Oh no, I hope this isn't completely true but... I heard a rumor that Katauri is not really the developer for this game.
That does sort of explain a lot.
In fact, it is co-done by 1C-SoftClub/Katauri Interactive.
Compare that to Katauri Interactive who did Armored Princess.
That would possibly mean budget shifts, human resource shifts, and different management/priorities.
Can I still buy a DRM-free Armored Princess somewhere before it turns into a long lost classic?