So... did the game have a plot? Was there any value to collecting anything and upgrading it? Or was it literally just a circle of upgrading to make it easier to collect so you can upgrade more?
Also, on the note of visual novels, I've "played" good visual novels and enjoyed them, it's just I enjoyed them in the same way I enjoy reading a book. If you come into them expecting a gaming experience then they are undeniably the worst games in existence, but you want to read a book that sometimes has multiple endings then they can be lovely.