Lamplighter devs Harebrained "part ways" with Paradox as publisher decides against new project in the same genre

Reading this, I’ve been thinking that I completely missed the launch, including the mixed feedback.

Anyone here played it? Is the grind and the need to focus on efficiency over “fun experimentation” as bad as the reviews make it out to be? :( Because I love the asthetics in the review, but originally removed it from my wishlist because of the locked character, a practice I really don’t like.