Appreciate the quick reply! I realized halfway through typing up my thoughts that I wish I had taken screen shots or recorded a video in order to be able to provide some more/better details.
I'll try to elaborate and clarify on everything I can.
"This is the first time I've heard of this issue. Did you try modifying the audio settings at all?" Yes, I adjusted every volume slider, set my laptop at max volume, and checked to ensure Windows volume mixer didn't mysteriously mute the game client, as it sometimes does for reasons unknown. (this last step was made more difficult by the full-screen issue, which was honestly the main reason I noticed it)
"If you could provide a bit more detail for this one it'd be very helpful (details of the menu), for example:
Was the tutorial about using an interface, or were you in the visible home area with no dim screen?
Do you happen to recall what the dialogue was saying?" I don't recall which tutorial it was, but I am fairly sure it was either the first or second tutorial you can trigger upon landing in the main sanctuary area. Pretty sure it was a dimmed out screen.
"I ran into a problem with an Encounter in which the Bookshelf wouldn't seem to do anything regardless of which skill/outcome I selected. There was a Taunt prompt I believe, which flew by pretty quickly and didn't really help me get past it. I had to exit the area which ended that run, unfortunately." OK, I am 75% sure it was a red cursor and will be completely embarrassed if I mis-remembered. I did take into consideration the green/red cursor instructions from previous battles and thought it odd that the Encounter wanted me to target the bookshelf. The Skill tooltip said something about +1 / -1 CD for all skills so I may have thought it was a party wide effect.
"Each slot has a chance to summon a soul, the first 3 are guaranteed (it mentions this in the soul creator's upgrades)." Oh! I skimmed the upgrades menus, but didn't see this explanation. I wonder if there's any indication you could have on the recruit screen itself that the empty slot was due to random chance. All the other RNG stuff is pretty transparent in how it works, but just a thought.
"The first row is highlighted while all other rows are dimmed. If you hover over any option those that are interactable will brighten even further (this only happens with the first row)" Right, so for clarity I figured that my only choice was the highlighted row, but it wasn't clear if I was able to only select one level from that row or not. E.G. my intention was to "farm" the low level stuff if that makes sense. But I suspect the direction of the game is to continue progressing into harder areas, die, and respawn your party with whatever upgrades etc. you accrued, rather than any sort of grinding loop.
I am on Discord! mooglerampage#6446 (at least until the user name / handle changes reach me) or if it's easier to chat in the Feedback Quest server that works too.