Spoilers

The game would be severely diminished if it's story changed. IMO, the "good times" has more to do with Arthur being an "unreliable narrator" than the actual material circumstances.

This is illustrated best by Arthur recognizing Micah for what he was, while remaining childishly blind to Dutch's character. Arthur's constant doubt and reluctance was the truth bubbling up, just below Arthur's consciousness.

The reading that Mica, Bill, and Javier are evil while Charles, John, and Arthur are good depends not on one group being more dishonorable, cruel, or murderous, but rather who stayed "loyal" to Dutch.

I think it's brilliant the way the story uses the "ludonarrative dissonance" as tension not between gameplay and story, but perspective and reality.