I've said a punch, and I will say it again, time limits are a curse and a blessing hehe. But for real, it's not easy to make well balanced game, and I really think you managed to pull off what you were going for. While I do think the dragging distances are a bit much, I still think you managed to get that tension in there! I felt like I had to pay attention and always be prepared in case. It's just matter of fine tuning I think, so exactly as you said: extensive testing!
Good to hear my feedback was of any use. I'm such a sucker for game testing and love doing it, so I usually also tend to go full speed while writing and start to ramble a bit hehe. You guys are on the right track! Good luck for the future development! ^^