I just played through the demo on hardware and absolutely loved it. It made me feel like I was starting a full game that I was excited to play. I enjoyed many things about the current content, like the art direction and the crank integrations, but I thought that the combat was especially good. It felt slow-paced and tactical, which I didn't expect, and the degree of challenge it offered was just right for me. Getting the rhythm of the turns down felt good, and the 4 or so deaths I had during the boss fight felt completely fair because I could immediately see my mistakes and how to fix them. I would love to pay for a full version of this with as much content as you're willing to cram into it. Probably my favorite experience on the Playdate so far! I hope you keep up your momentum and can move ahead to full production.
Thanks for playing the demo and taking time to write down your thoughts!
Glad you like the game so far. There is absolutely an element of rhythm to the combat (partly due to rigidness and limitations of the web based game engine) that rewards well-timed attacks and careful spacing.
I'm aiming to release the full game this year with 7-8 areas and accompanying dungeons. Making steady progress. It would be faster if I didn't have a day job and a toddler to care for.