The controls took a bit of getting used to for me but if I may offer a bit of advice... The game really wants you to hold forward and keep your momentum and you are actually more likely to die if you try to stop. So if you are dashing and land on a platform and try to stop, it is very hard not to just slide off, but it is actually easier if you just press jump as soon as you land. The fact that you can attack in the air without losing momentum means if an enemy appears you can just kinda plow through it and keep truckin.
Yeah, I felt it was that way near the end (the spike corridors). But since it was my first time playing (and I didn't trust the flying kick much due to starting lag), I just couldn't help myself and stop midway sometimes to check for flying enemies, complicating stuff more for myself. Pretty sure it's an issue that wouldn't matter much on later playthroughs thanks to the intel one'd already have, tho!