Regarding the lack of romance mechanics, it just seems like they dont know how do romance then? Why would a character have to suddenly become a “yes man” once romanced? In any case, does the game really need such mechanics to begin with?

I havent played it but from what I’ve seen, it looks like an action RPG - action first with some rpg mechanics. This is a safe genre to invest in, especially to offer on a subscription service because it is casual friendly. The drawback being it polarizes the more hardcore crowd and leaves them wanting more.