I like that the game makes you want to stay close to enemies, even though it would be convenient to stay away from them.
Yes! For that same reason, the pickup range is not very generous, forcing you to go into the fire, and back out. 20 Minutes till Midnight was an inspiration, which has some items like Blazing Speed requiring users get up and close to affect burn damage. I was definitely inspired by the Batgun, which was the most accessible way for me to play.