A little cooler on this now, after some reflection, and upon talking with more people who also played it - the game hit me very strongly and differently at first due to some life events, but that's faded somewhat, now.

It's bold to not allow saving; it feels like the game has a self-respect that is rare in its medium because of that. "I am a commitment! Make time for me!" But it doesn't particularly add much to the overall point of the experience beyond the first playthrough. The meta-stuff is very... "copy-paste previous assets ad nauseam", which has its place here, but due to the context of other games, can't help but feel a little trite.

I think what really carries this game all the same is the main character, Sam. They're an incredibly interesting protagonist in their distressingly thorough inertia; their fear of letting go of the comfortable, the repetitive, the mundane - even if their concept of it needs to be stretched beyond its breaking-point. They are a thornless rose.

I stayed with Rachel, and always would. It's important to seek connection, and stop moving - especially when you're only walking on a treadmill.