Hello there! Thanks so much for writing here about the game and sharing your experiences/thoughts! I put a lot of work into making the relationships feel realistic and genuine, so I'm glad that shone through!
To answer your questions!
1. The full game was originally planned to be roughly 12-15 hours long. However the final build I am working on is close to 20 hours long! I won't have a final estimate till the game is finished, but I believe it'll be around 20 hours!
2. Spending time with only one character won't directly lead to negative consequences. Spending not enough time with anyone OR too much time with just one person can negatively affect relationships in all kinds of unexpected ways. I suggest doing what you think is best, and not stressing too much! There's no route in the game where everyone is 100% fully happy with Syd's choices haha... so just have fun and do your best!
3. The most difficult challenge? THat's easy! Finishing it has been the one of the hardest things I've ever done. I keep adding new content, new scenes, new options, making the game immensely complicated and hard to wrap up! I am in the final stages of writing the story at the moment, and tying up every loose end and paying off as many choices and storylines as possible is extremely hard! But I am very proud of this game, so i think it's all worth it!
Hahaha, I am glad you enjoyed the video game references! I had fun putting them in. So much of my life growing up was sharing my favourite shows/games/books with friends, it was a huge source of inspiration for giving the characters something to bond over in LoveSick Darlings!
Thanks again for writing! I hope you enjoy the full game when it's ready!