This is where Life is Strange is different from Telltale Games' story-driven games. Your choices don't have a huge impact on game events because Max is always struggling with making decisions. This game is in fact quite linear and the only big choice moments comes at the end where you decide how your interpretation of Max would act. Maybe it better to look at this game similarly to Alan Wake but with dialogue options.
But I totally understand where you're coming from. You make a very valid argument.
I think I wouldn't have had any issue if it was like that from the start is the thing. I think my displeasure stems from feeling like I had a lot of control and say over the game early on and then finding out halfway through that I really didn't.