Valu's Impulse was definitely fun but also very difficult. The challenge was engaging, but I wish there was a "Continue" option instead of restarting from level 1 each time. I would have loved to keep going and try to beat level 2 without starting over from the beginning again. It took me a while to reach lvl 2 and I didn't really want to replay it yet again
The popes with fireballs were super tough to deal with, and I found it hard to dodge their attacks. It made the game feel a bit too punishing at times. I also unlocked some traits but couldn't quite figure out how to activate them, which left me feeling a bit underpowered. For instance, I thought my fireball, or "heat" trait would give me a projectile, but I didn't notice any change. Clarifying how to use these traits would add a lot to the gameplay experience.
Despite the difficulty, I loved the graphics and thought the music fit very well with the game's atmosphere. The intro cinematic was especially impressive and added a lot to the overall presentation. Great work on that! I think with a bit of tweaking—like allowing players to continue from the current level—you could maintain the NES-level difficulty while softening the harshness just a bit. Keep up the great work!