itch.io

I enjoyed reading those additions and I agree that currently the stats seem unbalanced with stats being better than others. I analyzed what each stat would be doing fundamentally and keeping that, but enhancing it. That was the idea baseline for my stat versions. But I do love the idea of having hidden stats that combo off of each other. That would give more of a plausible differential than what I proposed, but would take longer to implement than mine.

And since you have indicated 5 base stats, "chance to level up one of your 5 base stats up to 4 times", we could include a luck or LCK^ that could be special scenes and chances for critical successes on timers, money (in tips or something similar), and maybe better chances for finding things when exploring.

As a side note, I love what you are planning with the system already in place. 

With regards to what the 4 visible stats could do, I believe it would make more sense (feel free to use this or modify this as a base) with the stats doing the following:

STR^ - Stronger combo | could be a stronger combo multiplier (this stat could stack, based on rank, with the faster food timers and more money based on combo

END^ - Don't lose energy as fast and gain additional max energy per rank

SPD^ - Cooks food faster and faster combo rate

CHR^ - More money from working and a 3%/5%/10%/20% rent decrease

There is an upgrade that you can get that will tell you where everyone is (map, guild). One is obtained from the builders and the other from the upgrade menu. They will tell you where you need to go to find Shino.