And if $36 US is too expensive for you, why not offer up your services to others in exchange for an eventual license?
Like if you know how to do pixel art, offer to do art for someone.
If you know 6502 Assembly, offer to help someone with their code.
If you're a world builder (story/level design) then offer help in that way.
I understand your disappointment that the product isn't free, but its creators have put a lot of time and effort into the it.