It might have taken inspirations from portal and its narrative style, but I didn't say "has its own identity" I said "it has an identity" and that doesn't really have anything to do with originality. It's a level of polish that everuthing in the game goes with each other so well that it forms a singular system that can be recognized on its own.
It's what good finished games have and doesn't really happen that much in jam games. Everything in this game looks like it has some thought behind it and they all go together pretty well. It doesn't need to be terribly original, take Overwatch for example. It's not the most unique game, it's another hero based shooter, but the way everything is in that game is somehow connected to the other things and everything is based on a very well thought plan, something that is consistent through out the whole game.
Now I'm mot saying that this game has as much character as Overwatch has, but it somewhat comes close to games like Limbo, it has a consistent polished theme and that gives it an identity, a character.