As a person who struggles with anxiety and feels 'bad' when being 'forced' to commit BDSM, I really, REALLY appreciate the way Stormside handles this with multiple routes. With the romance routes, I feel like I am legitimately 'saving' the girls from crueler punishments and can enjoy the story and the (romantic) relationships that develop.
Note: I am not judging anyone who appreciates those routes or who enjoys BDSM. This is purely based on my personal preferences.