Very cool concept! I think this is the first game I’ve played that features an in-game role reversal where the way you played the first role actually influences the way the second role plays. I dig it!
Without the role reversal, I kinda dig the idea to gain max health on death as a simple way to adjust difficulty on the fly. With the role reversal twist, it’s still pretty cool, but it’s also a bit weird that the final boss automatically gets harder if you’re bad at the game. The powerups, on the other hand, were a nice touch, since you can consciously avoid them and exchange a challenge run for an easier time, I like it a lot!
A little disappointed there was no reward for completing the first part as a pacifist, but I guess that might also be due to time constraints. All in all, this is a super cool concept and I wouldn’t be surprised (and maybe even happy) if you decided to turn this into a full game.