I just gave the game a playthrough as well and felt that the maps were too big. I understand the purpose, but when the purpose is to also add an element of exploration, we need directions like clues. I found your guide and decided to follow that in order to experience the whole game, but I couldn't get through the first boss considering how low our health starts. I also noticed items weren't usable on team members during the first boss battle, which made it much more difficult. I'm really not trying to be harsh, because I believe the gaming community should be welcoming to new developers, so I hope this all comes off as constructive rather than destructive. I would've never known about some of the bosses until I read the guide.
I hope you take some time to play through my game for the competition as well. If you feel I should change anything, you have just as much right to critique. Good luck with the contest!