I went into this with more of a "Might be good?" expectation than anything, but oh man, this was unexpectedly brilliant - like legitimately, stunningly fantastic.
Without spoilers - I've only played through Sissel's route so far (as far as it's available), and it simultaneously delighted and devastated me. I gave up counting how many times it got me tearing up (happy or sad), but the way he and the story are fleshed out just draws you in and makes you truly, DESPERATELY root for things to work out for him. Everything's developed so well, it just makes it feel so alive and almost tangible. The happy moments are joyous to experience, and the sad ones are real gut-punchers.
I managed to catch the foreshadowing for some twists and got blindsided by others, which is testament to how well balanced the writing is, the story has gotten me hooked, and the artwork is great. I love the characters, the jokes land consistently, and I just can't wait to see more of it!