anticipate how much I'd need to learn and redo. On the plus, I think I've gotten better at drawing and coding :)
Now that the story is more or less finalised, I'm working on replacing all the placeholder art assets with their final forms, playing the game multiple times and making sure I feel good about it. Then the music composer and I will work together on new songs, or even replacing old ones. After that, I need the extra time to do some drawings for marketing/make a trailer.
At this point in time, I think the expanded game will still come out within 2024, just closer to the end of the year. I agree with you that it's smarter (and healthier) to spend more time on it making sure it's a better experience for everyone.
Thanks for your interest and for checking in!