Well, I remember seeing some screenshots where the UI looked like COMPLETE ass, and between that and the OT title I was under the impression that... it wasn't so hot. I probably will check it out then.
You can always try the first episode for $6. Given that it also comes with 54 Raid missions, that's a lot more substantial than a demo. And it still allows you to try it without committing to the full package. If you hate it... well, it does get better, episode by episode, but yeah. You'll still have an idea.
I never noticed the UI. It's orange and fairly minimalist. My negative impression of the game, prior to its release, was I thought Moira looked like she was on stilts (now I like her legs, lol), and I thought Natalia looked like a cliche -- the creepy apparition-like girl, straight out of "The Shining." But Natalia quickly becomes a very endearing character that brings out the nurturing father in Barry.
Also, before the game came out, I wasn't interested because I thought the setting looked generic -- after all, gritty prisons are a dime a dozen in horror movies, etc. But the prison setting is actually rather unique on a room-by-room basis, and it's only there for the first episode. The island as a whole offers some Dear Esther-esque beauty, with fishing villages and fog-wreathed shorelines. You have dense woods that you explore at dawn and after dusk. You have a derelict town that is like porn if you're into urban decay, calling to mind the ruins of Chernobyl. The Soviet setting, in general, gives this game a fresh feel, with a lot of detail that makes it feel real and lived in.
So yeah. All of my concerns were unfounded. I really enjoyed the characters and world, despite my apprehension going in.