itch.io

First of all, thank you for considering my recommendations. Here are what I can add in reply to the questions above:

As an incremental game, the two focus points should be progression, and how the game feels, therefore:

Sound:

The best example I can think of as for the music, is Tetris Effect: Connected.

The video above has many examples for how the game picks up the pace of the music with more lines completed. Maybe implement a (possibly hidden) avg. damage counter that would scale the tempo of the music while in play, perhaps after reaching a certain avg. damage switch to another, more catchy tune (look up dynamic/adaptive music and what it entails). For the beginning of the game the current music is great though.

As an alternative, you could also make it so that the number of triggered damaging effects scale music intensity. Either way, just make sure that the intensity/tempo scaling feels smooth.

Gameplay:

- For endgame and levels, having a hidden coefficient for possible damage per click (considering base damage, crit%, crit damage, extra damaging effects, etc.) and scaling level difficulty accordingly could help. 

- Making the player go back to the previous level a couple times is completely fine, the issue rises when it becomes the default and obvious choice.

- Maybe even implement a function where the total number of levels completed (repeated completion of the same level would not count, just once) would unlock more options to scale up your damage. This would not change anything fundamental about the game and only add potential for keeping up with the scaling resource hp.

- Another feature that could be added later on the line, is an upgrade enabling homing of stars, or perhaps them bouncing back from the sides, as it would feel good.

- As for the required resource balancing, it is fine to have a couple rare resources that the player lacks, but it makes no sense for it to be cactus, rather make it a gemstone or something similar (if this is expanded upon, a trade-in of other resources for it could be considered thus making use of the inventory panel).

As for the rest:

- A huge positive that I did not mention before is not running into any minor or major bugs while playing (well done!), only slight inconveniences, which will eventually be ironed out. 

As I stated in the beginning, focus on how the game feels and whether it provides the satisfaction the player is looking for. 

Does the game scratch that itchy spot in the middle of your back? If not find out why and improve on that. 

If it did until a certain point, find out when it stopped doing it and revise that point of game progression.

Best of luck!