Hi Mild_Iron,
I appreciate the feedback and your advice on placing a strong emphasis on engaging characters.
I will be honest that this is probably the most worrying thing in my mind, as the systems are basic I will need to rely on this aspect.
I really enjoyed games like Disco Elysium, The Forgotten City, Hotel Dusk - where dialogue was an extremely large part of the experience.
Thank you, and I will try not to let you down!