I hate to be rude, but I don't see how this is getting good reviews. The whole game feels shoddy, not just the graphics. The premise just isn't that interesting, and then a subpar interface and terrible graphics are built around it.
I think big sprites are not your friend here. Big sprites are great to highlight animation, but you don't seem to take advantage of that. Big sprites also necessitate the slow pace, which is really the biggest problem in the game. NPC attack animation is nigh non-existent. One-hit kills are also a negative. Finally, the story is awkwardly told. Overall, I think this could be a very good game, but it needs work.