Gosh, that was really tough at the start! I got in the habit of saving every few feet (and after every battle... and after every chest) after the first TPK, but once I had a better idea of what to expect, it was a lot easier going. Aside from that, it wasn't entirely clear I had to go through the cave system and mostly just ended up there since I couldn't do/go anywhere else. Once I got to Alstair, I had the problem that I couldn't determine what to do next—I didn't even find Gatrick until after I'd gone back in the cave and talked to Carlotta! And even then I didn't notice him until the 3rd or 4th time I entered his house(?)—his sprite really blends into the map, especially since only the back of his head was showing.
The information about different weapons having different features and different enemies having different weaknesses was a fun hint to how the combat works. It would have been nice if that was taken a step further and inspecting books and/or bookshelves provided additional information on enemy weaknesses. I'm not enough of a grinder to come at it scientifically and analyze each fight to figure out the ideal weapon for Carlotta.
All in all, a very fun game—interesting worldbuilding, exciting maps to explore, plenty of chests to loot... Definitely an hour and half of my time well-spent! Can't wait to see where you go with it next. :)