This review is based off of 2 playthroughs I've done so far. I plan to do more so I may edit.
It's a pretty simple yet nostalgic feeling game covering your character's life from when they're a baby to when they graduate from high school.
The gameplay loop is simple yet addicting, as it doesn't take too long to figure out the best ways to efficiently use the systems to max out your skills and stats, while keeping your mental health and parent's satisfaction meters at decent levels. Inbetween all this you get to meet and interact with different characters, and depending on what you do you can finish their storylines.
The writing is pretty decent. It's generally pretty lighthearted but effectively transitions to more serious topics or moodier tones when needed. The career related characters mostly discuss the fields they're in with you and are generally likeable; the writing really shines with the characters of your age group however, as you grow up with said characters and find out about them and their lives, befriending them and possibly even romancing them (or in worst cases, breaking off your friendship with them). The situations these characters tend to be in I either found relateable or at least knew people in real life that went through similar issues during my school years. Couple that with all the activites and figuring out your career path, it's pretty nostalgic, but at the same time kind of terrifying or dreadful. Though I guess that depends on what your school life was like.
Biggest flaw is probably the parents. The way the game handles them just makes them feel too controlling and there's hardly much noteworthy conversations with them; constantly having to meet their expectations is frustrating. It's not really hard to fulfill said expectations, but being forced to meet high expectations for most of my actual school life just made me despite this mechanic of the game lol. It's a little more disappointing too knowing that every playthrough after your first one, your parents can be the protag and who they married in your previous playthrough. Kinda just sucks the character out of them for the most part.
Overall, its a fine game. I liked it, might do some more replays for 100% completion. I loved the music and art, very much fits with that aesthetic of nostalgia it goes for.