I seem to have gotten stuck in the pause menu. Swanky music though.
This is a genuinely sad and creative game design concept. I really enjoyed how it is an action game that doesn't rely on violence to the tell the story, a story sadder than many violent games could ever achieve.
I think you could improve the game by telling less and showing more. I had to play 2 times before i grokked the concept of the gameplay even though the instructions are clearly laid out before me. It's just human nature. And instead of telling the player exactly how the enemies behave, maybe it would be more entertaining to spawn hearts when the enemy favors it's tribute, and just let the player learn through trial what each type enjoys. Overall pretty fun concept and execution. Y'all should be proud.