It would probably help also to start off with one lane, and then add a second lane once the player gets the basics.
Just pushed an update built directly on your feedback:
- A proper title screen
- A hands-on "field guide" that pauses the battle while it teaches (you click your Spire, buy the upgrades, summon a hero)
- Tooltips with prices on every button
- A permanent "YOU: BLUE" badge (might be a bit overkill in the long term imo, but I think it works for people trying it for the first time).
Full details in the devlog. If you have another 10 minutes at some point, I would love to hear if the first run makes sense now.