This is awesome feedback. Thank you for the insight, it may prove useful in future games.
As for answers, this devlog explains most of the design process and decisions. As the original game was made in about 15 hours (during a 48 hour game jam) I was aiming for something simple: a feeling. In that sense, it is more about what the game provides than about what the game is. Whatever the reality behind the game, the feeling of unease you had is still real.