I didn't really have any big difficulties with the enemy spawning too close. I won on my third game, which seems appropriate for a jam game, I think the difficulty is just right and it really feels like I learned to play the game. I did have a bit of difficulty grasping the way the shooting works. Does it shoot in the direction you are currently moving? If so that's an interesting departure from more typical mechanics where you shoot where the front of your ship is pointing.
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That's what I thought was happening, it's a bit weird and tricky, but makes for a rewarding experience. You could have explained it up front I think, because it doesn't feel very intuitive with the way the camera works. I think that's fine, but a fair warning would remove some of the disorientation.